Other than the Women’s College World Series, what’s the best event featuring the most elite teams possible during the college softball season?

The answer, most years, is the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic—a highlight of the early-season nonconference schedule, which often previews WCWS matchups months in advance. 

Once again at the Big League Dreams complex in Cathedral City, California, the group of teams in this year’s edition of the event is loaded.

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National Champions Oklahoma headline the event's field, and are joined by powerhouse softball programs like UCLA, Tennessee, Nebraska and Oregon.

The Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic is just about as good as it can get in the regular season for college softball, and with four full days of battles on the diamond, buckle up for some fun.

Here’s all you need to know about the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, slated to be streamed live on FloSoftball as part of the platform’s coverage of college softball all season long:

What Teams Are Playing In The Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic?

• Baylor
• Bethune Cookman 
• Cal Poly 
• California
• CSU Fullerton 
• CSUN
• Fresno State 
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Long Beach State
• LMU
• Mississippi State 
• Missouri 
• Nebraska 
• Northwestern 
• Notre Dame 
• Oklahoma 
• Oregon 
• Oregon State 
• Rutgers 
• San Diego State 
• Seattle University
• Tennessee 
• UCF 
• UCLA
• UC Riverside
• University of San Diego 
• Utah 
• Wisconsin 

The most stacked college softball event you’ll find anywhere on the season calendar, the massive 30-team field has an assortment of teams for every type of college softball fan. 

Only interested in seeing the best team possible play? Well, teams don’t get any better in college softball right now than Oklahoma, the three-time defending national champion entering the 2024 season. Oh, and they’re entering the year with an NCAA-record 53-game winning streak, while seeking the first four-peat in the sport’s history. 

Want to see some power on display? No one in college softball had more home runs last season than Tennessee All-American Kiki Milloy and her 25 blasts on the year. 

Are you someone who appreciates good pitching over everything else? Look no further than Nebraska All-American pitcher Jordy Bahl, who is playing her first season with the Cornhuskers in 2024 after two incredible seasons as the star hurler at Oklahoma. 

Numerous teams in this year’s Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic field made the NCAA Tournament in 2023, with three – Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah – making it all the way to the Women’s College World Series. 

Players To Watch

Jordy Bahl, RHP, Nebraska

Bahl won’t get to face her former teammates at Oklahoma at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, but you can bet plenty of Sooners will be watching what she does on nearby diamonds in Cathedral City. 

Possibly the most well-known active player in college softball for her status as the ace on OU’s past two national title teams, Bahl won just about everything there was to win in Norman. 

After the Sooners’ third straight national championship last season Bahl announced that she would be transferring to home-state program Nebraska, which turned the Cornhuskers into one of the most intriguing teams in the sport for 2024 overnight. 

Though Bahl unquestionably is a superstar hurler herself, after winning the 2023 WCWS Most Outstanding Player award and twice being named a NFCA first-team All-American, she’ll be entering a new phase of her career at Nebraska, without the embarrassment of riches that is the Oklahoma softball program. 

If Bahl can lead the Huskers back to the WCWS for the first time since 2013 with another stunning season, it may be her finest achievement yet.

Maya Brady, SS, UCLA

Starting the 2023 season with a UCLA-record 11 consecutive hits—part of an incredible 13-for-16 stretch with four home runs and 14 RBIs—Brady immediately established last season that she was to be one of the most feared hitters in all of college softball. 

And while the Pac-12 Conference’s reigning batting champion and Player of the Year had plenty of individual accolades and eye-popping stats, the Bruins’ bitterly disappointing exit after two games in their own regional was more than enough to sour all the good Brady accomplished during her stellar redshirt junior campaign. 

Determined to help UCLA put it all together and get back to Oklahoma City again, plenty of eyeballs will see what Brady, the undisputed star of one of the most talented rosters in the country, can do with the added motivation of coming back for revenge. 

Kiki Milloy, OF, Tennessee

The catalyst behind the Lady Vols’ run to the WCWS semifinals, no player had more long bombs last season than Milloy, whose 25 homers were a UT single-season record. 

But the Washington native is far more than just an elite power option, finishing fourth nationally with a .929 slugging percentage. 

Need someone to get on base? Milloy had far more walks (51) than strikeouts (33), and her on base percentage of .554 was a top-10 mark in the country. 

Need just any hit in general and/or a run to get home? Milloy batted a career-best .406 last year and smashed 56 RBIs, her second straight season with at least 50 RBIs. 

Need some action on the basepaths? Milloy’s 40 stolen bases also were a career best and ranked in the top 10 nationally. 

Oh, and the NFCA first-team All-American is a career .987 fielder, too.

In terms of pure entertainment value, there may be no better player at putting on a show in college softball than Milloy, and her hefty arsenal of tools certainly is worth your attention during Tennessee’s games at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. 

How To Watch The 2024 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic

Watch the 2024 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on FloSoftball and the FloSports app.

FloSoftball will be streaming several NCAA Division I college softball tournaments, including the Mark Campbell Collegiate Invitational, THE Spring Games and the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge.

Mary Nutter Softball Tournament Schedule 

Thursday, Feb. 22:

All times Eastern

Wrigley Field

• Rutgers vs. Hawaii, 3 p.m.
• Rutgers vs. BYU, 5:30 p.m.
• Oregon vs. Central Florida, 8 p.m.
• Oregon vs. Baylor, 10:30 p.m.

