College softball: Everything you need to know about the Mary Nutter Classic
One of the most anticipated softball tournaments in the country is on its way back to the Coachella Valley. The Mary Nutter Collegiate Invitational will feature many of the top college softball teams in the country as they compete Thursday through Sunday.
The elite tournament will be held at Big League Dreams in Cathedral City and will be headlined by the top three teams in the nation, including two-time defending NCAA champion and No. 1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners. UCLA and Florida, two World Series qualifiers last year, also will compete this weekend. In total, the field includes eight teams ranked in the top 25 according to nfca.org.
Fans attending might want to bring an umbrella as the desert's beautiful February weather could be replaced by wind, rain and much colder temperatures. The latest National Weather Service forecast calls for daily rain chances with afternoon highs remaining in the mid-50s.
Update: Two teams, Arizona State and Iowa State, have pulled out of the event due to weather concerns. That has caused minor schedule tweaks, so keep an eye on the event's social media @nutterclassic and website marynutterclassic.com.
Here's everything you need to know:
How many teams are competing?
In total, 28 teams will take part in this event. The teams competing are Bethune Cookman, BYU, Cal Poly SLO, Cal-Berkeley, CSU Fullerton, CSU Northridge, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Long Beach State, Loyola Marymount University, Missouri, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Oregon State, Portland State, San Diego State, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCLA, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, University of San Diego, Utah, Utah Valley University and Washington.
Which of the competing teams are ranked?
There are seven ranked teams: No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 Florida, No. 12 Washington, No. 14 Northwestern, No. 17 Kentucky and No. 24 Oregon.
Which PAC-12 teams are competing?
There are six PAC-12 teams in this tournament: Cal-Berkeley, Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA, Utah, and Washington.
How much do tickets cost?
Fans can purchase an all-tournament pass which allows you to see every game Thursday through Sunday. That is $85 if purchased online or $90 at the gate. For seniors, an all-tournament pass is $60 online and $65 at the gate.
An adult day ticket, which will give you access to all the events on a specific day, is $32 online and $35 at the gate. For seniors and students age 11-17 with proper ID, a one-day ticket is $15 online and $17 at the gate. A ticket for children between the ages of 3 and 10 is $8 online and $10 at the gate.
New this year, you can reserve seats for individual games. Seat backs behind the plate will be sold individually for an additional $20 each game. You must have a separate QR code from your admission QR code to sit in these seats on the Wrigley, Yankee and Fenway fields. You must first buy a general admission ticket, and once you purchase that, you will receive a ticket confirmation email with instructions to purchase reserved seating for the games you wish to see from behind the backstop with a seat back.
How does parking work?
It is $15 to park in the parking lot at the front entrance of Big League Dreams. Keep in mind that the lot fills up fast and there are no in-and-out privileges. If you don't want to spend money, parking on the streets around the facility is free.
Cathedral City High School also offers parking options with the closest parking at $40 and the rest of the parking at $20. There is zero re-entry, if you leave and want to come back, you will have to pay again. The school also offers VIP parking, which costs $100 for the entire weekend. Those spots are located in the tennis court parking lots on Ortega Road.
What does the schedule look like?
On Thursday the first game at 9:30 a.m. and the last game at 8 p.m.
On Friday the earliest game at 10 a.m. and the latest at 8:30 p.m.
On Saturday the earliest at 9:30 a.m. and the latest at 8 p.m.
On Sunday the earliest at 9 a.m. and the latest at 2:30 p.m.
Any must-see matchups?
With all of the talented teams competing, there are a few must-see matchups daily.
On Thursday, No. 12 Washington plays No. 17 Kentucky at noon at Wrigley Field, which is followed up by the all-star matchup No. 2 UCLA facing off against No. 3 Florida at 7:30 p.m. on the same field.
On Friday, No. 14 Northwestern plays No. 24 Oregon at 12:30 p.m. at Yankee Stadium, and No. 2 UCLA plays No. 17 Kentucky at 5:30 p.m. at Wrigley Field.
On Saturday, No. 3 Florida plays No. 24 Oregon at 10 a.m. at Yankee Stadium, No. 2 UCLA plays No. 14 Northwestern at 2:30 p.m. at Wrigley Field, and No. 17 Kentucky plays No. 14 Northwestern at 5:30 p.m. at Fenway Park.
On Sunday, No. 1 Oklahoma tests itself against No. 2 UCLA at 9:30 a.m. at Wrigley Field in what should be the game of the weekend.
Who was Mary Nutter?
Nutter was a highly decorated coach and ambassador for the sport of fast-pitch softball. The Michigan State alum was elected to the NAIA Hall of Fame and National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame for her success as a coach at Pittsburg State University, where she won three District 10 championships and three Coach of the Year awards. Nutter founded and served as president of National Sports Clinics, a series of coaching clinics around the country that taught the intricacies of the sport. She passed away in 2012.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: College softball: What to know about Mary Nutter Classic
