Penn State Opens 2026 Season at NFCA Leadoff Classic
Nittany Lions return to Clearwater for the second year in a row, face four power conference foes
CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Penn State softball program kicks off its 62nd varsity season this Friday through Sunday, February 6 through 8, as the Nittany Lions travel to the Eddie C. Moore Complex for the 2026 NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic presented by MaxBP.
PSU kicks off its 2026 campaign on Friday with two games against Missouri and Boston College at 10 a.m. (ET) and 1 p.m. (ET), respectively, before a Saturday twin-bill against Eastern Kentucky and BYU at Noon (ET) and 3 p.m. (ET). Opening weekend wraps up on Sunday at 10 a.m. (ET) with a getaway game against the Auburn Tigers. All five matchups will stream at no cost via the GameChanger app.
Follow the Action
All games at the 2026 NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic presented by MaxBP will stream live to a worldwide audience at no cost to the viewer via the GameChanger app. Live stats are available through links on the Penn State softball schedule webpage. To purchase tickets for the NFCA Leadoff Classic from the Eddie C. Moore Complex, click the link here to visit the NFCA and City of Clearwater’s ticketing vendor, Saffire.
QUICK HITS
PSU returns to action following a record-shattering 2025 campaign that saw the Blue & White muster program records in multiple statistical categories offensively. The Nittany Lions registered the best batting average in school history by .15 points, logging a .329 mark. Penn State also recorded the most home runs (74), RBI (306), runs scored (341) and total bases (770) in program annals. The Nittany Lions are led by the return of 2025 Second Team NFCA All-Region and Second Team All-Big Ten Conference honoree Brooke Klosowicz, who enters her junior year in Happy Valley. Klosowicz set the PSU single-season program record in doubles with 23, as well as RBI with 53, becoming the first Nittany Lion to log 20 doubles and 50 RBI in a single year. Penn State also welcomes the return of 2024 Freshman All-American, B1G Freshman of the Year and unanimous First Team All-Big Ten Conference selection Bridget Nemeth, who prepares for her junior year in the Blue & White following a deferred 2025 campaign due to injury. Nemeth helped lead PSU to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in over a decade in 2024, highlighted by a program-record 23 victories in the circle during her first collegiate season.
CAME ALIVE IN ‘25
Penn State returns to action in the 2026 campaign a year following the most dominant offensive run in school history. PSU’s 2025 roster shattered multiple longstanding offensive program records en route to a 25-win season that featured 10 victories against Big Ten Conference competitors and a B1G Tournament quarterfinal appearance. The Nittany Lions shattered the program’s batting average record set during the 2016 season, outpacing their mark by .015 points to the tune of a .329 finish as a squad. PSU surpassed program records in home runs (74), RBI (306), runs scored (341) and total bases (770). Additionally, Penn State’s offense generated 91 doubles, one shy of the program record set the year prior. The Blue & White set multiple high scoring marks throughout the season, highlighted by the second-highest scoring game in school history with a 23-0 shutout of Fairfield on March 7. PSU crossed the double-digit scoring threshold in 14 games and mustered double figures across all three games of a B1G weekend series for the first time in school history against Maryland on April 25-27. PSU tallied a pair of marquee wins in the 2025 campaign, highlighted by the first run-rule victory over a ranked opponent in school history with an 11-2 drubbing of then-No. 22 Ohio State on April 12. PSU also avenged a regular season series sweep against Iowa in the opening round of the B1G Tournament, toppling the Hawkeyes in a 6-2 affair on May 7.
Penn State vs. Missouri
2025 Record | 25-27 | 10-12 B1G
2025 Record | 25-31 | 6-18 SEC
Introducing Missouri
ABOUT THE TIGERS
Under the direction of eighth-year head coach Larissa Anderson, the Missouri Tigers return to action following a 25-31 campaign in 2025 that included a 6-18 mark against SEC opponents. The Tigers return a trio of batters in Claire Cahalan (.266 batting average), Madison Uptegrove (five home runs) and Stefania Abruscato (19 RBI), who look to build upon individually successful seasons last year, while Marissa McCann looks to improve upon a 35-appearance, 24-start season that saw her log a 3.69 ERA.
STORY OF THE SERIES
Penn State and Missouri get set for their eighth meeting in an all-time series that dates to the 1995 campaign on Friday afternoon, with the Tigers logging a 6-1 advantage over PSU in that timeframe. Each of the last two contests in 2015 and 2022 went to extra innings, with Mizzou taking both in the eighth frame. Penn State’s only win in the series came on February 14, 2003, in neutral site play from Stanford, California.