Yankee Stadium

• Bethune Cookman vs. BYU, 3 p.m.
• Bethune Cookman vs. Oregon State, 5:30 p.m.
• San Diego State vs. Missouri, 8 p.m.
• Wisconsin vs. Missouri, 10:30 p.m.

Fenway Park

• Oregon State vs. Wisconsin 2:30 p.m.
• Central Florida vs. Mississippi State, 5 p.m.
• Baylor vs. Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m.
• Mississippi State vs. Notre Dame, 10 p.m.

Mary Nutter Softball Tournament Schedule For Feb. 23

All times Eastern

Wrigley Field

• San Diego State vs. Nebraska, 1 p.m.
• UCLA vs. Nebraska, 3:30 p.m.
• UCLA vs. Northwestern, 6 p.m.
• Oklahoma vs. Mississippi State, 8:30 p.m.
• Oklahoma vs. Wisconsin, 11 p.m.

Yankee Stadium

• Hawaii vs. Fresno State, 1:30 p.m.
• Hawaii vs. California, 4 p.m.
• Notre Dame vs. Oregon, 6:30 p.m.
• Long Beach State vs. Oregon, 9 p.m.
• Central Florida vs. Oregon State, 11:30 p.m.

Fenway Park

• Rutgers vs. Loyola Marymount, 1 p.m.
• Tennessee vs. Loyola Marymount, 3:30 p.m.
• Tennessee vs. CSU Fullerton, 6 p.m.
• Missouri vs. Central Florida, 8:30 p.m.
• Missouri vs. CSU Fullerton, 11 p.m.

Des Moines Field

• Cal Poly vs. California, 1 p.m.
• Cal Poly vs. Utah, 3:30 p.m.
• Bethune Cookman vs. San Diego State, 6 p.m.
• University of San Diego vs. Wisconsin, 8:30 p.m.
• University of San Diego vs. Utah, 11 p.m.

Pawtucket Field

• Illinois vs. CSU Northridge, 1:30 p.m.
• Seattle University vs. CSU Northridge, 4 p.m.
• Long Beach State vs. BYU, 6:30 p.m.
• UC Riverside vs. Rutgers, 9 p.m.
• UC Riverside vs. Baylor, 11:30 p.m.

Mary Nutter Softball Tournament Schedule For Feb. 24

All times Eastern

Wrigley Field

• Oregon vs. Nebraska, 1 p.m.
• Oklahoma vs. San Diego State, 3:30 p.m.
• UCLA vs. Illinois, 6 p.m.
• UCLA vs. Baylor, 8:30 p.m.
• Missouri vs. Baylor, 11 p.m.

Yankee Stadium

• Illinois vs. Hawaii, 10:30 a.m.
• Oregon State vs. Notre Dame, 12 p.m.
• Oregon State vs. Tennessee, 2:30 p.m.
• Central Florida vs. Tennessee, 5 p.m.
• Central Florida vs. University of San Diego, 7:30 p.m.

Fenway Park

• Bethune Cookman vs. Loyola Marymount, 10 a.m.
• Northwestern vs. Loyola Marymount, 12:30 p.m.
• Northwestern vs. University of San Diego, 3 p.m.
• Wisconsin vs. Utah, 5:30 p.m.
• Rutgers vs. Cal Poly, 8 p.m.

Des Moines Field

• Cal vs. Seattle University, 10:30 a.m.
• Utah vs. Seattle University, 1 p.m.
• Mississippi State vs. Fresno State, 3:30 p.m.
• CSU Northridge vs. Rutgers, 6 p.m.
• CSU Fullerton vs. Mississippi State, 8:30 p.m.

Pawtucket Field

• Fresno State vs. Long Beach State, 10:30 a.m.
• Wisconsin vs. Long Beach State, 12 p.m.
• CSU Northridge vs. Bethune Cookman, 2:30 p.m.
• BYU vs. Cal Poly, 5 p.m.
• BYU vs. UC Riverside, 7:30 p.m.

Mary Nutter Softball Tournament Schedule For Feb. 25

All times Eastern

Wrigley Field

• Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma, 12 p.m.
• Loyola Marymount vs. Oklahoma, 2:30 p.m.
• UCLA vs. Tennessee, 5 p.m.

Yankee Stadium

• Nebraska vs. Utah, 12 p.m.
• Nebraska vs. CSU Fullerton, 2:30 p.m.
• University of San Diego vs. UC Riverside, 5 p.m.

Fenway Park

• Oregon State vs. Northwestern, 12 p.m.
• Tennessee vs. Hawaii, 2:30 p.m.
• Fresno State vs. Cal Poly, 5 p.m.

Des Moines Field

• CSU Fullerton vs. Seattle University, 4:30 p.m.
• UC Riverside vs. Seattle University, 7 p.m.

Pawtucket Field

• California vs. Illinois, 12 p.m.
• California vs. Long Beach State, 2:30 p.m.

Who Was Mary Nutter?

Mary Nutter was an All-American softball player and a pioneer in the sport. 

She was a coach at Pittsburgh State and was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1988 and the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1997.

Nutter died in 2012. 

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