Sept. 29, 2011
SAN DIEGO -
2012 Schedule | Campbell/Cartier Classic | SD Classic I | SD Classic II
San Diego State softball head coach Kathy Van Wyk has announced a 55-game 2012 spring schedule, highlighted by 21 contests against 2011 NCAA tournament teams. The Aztecs, who last year finished 34-21 to advance to their school-record fourth consecutive NCAA tournament and fifth in six seasons, will once again play host to three tournaments, including the 22nd annual Campbell/Cartier Classic.
SDSU will play eight seeded teams from the 2011 NCAA tournament, six who made the NCAA Super Regionals and two Women's College World Series opponents. Additionally, San Diego State will play 12 games against top-25 RPI teams from a year ago.
The Aztecs begin their season on the road for the fifth straight year when they travel to Tempe, Ariz., to compete in Arizona State's Kajikawa Classic from Feb. 9-12. Five of SDSU's six games at the Classic will be against 2011 NCAA tournament teams, including Western Michigan (Feb. 9), Portland State (Feb. 10), Tennessee (Feb. 11), Washington (Feb. 11) and Georgia Tech (Feb. 12). Former MW opponent and new Pac-12 team Utah (Feb. 10) is the other game for San Diego State in Tempe.
The Aztecs open their home season the following weekend at the 22nd annual Campbell/Cartier Classic. This year's classic will be co-hosted by San Diego and will include eight other teams. SDSU will welcome tourney teams Notre Dame (Feb. 17) and UCLA (Feb. 19), as well as Oregon State (Feb. 17), Central Florida (Feb. 18) and UC Davis (Feb. 18).
San Diego State then takes its talents to the always competitive Cathedral City Classic from Feb. 23-26. The Aztecs will begin with WCWS foe Oklahoma and No. 3 overall seed Texas on Feb. 23, and will follow with NCAA tournament foe New Mexico State on Feb. 24. SDSU will also face Iowa State (Feb. 25), NCAA Super Regionals qualifier Stanford (Feb. 26) and Cal State Northridge (Feb. 26).
San Diego State returns to America's Finest City when it co-hosts the San Diego Classic I from March 1-4. Only one game (Aztecs and former MW rival Brigham Young) will be contested at SDSU Softball Stadium (March 1), while the rest of the tournament will take place at the Santee Sportsplex in nearby Santee, Calif. Eleven teams will play over the three fields with SDSU scheduled to meet future MW opponent and perennial NCAA tournament qualifier Fresno State and Charlotte on March 2, Saint Joseph's and future MW foe Nevada on March 3, and Big West power Long Beach State on March 4.
Following a mid-week home game against Maine on March 6, San Diego State travels to Fresno, Calif., for the Bayer Cropscience Classic from March 9-11. The Aztecs will take on Butler (March 9), Connecticut (March 9), 2011 WCWS team California (March 10), Purdue (March 11) and Super Regionals qualifier Oregon (March 11).
SDSU welcomes Quinnipiac on March 13, then co-hosts the nine-team San Diego Classic II. San Diego State will play host to Harvard, which made last year's NCAA tournament, on March 15, Purdue on March 16, Quinnipiac and Valparaiso on March 17 and Long Beach State on March 18.
The Aztecs head north for their final tournament of the season when they compete in Pacific's Libby Matson Tournament in Stockton, Calif. SDSU will face Princeton and the host Tigers on March 23, before meeting Saint Mary's twice the following day.
San Diego State begins its final preparation for conference play on March 27-28 when it travels to Tucson to take on Arizona, the No. 8 overall seed in last year's NCAA tournament. The Aztecs and Wildcats will play at 7 p.m. PT on March 27 and 3 p.m. PT on March 28.
Following a rare weekend off, SDSU commences Mountain West play on April 13-15 when its hosts Colorado State in a three-game series. San Diego State will also play New Mexico (April 20-22 in Albuquerque, N.M.), Boise State (May 4-6 at SDSU Softball Stadium) and UNLV (May 10-12 in Las Vegas, Nev.).
Mixed in between the conference slate is a home-and-home series with Cal State Fullerton. The Aztecs and Titans will play on April 25 in San Diego and on May 2 at Fullerton, Calif.