CLEARWATER, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Softball opens the 2025 campaign this weekend in Clearwater, Florida, as the Wildcats take part in the NFCA Leadoff Classic presented by MaxBP at Eddie C. Moore Complex. Joining the Maroon and Gold in this year's field are teams from No. 5 Tennessee, No. 16 Nebraska, No. 24 Mississippi State, Morgan State and Notre Dame.
 

Friday, Feb. 7
4 p.m. – vs. No. 5 Tennessee | GameChanger Live Stream | Live Stats | Listen
7 p.m. – vs. vs. No. 16 Nebraska | GameChanger Live Stream | Live Stats
 
Saturday, Feb. 8
3 p.m. – vs. No. 24 Mississippi State | GameChanger Live Stream | Live Stats
6 p.m. – vs. Morgan State | GameChanger Live Stream | Live Stats
 
Sunday, Feb. 9
1 p.m. – vs. Notre Dame | GameChanger Live Stream | Live Stats
 

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.
 

▪ Bethune-Cookman will play three Top 25 teams to begin the season for the first time in school history.
▪ Senior pitcher Halyne Gonzalez was named to the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Preseason First Team.
▪ Jessica Alaan, Thais Uyema and Briana Velazquez were selected to the Preseason All-SWAC Second Team, respectively.
▪ Bethune-Cookman brings in five newcomers to the 2025 squad, including four freshman and one junior transfer.
▪ A total of eight starters from last year's lineup return to the fold, as well as seven other returning letterwinners from last year's team that finished third in the SWAC East.
▪ Velazquez, the starting shortstop for the Wildcats from a season ago, held a .325 batting average in 2024, having registered one of three home runs for the Cats.
▪ Kendall Macauley had one of the other three home runs from a season ago for the Cats.
▪ Alaan returns as the team's leader in RBIs (27) from 2024, adding a team second-most 43 hits and batting .287 on the campaign.
 

▪ Bethune-Cookman is 1-1 all-time against Tennessee, with the only win coming as part of a 3-2 score line over the Lady Vols in Orlando on Feb. 9, 2002.
▪ Against Nebraska, B-CU is 0-1 all-time with that game coming in 2001.
▪ The Wildcats are 0-1 against Mississippi State all-time with a 9-2 setback in 2023 in Boca Raton, Florida.
▪ B-CU is 10-4 in the series against Morgan State. The Cats have won the last three meetings, as the last contest between the former MEAC sides occurred during the 2017 MEAC Tournament in Ormond Beach, Florida.
▪ The Wildcats have never played Notre Dame in softball.
 

"We are jumping right into it. No time to get settled or warm up, so to speak. You go full speed ahead, starting with three (3) Top 25 teams, right off the bat. It's going to be a good starting point for us to see where we are, and where we want to be early-on. This is a challenging weekend, and I love it."
 
"Playing against a former MEAC [Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference] opponent in Morgan State, that is going to be special. We had some great matchups against the Bears back in the day. I am looking forward to renewing an old rivalry, even if just for one game."
 
"Staying in the state to begin the season is always a good thing. We travel so much during the season that staying in state, even though it's across the state in Clearwater, is accommodating. And the NFCA Leadoff Classic is a great event."
 
"I'm looking forward to seeing what our returning players offer us this weekend, as well as seeing how the newcomers will embrace such a challenging opening weekend against five very good opponents. We have a great group coming back, and we are excited about our new players. The coaching staff has been working hard with these young ladies, and they are chomping at the bit to get going."
 

SCOUTING TENNESSEE (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – 6 | ESPN.com/USA Softball – 5
Head Coach: Karen Weekly (24th season)
2024 Batting Average: .290; Runs Per Game: 5.6; Hits Per Game: 7.7; Slugging Percentage: .511
2024 ERA: 1.43; K/BB Ratio: 4.6; Opp. Batting Avg: .179
 
SCOUTING NEBRASKA (0-0, 0-0 Big 10)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – 16 | ESPN.com/USA Softball – 16
Head Coach: Rhonda Revelle (33rd season)
2024 Batting Average: .296; Runs Per Game: 5.9; Hits Per Game: 8.3; Slugging Percentage: .487
2024 ERA: 4.37; K/BB Ratio: 1.1; Opp. Batting Avg: .299
 
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – T-24 | ESPN.com/USA Softball – 25
Head Coach: Samantha Ricketts (6th season)
2024 Batting Average: .297; Runs Per Game: 5.8; Hits Per Game: 7.4; Slugging Percentage: .468
2024 ERA: 3.03; K/BB Ratio: 3.6; Opp. Batting Avg: .229
 
SCOUTING MORGAN STATE (0-0, 0-0 MEAC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Larry Hineline (10th season)
2024 Batting Average: .266; Runs Per Game: 4.1; Hits Per Game: 6.5; Slugging Percentage: .372
2024 ERA: 2.74; K/BB Ratio: 4.2; Opp. Batting Avg: .240
 
SCOUTING NOTRE DAME (0-0, 0-0 ACC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Kris Ganeff (1st season)
2024 Batting Average: .290; Runs Per Game: 5.0; Hits Per Game: 7.8; Slugging Percentage: .405
2024 ERA: 4.46; K/BB Ratio: 1.8; Opp. Batting Avg: .295
 
ADMISSIONS
Ticket packages and information for the event can be accessed here.
 

The Cats host North Florida to Sunnyland Park in Daytona Beach for the 2025 home opener on Wednesday, Feb. 12, with the two teams meeting for a nonconference doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m.
 
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