College softball’s early-season tournament circuit is in full swing, and few events carry the prestige and excitement of the Mary Nutter Classic. Now in its 22nd year, the 2026 edition of this elite invitational tournament is set to deliver four days of top-tier action at the Big League Dreams Sports Park in Cathedral City, California, running from Thursday, February 19 through Sunday, February 22.
With nine ranked teams — three of them sitting in the top ten nationally — and a special appearance by Team Japan’s national softball squad, the 2026 Mary Nutter Classic is shaping up to be one of the most compelling early-season showcases in recent memory. Here’s everything players, coaches, and fans need to know.
A Tournament Steeped in Tradition
The Mary Nutter Classic isn’t just another invitational. It’s a celebration of a woman who dedicated her life to growing the game of softball.
Mary Nutter was a hall-of-fame pioneer who played amateur and professional softball until 1976 — before Title IX’s implementation opened the doors for women’s collegiate athletics. After retiring as a player, Nutter pivoted to coaching, taking the helm at Pittsburg State before embarking on a mission to elevate the sport nationwide through coaching clinics that spanned the country. Her mentorship of generations of athletes and coaches helped transform softball into the nationally beloved collegiate sport it is today.
Nutter passed away in 2012, but her legacy lives on through this tournament, which first debuted in 2004 and has grown into the premier destination for elite college softball programs looking to test themselves early in the season. In 2025, three Mary Nutter Classic participants — Tennessee, Oregon, and UCLA — went on to reach the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, underscoring just how strong the field typically is.
The 2026 Field: Nine Ranked Teams and an International Guest
Thirty programs are descending on Cathedral City this weekend, but the headliners are the nine teams carrying national rankings into the tournament. Three sit firmly in the top ten:
- No. 2 Texas Tech Red Raiders
- No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners
- No. 6 Nebraska Cornhuskers
Rounding out the ranked contingent are No. 11 UCLA, No. 13 Texas A&M, No. 14 Oregon, No. 14 Duke, No. 22 South Carolina, and No. 23 Washington.
Perhaps the most intriguing addition to the field, though, is Team Japan — the Japanese national softball team — making their first appearance at the Mary Nutter Classic since 2018. That year they faced UCLA and Oklahoma. This time around, they’ll square off against several U.S. programs, including a highly anticipated exhibition matchup against No. 2 Texas Tech on Thursday night.
Other programs in the field include Oregon State, California, UC San Diego, Utah, Auburn, BYU, Hawai’i, Fresno State, Cal State Northridge, Cal State Fullerton, San Diego State, Nevada, UC Riverside, Rutgers, Seattle, Bethune Cookman, Long Beach State, Saint Mary’s, Loyola Marymount, and CBU.
Key Storylines to Follow
Texas Tech Responds After First Loss
The Red Raiders came into the season looking like a national title contender, but Nebraska handed them their first loss of the year at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Classic. Texas Tech arrives in Cathedral City with something to prove. Their schedule this weekend includes matchups against Fresno State, Bethune Cookman, Cal State Fullerton, San Diego State, UC Riverside, and the aforementioned international exhibition against Team Japan. How the Red Raiders bounce back from adversity will be one of the most closely watched storylines of the weekend.
Nebraska Riding a Momentum Wave
If Texas Tech is coming in stung, Nebraska is arriving on a high. The Huskers enter the tournament having knocked off the top-ranked team in the nation — not once, but twice this season. Their most recent statement came at the Clearwater Classic, where pitcher-slugger Jordy Bahl Frahm delivered three shutout innings in a 3-2 win over Texas Tech, reaffirming her status as one of the most dominant two-way players in college softball today.
Nebraska’s weekend slate includes ranked matchups against No. 13 Texas A&M and No. 22 South Carolina, both of which will be critical measuring-stick games as the Huskers look to cement their place among the nation’s elite.
Oklahoma Continuing to Roll
The Sooners come in riding a seven-game winning streak after suffering an early-season loss to No. 16 Arizona. Oklahoma has been dominant during that stretch, including a staggering 34-0 win over UTEP. Their biggest test of the weekend comes Friday when they clash with a red-hot No. 14 Duke squad — Oklahoma’s first ranked matchup since their series win over the Arizona Wildcats. A Sunday date with No. 23 Washington rounds out their weekend.
Team Japan: An International Wild Card
The presence of Japan’s national softball team adds a unique dimension to this year’s Classic. Japan has historically been one of the premier softball nations in the world, with a program built for international competition. Watching how they stack up against top-tier American collegiate programs — particularly their showcase game against Texas Tech — will be a fascinating subplot. For U.S. programs, it’s also valuable experience ahead of what could be international-style competition down the road.
10 Ranked Matchups in Four Days
Beyond the individual storylines, the sheer volume of top-25 clashes this weekend is staggering. With ten ranked face-offs scheduled across the four-day tournament, there will barely be a moment to catch your breath. Highlights include No. 13 Texas A&M vs. No. 14 Oregon on Thursday, No. 22 South Carolina vs. No. 23 Washington, No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Duke on Friday, and No. 11 UCLA vs. No. 22 South Carolina on Saturday.
Full Schedule
All games are played at Big League Dreams Sports Park in Cathedral City, CA. All times are listed in Eastern Time. Games can be streamed live on FloCollege.
