NORTHWESTERN SOFTBALL: Kajikawa Classic
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION	AUDIO STREAM	LIVE STATS
Friday, Feb. 9	#7 Arizona	12:30 p.m. CT/ 11:30 a.m. MT	Farrington Stadium	Pac-12 (vid) Studio N ($)	Live Stats
Friday, Feb. 9	San Diego State	8:30 p.m. CT/ 7:30 p.m. MT	Tempe Sports Complex Field 3	Studio N ($)	Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 10	Boise State	12:45 p.m. CT/ 11:45 a.m. MT	Tempe Sports Complex Field 3	Studio N ($)	Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 10	Indiana	3 p.m. CT/ 2 p.m. MT	Tempe Sports Complex Field 4	Studio N ($)	Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 11	South Dakota	10 a.m. CT/ 9 a.m. MT	Tempe Sports Complex Field 4	Studio N ($)	Live Stats
Social: Twitter (@NUSBCats and @NU_SportsLive) \| Instagram (nusbcats) \| Facebook Game Notes: Northwestern \| Official Tournament Website

EVANSTON, Ill. -- For the 12th time in the last 13 years, Northwestern will travel this weekend to the biggest kickoff tournament in the country to start the 2018 season: The Kajikawa Classic hosted by Arizona State.

Twenty-eight teams are converging on Tempe, Ariz., for the event staged across two sites and five fields. Northwestern opens its tournament schedule at 12:30 p.m. CT/11:30 a.m. MT Friday, February 9, against No. 7 Arizona at Arizona State's Farrington Stadium. NU then travels across town to the Tempe Sports Complex, where it will face San Diego State Friday night before taking on Boise State and Indiana Saturday, and South Dakota on Sunday.

The tilt with Indiana is one of four non-conference games NU has scheduled against fellow Big Ten teams in the pre-conference schedule. Northwestern will play both Indiana and Penn State twice before B1G play kicks off; neither of those teams is on the Wildcats regular-season conference slate.

The Kajikawa Classic in its current form and name has been held every year since 2005, and Northwestern was part of the field every single time until last year, when the Wildcats opted to open the season at a tournament at Arizona. NU fell to the host Pac-12 Wildcats at that event one season ago, but the series between the two powerhouses is both storied and competitive over the last decade. Prior to 2017, the previous three meetings between Arizona and Northwestern all were decided by one run, with Arizona prevailing in all three (2015, 2013 and 2010). Before that, Northwestern took two-straight in 2008 (8-5) and 2009 (3-1). Of course, the two programs famously met in the Championship Series of the Women's College World Series in 2006.

Northwestern enters Tempe this weekend with a mixture of experience and fresh faces. The Wildcats graduated just three student-athletes (all starters) from last year's squad, and boasts a senior class that is seven members strong. At the same time, Northwestern has a talented crop of first-year Wildcats who will challenge for playing time right off the bat at the Kajikawa.

Leading the way is three-time All-Big Ten honoree and 2015 Big Ten Rookie of the Year Sabrina Rabin in center field. Classmate Marissa Panko also returns after an All-Big Ten nod a year ago at the shortstop position.

In the circle, fifth-year senior Nicole Bond and junior Kaley Winegarner lead a deep, diverse and daunting five-Wildcat rotation. Bond has the most experience on the staff and faced the toughest of NU's foes last year while Winegarner emerged as an ace caliber hurler toward the end of 2017, winning each of her last four starts with complete-game efforts.

NORTHWESTERN SOFTBALL HOME TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!
Full season passes, single game tickets and group tickets to all of Northwestern's 2018 home games are available NOW at NUsports.com. NU welcomes Big Ten foes Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio State and Iowa to The J this year while also hosting nonconference games against Green Bay and Loyola (Chicago). Don't miss the FUN! Get yours today!

PROGRAMMING NOTE

In 2018, NU communications contact Doug Meffley will be on the road less once again, but the Wildcats will still be streamed multiple times at every tournament of the year. Below is a *tentative coverage schedule that should help in planning how you follow the 'Cats. All streams are free unless otherwise noted; subscription information for pay-per-view streams will be disseminated the week before those events. Also, EVERY GAME will have live stats and live tweets at NUsports.com and @NUSBCats on Twitter.

A full home stream and television schedule will be finalized and available in the coming weeks.

KAJIKAWA CLASSIC (February 9-11): The 2018 season-opener against No. 7 Arizona will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Network. All five games at the Kajikawa including the opener also will be audio streamed live via Studio N on NUsports.com with long-time SID Doug Meffley on the call.

Studio N is a subscription product. Cost is $3.95 for a 24-hour pass, $6.95 for a monthly pass (BEST VALUE!). We recommend a monthly pass for Kajikawa Classic because it will give you access to all five games for one $6.95 purchase.

Streaming information for the Pac-12 Network can be found at Pac-12.com, and links to all NUsports.com Studio N audio streams are available on the NU Softball schedule page.

Quick links to stream all five games are here:

February 9 vs. Arizona: Watch Pac-12 Network Here
February 9 vs. Arizona: Studio N audio ($)
February 9 vs. San Diego State: Studio N audio ($)
February 10 vs. Boise State: Studio N audio ($)
February 10 vs. Indiana: Studio N audio ($)
February 11 vs. South Dakota: Studio N audio ($)

ACC/B1G CHALLENGE (February 16-18): The ACC/B1G Challenge site featuring Northwestern, Ohio State, Louisville and N.C. State in Raleigh, N.C., will have all games video streamed. Links and more information on that tournament will become available closer to the tournament.

MARY NUTTER COLLEGIATE CLASSIC (February 23-25): FloSoftball is back to stream video coverage of every tournament game at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic February 23-25. More information and links to subscribe are available at FloSoftball.com.

HUSKY INVITATIONAL (March 2-4): The Wildcats travel to Seattle for the Husky Invitational hosted by the University of Washington March 2-4. The hosts will video stream all games at the tournament. Links and more information will be available closer to the event.

HOUSTON HILTON PLAZA CLASSIC (March 9-11): NU's tournament schedule concludes March 9-11 at the Houston Hilton Plaza Classic. The Cougars will live stream all games involving the host Houston. More streaming plans with NU's other opponents are being finalized and will be available closer to first pitch.

DOUBLEHEADER AT INDIANA (March 17): NU's final non-conference action comes in the form of two games in Bloomington, Ind., on March 17 where the Wildcats will face UIC and Indiana in a non-Big Ten contest. Both of those games will be audio streamed live via Studio N audio at NUsports.com with Doug Meffley on the call.

BIG TEN SCHEDULE: Big Ten Network is still in the process of finalizing its television and streaming schedule for the 2018 Big Ten season. That full schedule will be announced soon!

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!

Sun Rises On The 2018 Season This Weekend At The Kajikawa Classic

••••••

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Nicole Bond

Marissa Panko

Sabrina Rabin

Kaley Winegarner

Northwestern University Athletics

Sun Rises On The 2018 Season This Weekend At The Kajikawa Classic

••••••

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Nicole Bond

Marissa Panko

Sabrina Rabin

Kaley Winegarner

Related Videos