PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – For over a decade, Bethune-Cookman Softball has been a key participant in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, and the 2025 edition of Wildcats Softball is no different. Under the direction of Head Coach Laura Watten, the Cats once again travel to Palm Springs, California for the annual event held at Big League Dreams Complex.
 


Thursday, Feb. 20
6 p.m. ET – vs. Nevada | Live Stats | Watch ($)
8:30 p.m. ET – vs. UC Riverside | Live Stats | Watch ($)
 
Friday, Feb. 21
1 p.m. ET – vs. Cal State Fullerton | Live Stats | Watch ($)
3:30 p.m. ET – vs. Rutgers | Live Stats | Watch ($)
 
Saturday, Feb. 22
12:30 p.m. ET – vs. Fresno State | Live Stats | Watch ($)
 
ADMISSIONS
Ticket packages and information for the 2025 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic can be accessed here.
 

SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything Bethune-Cookman Softball this season by following the Wildcats social media platforms. You can follow @BCUSoftball on Instagram and @BCUSoftball on X/Twitter.
 


▪ Senior right-hander Alyssa Lopez picked up her first-ever Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Pitcher of the Week award for the period of February 19-24. Lopez collected a win against cross-county opponent Stetson, while posting a career-high seven strikeouts a day prior against Fairfield.
▪ Emma Bradley-Tse was named the Wildcat of the Week on the women's side after a strong showing in the Hatter Classic hosted by Stetson in DeLand, Florida.
▪ Shortstop Briana Velazquez registered Bethune-Cookman's first home run of the week last weekend with a solo bomb to center field against Fairfield in the Hatter Classic.
▪ Preseason All-SWAC selection Halyne Gonzalez leads the B-CU pitching staff with three wins on the year thus far.
▪ A total of seven (7) different Wildcats maintains a perfect fielding average across the season, including Bradley-Tse with 30 putouts from her left field position.
▪ Joslynn Davis, a senior centerfielder, tops the Cats with three stolen bases in three attempts, as well as placing third on the team with a .278 batting average.
▪ India Stokes has recorded five hits in 14 at-bats, adding two runs and two RBIs to boot.
▪ Aysiah Gonzalez has been hit by a pitch a team-leading three times, allowing her a team-leading .419 on-base average on the campaign.
 


▪ B-CU has never faced off against Nevada in softball prior to this weekend's outing against the Wolfpack.
▪ UC Riverside is 5-1 all-time against the Wildcats – with the last meeting being a 7-6 win for UCR in the 2024 edition of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
▪ All six meetings against UCR have occurred in the state of California.
▪ Cal State Fullerton leads the series against Bethune-Cookman, 3-0, with two of the meetings happening in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic – 2004 & 2019.
▪ Rutgers leads the series with B-CU by a 4-1 count, with the previous five meetings all taking place at FAU in Boca Raton, Florida – 2006, '08 & '09.
▪ B-CU has never faced off against Fresno State in softball prior to this weekend's outing against the Bulldogs.
 


"This event always holds a special place in my heart. I love bringing my teams here and representing not only Bethune-Cookman University, but every year being able to represent Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as a whole. It really is something special, and words can't describe the feeling I get coming here every year."
 
"I see so much positivity and energy from this team. I saw it in Clearwater [Fla.] against some of the nation's top 25. I saw it last weekend against some tough teams at Stetson – who is always a formidable foe. And I want to see it again this weekend as many of them get to play in front of their families for what may be the only time this season."
 
"The Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic continues to grow and outdo itself every year. The crowds. The teams. The vendors and food and everything. The way it's run. It's top-class. Top-Class. I just love everything about it."
 
"We played three – THREE – top 25 teams the first weekend in Clearwater [Fla.]. So, we are used to facing really, really good teams. That's what we do at Bethune-Cookman. We schedule the best because we want to play against the best. And we expect to participate against the best with our best as well."
 

SCOUTING NEVADA (8-2, 0-0 Mountain West)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Victoria Hayward (1st season)
2025 Batting Average: .311; Runs Per Game: 6.1; Hits Per Game: 8.4; Slugging Percentage: .541
2025 ERA: 2.80; K/BB Ratio: 1.5; Opp. Batting Avg: .218
 
SCOUTING UC RIVERSIDE (6-6, 0-0 Big West)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Brittney Matta (1st season)
2025 Batting Average: .268; Runs Per Game: 3.3; Hits Per Game: 7.0; Slugging Percentage: .361
2025 ERA: 4.43; K/BB Ratio: 1.2; Opp. Batting Avg: .329
 
SCOUTING CAL STATE FULLERTON (8-3, 0-0 Big West)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Gina Oaks Garcia (1st season)
2025 Batting Average: .359; Runs Per Game: 6.2; Hits Per Game: 8.9; Slugging Percentage: .495
2025 ERA: 3.45; K/BB Ratio: 1.3; Opp. Batting Avg: .254
 
SCOUTING RUTGERS (5-5, 0-0 Big Ten)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Kristen Butler (7th season)
2025 Batting Average: .223; Runs Per Game: 3.8; Hits Per Game: 5.8; Slugging Percentage: .269
2025 ERA: 2.72; K/BB Ratio: 2.7; Opp. Batting Avg: .263
 
SCOUTING FRESNO STATE (5-4, 0-0 Mountain West)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Stacy May-Johnson (3rd season)
2025 Batting Average: .223; Runs Per Game: 3.9; Hits Per Game: 5.2; Slugging Percentage: .336
2025 ERA: 3.10; K/BB Ratio: 1.9; Opp. Batting Avg: .304
 


Bethune-Cookman travels back to the western half of Florida to compete in the MIH Games at Madeira Beach. Once there, B-CU will face teams from Albany, Bellarmine, Binghamton and Butler beginning Friday, Feb. 28.
 
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