Northwestern Strides Into 2016 With Top-10 Foes at Kajikawa Classic

NORTHWESTERN SOFTBALL: KAJIKAWA CLASSIC
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION	LISTEN	LIVE STATS
Friday, Feb. 12	UC Riverside	10 a.m. CT/ 9 a.m. MT	Tempe Sports Complex (Field 1)	Studio N	Live Stats
Friday, Feb. 12	Virginia	3 p.m. CT/ 2 p.m. MT	Tempe Sports Complex (Field 2)	Studio N	Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 13	#8 Tennessee	3:30 p.m. CT/ 2:30 p.m. MT	Tempe Sports Complex (Field 2)	Studio N	Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 14	Bradley	10 a.m. CT/ 9 a.m. MT	Tempe Sports Complex (Field 3)	Studio N	Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 14	#6 Oregon	12:15 p.m. CT/ 11:15 a.m. MT	Tempe Sports Complex (Field 3)	Studio N	Live Stats
Social: Twitter (@NUSBCats and @NU_SportsLive) \| Instagram (nusbcats) \| Facebook Game Notes: Northwestern \| Official Tournament Website

EVANSTON, Ill. -- For the 11th-consecutive year, Northwestern will begin its season among the field at the Kajikawa Classic hosted by Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz., where a pair of top-10 opponents lurk among NU's five-game schedule. The 32-team tournament will be played on five fields across two different sites with all five of the Wildcats' contests this year taking place at the Tempe Sports Complex (8403 S Hardy Dr, Tempe, AZ 85284).

NU opens the 2016 season against UC Riverside at 10 a.m. CT/9 a.m. MT Friday, Feb. 12 before it faces Virginia at 3 p.m. CT/2 p.m. MT later that day. Saturday features a single game against eighth-ranked Tennessee at 3:30 p.m. CT/2:30 p.m. MT. Northwestern then has a doubleheader against Bradley and sixth-ranked Oregon beginning at 10 a.m. CT/9 a.m. MT for getaway day Sunday.

Northwestern is coming off its 10th NCAA Tournament appearance in the 14-year Drohan era last season, which became a war of attrition in the circle due to myriad injuries. That script has been flipped for 2016 with a healthy staff of five capable hurlers including seniors Kristen Wood and Amy Letourneau and the return of junior Nicole Bond, who missed all of the 2015 season after compiling an undefeated record as a freshman.

Though Northwestern graduated four starters from its 2015 squad, many of the important cogs in a lineup that averaged 6.3 runs per game have returned. Reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year Sabrina Rabin is back to set the table from the leadoff position after batting .394 with 28 steals a year ago while the middle of the order with the powerful Andrea Filler, Letourneau and Sammy Nettling returns nearly intact. With seven seniors, this is a veteran squad and several upperclassmen will see everyday action for the first times in their careers while a talented stable of freshmen are ready to contribute from the first pitch of the season.

After the Kajikawa Classic, Northwestern will travel to the inaugural B1G/ACC Challenge. The Wildcats' site this year is Chapel Hill, N.C., where they will face the host Tarheels and Boston College. From there, NU makes its traditional non-conference appearance at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, Calif., before traveling for the first time ever to Cal State Fullerton's Judi Garman Classic, a major tournament NU has the opportunity to compete in this year because of the way the academic calendar falls. The Wildcats then travel to the USF Under Armour Showcase in Clearwater, Fla., for Spring Break before the B1G season starts.

SEASON PASSES ON SALE NOW!
For the first time ever, full season passes to all 13 Northwestern home games are available now at NUsports.com. Single-game and group tickets will go on sale later in March. With Big Ten road trips bookending the conference season, Northwestern has a massive homestand comprising the entire month of April. Get yours today!

PROGRAMMING NOTE
Forty-six Northwestern games in 2016 will feature live streaming coverage across multiple platforms, giving fans the ability to follow the Wildcats closer than ever before starting from the first pitch of the year this Friday in Tempe, Ariz.

Coverage will be provided through Northwestern's own Studio N for the majority of this season's games, including this weekend's Kajikawa Classic. Many home and away Big Ten games will feature live streaming video through BTN Plus, while FloSoftball is providing live streaming video broadcasts of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic and the Judi Garman Classic. All three of these services are subscription products.

For more information on how to subscribe, including a handy chart of stream availability, link to this release.

PLAY BALL!
For a complete season preview and notes on this weekend's Kajikawa Classic, download our Game Notes available here and in the chart at the top of this page.

Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!

Northwestern Strides Into 2016 With Top-10 Foes at Kajikawa Classic

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Players Mentioned

Nicole Bond

Andrea Filler

Amy Letourneau

Sammy Nettling

Sabrina Rabin

Kristen Wood

Northwestern University Athletics