UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State softball head coach Amanda Lehotak announced the 2020 slate, highlighted by 15 home games at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field and contests with six 2019 NCAA Tournament teams, including WCWS participant Alabama.
The Nittany Lions will play the first 30 of 56 games on the road in five different tournaments in the south. The home opener is slated for Wednesday, March 18 against in-state rival Pitt. Penn State will host NCAA Regional Champion Northwestern, March 27-29, in the first home Big Ten series.
"The 2020 schedule is another demanding schedule with the first seven weeks on the road and a mix of high-caliber NCAA Tournament teams from last season," said head coach Amanda Lehotak. "We are going to be tested early on the road but know that will prepare us for a tough Big Ten schedule. We have 15 games in front of the Penn State faithful at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field and can't wait to get the 2020 season started."
SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
- Penn State will open the first weekend of the 2020 season in Florida, taking part in the Felsberg Invitational hosted by Florida International University. The Nittany Lions will face Cal, Syracuse, Michigan State and FIU.
- The Nittany Lions will once again play in the UCF Knights Classic in Orlando, Fla., facing Villanova, FAU and Iowa State.
- Penn State then travels to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the Bama Bash, facing 2019 WCWS participant and host Alabama twice, along with Louisville and Wichita State.
- The Nittany Lions also go to the Atlanta, Ga., area for the I-75 Challenge. They will play doubleheaders at Georgia State and Georgia Tech and a single game at Kennesaw State.
- Penn State will spend a 10-day spring break stint in Clearwater, Fla., in the Clearwater Spring Break Invitational. Over the span of two weekends, the Nittany Lions will play Yale, Bowling Green, Seton Hall, Robert Morris, Western Michigan, UT Chattanooga, Providence, Winthrop and Army. The Nittany Lions will also face USF in a midweek contest.
- Penn State's home opener is slated for Wednesday, March 18 when in-state foe Pittsburgh comes to Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field.
- Penn State plays eight Big Ten series, hosting Northwestern (March 27-29), Maryland (April 10-12), Rutgers (April 17-19) and Michigan (May 1-3), while traveling to Indiana (March 20-22), Purdue (April 3-5), Ohio State (doubleheader – April 14) and Iowa (April 24-26).
- The Nittany Lions will also host two mid-week nonconference games with Bucknell on April 8 and Saint Francis on April 22.
- Illinois is set to host the 2020 Big Ten Tournament, May 7-10.
View the complete schedule here.
2020 season tickets are now available for purchase. Fans can renew or purchase season tickets for $20 by calling 1-800-NITTANY Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by visiting their Penn State Account Manager. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Penn State Athletic Ticket Office within the Bryce Jordan Center Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Single-game and group ticket sales, promotions and broadcast information will be announced at a future date. Dates and times for all games are subject to change.
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