Penn State vs. Boston College
2025 Record | 25-27 | 10-12 B1G
2025 Record | 22-29 | 5-19 ACC
Introducing Boston College
ABOUT THE EAGLES
Led by first-year skipper and former Saint Francis head coach Beth Krysiak, the Boston College Eagles enter a new era following a 22-29 overall record a year ago coupled with a 5-19 finish in Atlantic Coast Conference competitions. Janis Espinoza returns after booking a .275 batting average and three home runs, with Meghan Schouten also back following an 18-RBI effort in 2025. Krysiak will rely on returning right-hander Bailey Kendziorski in the circle, who published a 4.51 ERA across 132.0 frames.
STORY OF THE SERIES
The Nittany Lions and Boston College square off for the eighth time ever since the first fixture in 1987 on Friday afternoon, with Penn State logging a 6-1 edge in the seven prior meetings. The teams have met just twice since the 1989 season and will face off in Clearwater for the second time ever, the last being a 2-1 PSU victory on March 14, 2010.
Penn State vs. Eastern Kentucky
2025 Record | 25-27 | 10-12 B1G
2025 Record | 38-16 | 17-5 ASUN
Introducing Eastern Kentucky
ABOUT THE COLONELS
Legendary veteran head coach Jane Worthington returns to Richmond, Kentucky, as the head coach of the EKU Colonels in 2026 after narrowly missing out on the NCAA Tournament a year ago. The Colonels went 38-16 overall and 17-5 in the ASUN, finishing second in the league behind North Florida. EKU will call on Kennedy Drafton (.356 b/avg, nine HR, 45 RBI) to have a big year at the dish, while Victoria Byrum takes over in the circle (3.84 ERA, 103.0 IP) after the transfer of two-way star Maddi Rutan to Tennessee.
STORY OF THE SERIES
PSU and Eastern Kentucky face each other for the fourth time ever on Saturday, with the Nittany Lions leading the set by a 2-1 edge. Penn State faces the Colonels for the second time in the Clarisa Crowell era as well, with the last matchup on February 12, 2022, going the Nittany Lions’ way by a 4-0 score in Leesburg, Florida.
Penn State vs. BYU
2025 Record | 25-27 | 10-12 B1G
2025 Record | 32-17 | 13-11 Big 12
Introducing BYU
ABOUT THE COUGARS
Gordon Eakin continues his stint at the helm of the BYU Cougars in 2026 following a 32-17 season that included a 13-11 result in the ultra-competitive Big 12 Conference. The Cougars open the season receiving votes in the USA Softball poll thanks in large part to the return of offensive standout Ilove’a Brittingham (.410 b/avg, 21 HR, 69 RBI) in addition to ace right-hander Kaysen Korth in the circle (2.25 ERA, 124.2 IP). The Cougars have been the “first team out” of the NCAA Tournament the last two years, a trend they look to reverse in 2026.
STORY OF THE SERIES
Penn State and BYU will play one another for just the second time ever on Saturday, with PSU taking the only prior matchup by a 17-4 score in five innings in Fresno, California, on March 10, 2007.
Penn State vs. RV Auburn
2025 Record | 25-27 | 10-12 B1G
2025 Record | 35-24 | 6-18 SEC
Introducing RV Auburn
ABOUT THE TIGERS
Following a productive year one under co-head coaches Chris & Kate Malveaux, the Auburn Tigers return to action following a 2025 NCAA Regional appearance fueled by a 35-24 overall record and 6-18 mark in the SEC. Sophomore utility player AnnaLea Adams returns to the plains following a breakout rookie season that saw her pace the Tigers in batting average (.390), home runs (10) and RBI (41). Third-year southpaw SJ Geurin is back in the circle after a 23-12 individual effort with a 2.97 ERA across her 50 appearances.
STORY OF THE SERIES
The Nittany Lions will battle the Auburn Tigers for the fourth time in program history on Sunday morning, with the squads meeting for the first time since March 4, 2012. That meeting went Penn State’s direction by a 2-1 score in nine frames from Kissimmee, Florida.
Follow the Nittany Lions
Visit GoPSUsports.com for more information on Penn State softball. Fans can keep up to date with the Nittany Lion softball team on Facebook at /pennstatesoftball as well as Instagram and X @PennStateSB.
The 2026 Penn State softball season is presented by Highmark.