FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State Softball team and head coach
Darren Mueller announced the schedule for the 2023 season Wednesday afternoon. The schedule features five tournaments and invitationals, along with a 21-game Summit League schedule.
The 50-game schedule features six home dates in April and May, along with trips to Mexico, Alabama, Tennessee, Minnesota and Idaho for tournaments and invitationals. The Bison are also slated for 10 games against NCAA Tournament teams from 2022.
The Bison will begin the season in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on February 10 at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. NDSU will play nine games, including marquee matchups against Cal State Fullerton, Ole Miss, Oregon, and Tennessee.
North Dakota State will then head to Auburn, Alabama for the Plainsman Invite on the final weekend of February and head back south for the Blues City Classic in Memphis, Tennessee to open up March. The Bison will close out early season tournaments with a trip to Minneapolis in an event hosted by Minnesota, before heading west to Pocatello, Idaho for an invitational hosted by Idaho State. The Bison are also slated to take on Utah in Salt Lake City on March 14 ahead of the Idaho trip.
Summit League play is slated to begin March 25-26 at Kansas City. All Summit League series are slated to be three games with a doubleheader the first day and a single game on day two.
Following a trip to Kansas City and then Macomb, Illinois to take on Western Illinois, the Bison will open the home schedule at Tharaldson Park against South Dakota on April 7-8. The Bison will then make trips to South Dakota State and St. Thomas to close out the road schedule in league play.
The Bison will wrap up the season with a pair of home series, the first coming against North Dakota on April 29-30. The final weekend of the regular season will see the Bison host Omaha on May 5-6.
The 2023 Summit League Softball Championship will take place May 10-13 at the Jackrabbit Softball Stadium in Brookings, S.D. The winner of the Summit League Championship receives the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
2023 North Dakota State Softball Schedule
| Puerto Vallarta College Challenge |
| 2/10 |
California Baptist |
10 a.m. |
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico |
| 2/11 |
Brigham Young |
12:30 p.m. |
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico |
| 2/12 |
Oregon |
9 a.m. |
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico |
| 2/12 |
Maryland |
2 p.m. |
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico |
| 2/13 |
Ole Miss |
TBA |
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico |
| 2/16 |
Sacramento State |
3 p.m. |
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico |
| 2/17 |
Southern Illinois |
10 a.m. |
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico |
| 2/17 |
Tennessee |
12:30 p.m. |
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico |
| 2/18 |
Cal State Fullerton |
3 p.m. |
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico |
|
|
|
|
| Plainsman Invite |
| 2/24 |
Merrimack |
12:30 p.m. |
Auburn, Ala. |
| 2/24 |
at Auburn |
5:30 p.m. |
Auburn, Ala. |
| 2/25 |
Brown |
10 a.m. |
Auburn, Ala. |
| 2/25 |
at Auburn |
2 p.m. |
Auburn, Ala. |
| 2/26 |
Brown |
12 p.m. |
Auburn, Ala. |
|
|
|
|
| Blues City Classic |
| 3/3 |
Drake |
10 a.m. |
Memphis, Tenn. |
| 3/3 |
Texas-San Antonio |
3 p.m. |
Memphis, Tenn. |
| 3/4 |
SIU Edwardsville |
9 a.m. |
Memphis, Tenn. |
| 3/4 |
at Memphis |
2 p.m. |
Memphis, Tenn. |
| 3/5 |
Texas-San Antonio |
11:30 a.m. |
Memphis, Tenn. |
|
|
|
|
| Minnesota Invitational |
| 3/10 |
Idaho State |
2 p.m. |
Minneapolis, Minn. |
| 3/10 |
at Minnesota |
7 p.m. |
Minneapolis, Minn. |
| 3/11 |
Drake |
11:30 a.m. |
Minneapolis, Minn. |
| 3/12 |
Idaho State |
11:30 a.m. |
Minneapolis, Minn. |
| 3/12 |
Drake |
2 p.m. |
Minneapolis, Minn. |
|
|
|
|
| 3/14 |
at Utah |
TBA |
Salt Lake City, Utah |
|
|
|
|
| Idaho State Invitational |
| 3/16 |
at Idaho State |
3 p.m. |
Pocatello, Idaho |
| 3/17 |
Santa Clara |
12 p.m. |
Pocatello, Idaho |
| 3/17 |
at Idaho State |
2 p.m. |
Pocatello, Idaho |
| 3/18 |
Santa Clara |
12 p.m. |
Pocatello, Idaho |
|
|
|
|
| 3/25 |
at Kansas City |
12 p.m. |
Kansas City, Mo. |
| 3/25 |
at Kansas City |
2 p.m. |
Kansas City, Mo. |
| 3/26 |
at Kansas City |
11 a.m. |
Kansas City, Mo. |
|
|
|
|
| 4/1 |
at Western Illinois |
12 p.m. |
Macomb, Ill. |
| 4/1 |
at Western Illinois |
2 p.m. |
Macomb, Ill. |
| 4/2 |
at Western Illinois |
11 a.m. |
Macomb, Ill. |
|
|
|
|
| 4/7 |
South Dakota |
12 p.m. |
Fargo, N.D. |
| 4/7 |
South Dakota |
2 p.m. |
Fargo, N.D. |
| 4/8 |
South Dakota |
11 a.m. |
Fargo, N.D. |
|
|
|
|
| 4/15 |
at South Dakota State |
12 p.m. |
Brookings, S.D. |
| 4/15 |
at South Dakota State |
2 p.m. |
Brookings, S.D. |
| 4/16 |
at South Dakota State |
11 a.m. |
Brookings, S.D. |
|
|
|
|
| 4/22 |
at St. Thomas |
12 p.m. |
St. Paul, Minn. |
| 4/22 |
at St. Thomas |
2 p.m. |
St. Paul, Minn. |
| 4/23 |
at St. Thomas |
11 a.m. |
St. Paul, Minn. |
|
|
|
|
| 4/29 |
North Dakota |
12 p.m. |
Fargo, N.D. |
| 4/29 |
North Dakota |
2 p.m. |
Fargo, N.D. |
| 4/30 |
North Dakota |
11 a.m. |
Fargo, N.D. |
|
|
|
|
| 5/5 |
Omaha |
12 p.m. |
Fargo, N.D. |
| 5/5 |
Omaha |
2 p.m. |
Fargo, N.D. |
| 5/6 |
Omaha |
11 a.m. |
Fargo, N.D. |
|
|
|
|
| 5/10-13 |
Summit League Championship |
TBD |
Brookings, S.D. |
