Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: S. J. Carrera, Inc.
Northwestern Announces 2019 Schedule
11/23/2018 11:04:00 AM | Softball
FULL 2019 SCHEDULE
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern head coach Kate Drohan has announced another trademark Wildcats schedule for the 2019 season, featuring tournaments and destinations both new and familiar with top-tier competition across the board.
Northwestern, which finished last year ranked No. 24 in the final ESPN.com/USA Softball top-25 poll, will open 2019 at the Titan Invitational hosted by Cal State Fullerton February 8-10. The Wildcats have traditionally played an event in Fullerton nearly every season during the Drohan era, though the tournament itself has varied. NU participated in the prestigious Judi Garman in 2016-17, and before that could often be found in Fullerton for other competitions in late February or early March. This year, however, Fullerton serves as NU's lid-lifter.
From there, the Wildcats head to their Big Ten/ACC Challenge site in Chapel Hill, N.C., for two games each against both Louisville and North Carolina February 15-17. NU last played at this site in the Challenge in 2016.
Northwestern then will make its 14th appearance in the celebrated Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic February 22-24, in Cathedral City, Calif., annually softball's biggest and best non-conference tournament. There, the Wildcats will meet newly established program Duke for the first-ever time while also playing perennially strong foes in BYU, Utah, San Diego State and Washington.
NU keeps it in California to begin the month of March with its first appearance at a Palo Alto tournament since the 2011 season. In addition to the host Cardinal, Northwestern will take on Cal Poly (twice), North Dakota State and Montana. The Wildcats were last in Northern California in 2017 for a packed seven-game Spring Break slate at Santa Clara.
The Wildcats close out their non-conference tournament schedule with a visit to pitching coach Michelle Gascoigne's alma mater, Oklahoma, from March 8-10. NU will take on the host Sooners twice in addition to Drake, Tulsa and Grand Canyon. Northwestern last played a regular-season game in Oklahoma 10 years ago at the 2009 Preview presented by Worth at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
Following a two-game non-conference set with Toledo and Indiana in Bloomington, Ind., on March 16, Northwestern opens its 14-game home schedule March 22-24 against Rutgers. The Wildcats also welcome Wisconsin (April 12-14), Purdue (April 20-22) and Illinois (April 24) to Sharon J. Drysdale Field for Big Ten contests. DePaul (an earlier-than-usual-for-this-series March 27 date), Loyola (Chicago) (April 3) and Notre Dame (April 9) give NU three non-conference home games.
Road series in the conference this year comprise trips to Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan State and a season-finale series at Minnesota. The Big Ten Tournament is May 9-11 in Bloomington.
Tickets to Northwestern's home season will go on sale early in 2019. Prices and availability will be announced at that time.
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern head coach Kate Drohan has announced another trademark Wildcats schedule for the 2019 season, featuring tournaments and destinations both new and familiar with top-tier competition across the board.
Northwestern, which finished last year ranked No. 24 in the final ESPN.com/USA Softball top-25 poll, will open 2019 at the Titan Invitational hosted by Cal State Fullerton February 8-10. The Wildcats have traditionally played an event in Fullerton nearly every season during the Drohan era, though the tournament itself has varied. NU participated in the prestigious Judi Garman in 2016-17, and before that could often be found in Fullerton for other competitions in late February or early March. This year, however, Fullerton serves as NU's lid-lifter.
From there, the Wildcats head to their Big Ten/ACC Challenge site in Chapel Hill, N.C., for two games each against both Louisville and North Carolina February 15-17. NU last played at this site in the Challenge in 2016.
Northwestern then will make its 14th appearance in the celebrated Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic February 22-24, in Cathedral City, Calif., annually softball's biggest and best non-conference tournament. There, the Wildcats will meet newly established program Duke for the first-ever time while also playing perennially strong foes in BYU, Utah, San Diego State and Washington.
NU keeps it in California to begin the month of March with its first appearance at a Palo Alto tournament since the 2011 season. In addition to the host Cardinal, Northwestern will take on Cal Poly (twice), North Dakota State and Montana. The Wildcats were last in Northern California in 2017 for a packed seven-game Spring Break slate at Santa Clara.
The Wildcats close out their non-conference tournament schedule with a visit to pitching coach Michelle Gascoigne's alma mater, Oklahoma, from March 8-10. NU will take on the host Sooners twice in addition to Drake, Tulsa and Grand Canyon. Northwestern last played a regular-season game in Oklahoma 10 years ago at the 2009 Preview presented by Worth at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
Following a two-game non-conference set with Toledo and Indiana in Bloomington, Ind., on March 16, Northwestern opens its 14-game home schedule March 22-24 against Rutgers. The Wildcats also welcome Wisconsin (April 12-14), Purdue (April 20-22) and Illinois (April 24) to Sharon J. Drysdale Field for Big Ten contests. DePaul (an earlier-than-usual-for-this-series March 27 date), Loyola (Chicago) (April 3) and Notre Dame (April 9) give NU three non-conference home games.
Road series in the conference this year comprise trips to Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan State and a season-finale series at Minnesota. The Big Ten Tournament is May 9-11 in Bloomington.
Tickets to Northwestern's home season will go on sale early in 2019. Prices and availability will be announced at that time.
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