Thursday, February 19
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| No. 14 Oregon vs. Auburn | 1:00 PM |
| Oregon State vs. CBU | 1:00 PM |
| California vs. UC San Diego | 1:00 PM |
| Utah vs. Bethune Cookman | 1:30 PM |
| Oregon State vs. Nevada | 1:00 PM |
| CBU vs. UC San Diego | 3:30 PM |
| No. 13 Texas A&M vs. No. 14 Oregon | 3:30 PM |
| No. 22 South Carolina vs. No. 23 Washington | 4:00 PM |
| No. 11 UCLA vs. Auburn | 6:00 PM |
| Rutgers vs. Bethune Cookman | 6:00 PM |
| Cal State Northridge vs. BYU | 6:00 PM |
| No. 2 Texas Tech vs. Fresno State | 6:30 PM |
| No. 4 Oklahoma vs. Cal State Fullerton | 8:30 PM |
| No. 13 Texas A&M vs. No. 14 Duke | 8:30 PM |
| Hawai’i vs. BYU | 8:30 PM |
| No. 2 Texas Tech vs. Team Japan | 9:00 PM |
| No. 4 Oklahoma vs. San Diego State | 11:00 PM |
| Rutgers vs. Cal State Fullerton | 11:00 PM |
| No. 14 Duke vs. Hawai’i | 11:00 PM |
| UC Riverside vs. Team Japan | 11:30 PM |
Friday, February 20
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Fresno State vs. California | 1:00 PM |
| No. 6 Nebraska vs. No. 22 South Carolina | 1:00 PM |
| Seattle vs. CBU | 1:00 PM |
| No. 2 Texas Tech vs. Bethune Cookman | 1:30 PM |
| Nevada vs. California | 3:30 PM |
| No. 6 Nebraska vs. Hawai’i | 3:30 PM |
| Seattle vs. Cal State Northridge | 3:30 PM |
| Fresno State vs. CBU | 3:30 PM |
| No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Duke | 4:00 PM |
| San Diego State vs. UC Riverside | 6:00 PM |
| No. 14 Oregon vs. No. 22 South Carolina | 6:00 PM |
| Utah vs. Cal State Northridge | 6:00 PM |
| BYU vs. Long Beach State | 6:00 PM |
| San Diego State vs. Saint Mary’s | 6:00 PM |
| No. 14 Oregon vs. Fullerton | 8:30 PM |
| Oregon State vs. Hawai’i | 8:30 PM |
| Loyola Marymount vs. Rutgers | 8:30 PM |
| No. 23 Washington vs. Saint Mary’s | 11:00 PM |
| Auburn vs. BYU | 11:00 PM |
| Utah vs. Rutgers | 11:00 PM |
| No. 13 Texas A&M vs. UC San Diego | 11:30 PM |
Saturday, February 21
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| San Diego State vs. Seattle | 12:30 PM |
| No. 14 Duke vs. No. 14 Oregon | 12:30 PM |
| Oregon State vs. Bethune Cookman | 12:30 PM |
| No. 4 Oklahoma vs. Long Beach State | 1:00 PM |
| Nevada vs. UC Riverside | 1:00 PM |
| Saint Mary’s vs. Hawai’i | 5:00 PM |
| No. 2 Texas Tech vs. Cal State Fullerton | 3:00 PM |
| No. 23 Washington vs. Auburn | 3:00 PM |
| Oregon State vs. Cal State Northridge | 3:00 PM |
| UC San Diego vs. Seattle | 3:30 PM |
| No. 2 Texas Tech vs. San Diego State | 5:30 PM |
| Auburn vs. Cal State Fullerton | 5:30 PM |
| Long Beach State vs. Bethune Cookman | 5:30 PM |
| No. 11 UCLA vs. Fresno State | 6:00 PM |
| No. 6 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Texas A&M | 8:00 PM |
| Utah vs. Loyola Marymount | 8:00 PM |
| No. 11 UCLA vs. No. 22 South Carolina | 8:30 PM |
| Rutgers vs. Team Japan | 8:30 PM |
| No. 13 Texas A&M vs. Loyola Marymount | 10:30 PM |
| CBU vs. Utah | 10:30 PM |
| St. Mary’s vs. South Carolina | 11:00 PM |
| Hawai’i vs. Team Japan | 11:00 PM |
| Rutgers vs. UC San Diego | 11:00 PM |
Sunday, February 22
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 23 Washington | 12:00 PM |
| No. 6 Nebraska vs. Seattle | 12:00 PM |
| No. 2 Texas Tech vs. UC Riverside | 12:00 PM |
| California vs. Auburn | 12:00 PM |
| Oregon State vs. Long Beach State | 12:00 PM |
| No. 6 Nebraska vs. California | 2:30 PM |
| No. 23 Washington vs. Loyola Marymount | 2:30 PM |
| Utah vs. UC Riverside | 2:30 PM |
| Saint Mary’s vs. Long Beach State | 2:30 PM |
| Loyola Marymount vs. Team Japan | 5:00 PM |
All times Eastern. Stream live on FloCollege.
Why This Tournament Matters
For coaches and scouts, the Mary Nutter Classic is as much a scouting showcase as it is a competition. Teams like Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Nebraska are already building cases for national seeding — every win against a ranked opponent carries weight. For the mid-major programs and West Coast schools in the field, facing elite competition in February is invaluable preparation for conference play ahead.
For fans, this is one of the few chances early in the season to see multiple top-25 programs in action over a single weekend. The concentration of talent at Cathedral City — from power conference programs to an international national team — makes the Mary Nutter Classic an event that belongs on every serious college softball fan’s calendar.
The 2026 Women’s College World Series is slated for May 28 – June 5 at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The games being played this weekend could very well foreshadow which teams are still standing when the lights are brightest in June.
Stay tuned to BaseballResource.org for continued coverage of college softball throughout the 2026 season.
