BTN to televise nine spring championships in May

CHICAGO - BTN is the home for complete coverage of Big Ten spring championships in May and will televise events in the sports of baseball, softball, men?s and women?s golf, rowing, men?s and women?s tennis and men?s and women?s outdoor track and field. In all, BTN will offer more than 50 hours of coverage.

Broadcast coverage of Big Ten spring championships begins with the Big Ten Women?s Golf Championships at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 7. The Big Ten Men?s Golf Championships will air at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 14. Both will be televised from French Lick, Ind. The Illinois men?s and Purdue women?s teams hope to defend their titles.

The Big Ten Women?s Tennis Tournament, hosted by Northwestern, will air at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 8, followed by the Big Ten Men?s Tennis Tournament at 7 p.m., hosted by Michigan State. The Ohio State men?s and Northwestern women?s teams look to defend their Big Ten Tournament crowns from a year ago.

At 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 25, BTN will televise the Big Ten Rowing Championships from Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, as the defending national champion Buckeyes also aim to defend their 2013 Big Ten title.

At 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 25, the network will provide coverage of the Big Ten Men?s and Women?s Outdoor Track and Field Championships from Purdue. The Nebraska men?s and Penn State women?s teams earned 2013 titles.

BTN will provide live coverage of the entire Big Ten Softball Tournament from Northwestern, with the opening session available live on BTDN, and the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game live on BTN. Coverage begins with the opening session at noon ET on Thursday, May 8. The Big Ten Softball Tournament Championship Game will air at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 10. Wisconsin won last season?s Big Ten Tournament crown.

BTN?s coverage of the Big Ten Baseball Tournament begins at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 21 from TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb., home of the College World Series. The Big Ten Baseball Tournament Championship Game will air at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 25. Last season, Indiana won both the Big Ten Championship and Tournament, and advanced to the College World Series. In addition, a nightly episode of the Big Ten Diamond Report will air following the last game of the day throughout the tournament. Rick Pizzo and Mike Hall will host the shows, along with analyst Cal Eldred.

In the latest polls, the Big Ten has nationally ranked teams in the sports of baseball (No. 26 Indiana), softball (No. 3 Michigan, No. 13 Minnesota, No. 19 Nebraska and No. 25 Northwestern), men?s golf (No. 7 Illinois and No. 43 Northwestern), women?s golf (No. 12 Northwestern, No. 28 Ohio State and No. 31 Michigan State), men?s tennis (No. 1 Ohio State, No. 10 Illinois, No. 22 Penn State, No. 28 Purdue, No. 35 Northwestern and No. 49 Michigan), women?s tennis (No. 13 Northwestern, No. 16 Michigan, No. 34 Ohio State, No. 42 Purdue, No. 43 Illinois, No. 48 Indiana, No. 59 Minnesota and No. 67 Michigan State), men?s track and field (No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 12 Nebraska, No. 18 Penn State and No. 24 Illinois), women?s track and field (No. 12 Penn State) and rowing (No. 2 Ohio State, No. 10 Michigan and No. 15 Wisconsin).

The complete television schedule for the 2014 Big Ten Spring Championships and Tournaments appears below. For more information on these events, go to www.BTN.com or www.bigten.org.

2014 Big Ten Network Spring Championships/Tournament Schedule:

2014 Big Ten Softball Tournament Schedule:

2014 Big Ten Baseball Tournament Schedule: