ABOUT THE BLUE DEVILS

Fresh off the most successful season in Duke softball history, head coach Marissa Young leads the eighth iteration of the Blue Devils into action following the program’s first WCWS appearance and a 52-9 overall record. The Blue Devils will be anchored on the field by the return of .390 hitter D’Auna Jennings in addition to 1.31 ERA-wielding pitcher Cassidy Curd running things in the circle.

STORY OF THE SERIES

One of Penn State’s youngest non-conference series, the Nittany Lions will face off against Duke for the sixth time in history. The Blue Devils lead the all-time series by a 4-1 margin with all five prior meetings coming on the Duke campus in Durham.

ABOUT THE RED RAIDERS

After being the first team left out of the NCAA Tournament in 2024, Texas Tech enters the first year of the Gerry Glasco era as one of the nation’s most anticipated teams. The Red Raiders brought in one of the strongest portal classes in Division I, highlighted by the incoming transfer of defending National Player and Pitcher of the Year NiJaree Canady from Stanford.

STORY OF THE SERIES

The Nittany Lions will challenge Texas Tech for the fifth time since the inaugural meeting of the two teams in 1999, with the series split 2-2. All four prior meetings have come in neutral site competition, with PSU taking the first two meetings in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

ABOUT THE OWLS

Under the direction of head coach Tripp MacKay, Kennesaw State enters its first season as a member of Conference USA following a 16-37 season in 2024 with an 8-13 mark in its final year of Atlantic Sun competition. The Owls are led by returning .248 hitter Ava Guzowski in addition to returning pitcher Kenley Hilleary’s 3.66 ERA.

STORY OF THE SERIES

Penn State and Kennesaw State will challenge one another in softball for the sixth time in program history since the first meeting in 2010, with PSU leading 4-1. Penn State has challenged the Owls in Clearwater previously, winning 5-0 in the first all-time meeting.

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS

Led by head coach Samantha Ricketts, Mississippi State heads into the 2025 season following an NCAA Regional bid a year ago with a 34-20 overall record and a 12-12 mark in SEC action. The Bulldogs welcome back .347 hitter Sierra Sacco at the plate in addition to returning pitcher Josey Marron, who booked a 3.68 ERA season in the circle paired with nine victories individually.

STORY OF THE SERIES

The Blue & White will battle Mississippi State for the eighth time ever in a series that dates to 2000, with the Bulldogs leading 5-2. Penn State leads 2-1 in neutral site competitions but has gone 0-4 in competitions hosted on the MSU campus in Starkville.

ABOUT THE FIGHTING IRISH

Notre Dame enters a new era under the direction of first-year head coach Kris Ganeff, who will look to steer the Fighting Irish to instant success following a 27-23 mark overall in 2024 with a 9-15 ACC ledger. Second baseman Addison Amaral boasts the best batting average and home run total among ND returners, while staff ace Alexis Laudenslager returns following a 9-8 season with 131.2 innings pitched.

STORY OF THE SERIES

Notre Dame and Penn State will battle for the sixth time since the first meeting in Tampa back in 1994, with the Fighting Irish boasting a narrow 3-2 advantage. Sunday’s test marks the fourth fixture in Florida for the two sides, with all five prior contests coming in neutral action.