SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego State softball team kicks off its 2021 season with a doubleheader at San Diego on Wednesday. The Aztecs and Toreros are set for games at 3 p.m. PT and 5:30 p.m. PT at USD Softball Complex.
SDSU finished 17-11 last season and was 37th (out of 298 schools) in the initial RPI, which is a mathematical calculation used to help determine each team's success, using a calculated strength of schedule and won-loss percentage. San Diego State was supposed to play host to defending Mountain West champion Colorado State the weekend of March 13-15 before the NCAA canceled the rest of spring competition because of the COVID pandemic.
The Aztecs have excelled in season-opening games since Kathy Van Wyk took over the reigns of the program in 1997. After a 5-2 win at Jacksonville last Feb. 6, SDSU has won seven of its last eight season-opening games, 18 of 20 and 21 of 24 lid-lifters in Van Wyk's 24-year tenure. San Diego State's only blemishes in the past 24 season-openers under Van Wyk came in 2018 (lost to No. 25/25 Georgia, 23-2), 2012 (lost to Texas Tech, 5-4) and in 2000 (lost to UIC, 5-3). Over the 24 years under Van Wyk, SDSU has outscored its opponent, 138-80, or 5.8-3.3 per game in lid-lifters. Since records were first kept in 1980, the Aztecs are 30-11 (.732) in their opening games.
San Diego State has been picked to finish third in the Mountain West in a preseason poll voted on by the league's nine head coaches. The Aztecs, who have won a MW-record seven regular-season titles, also received one vote in the preseason USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll.
SDSU has historically had great success against the Toreros, who are also playing in their first games Wednesday. San Diego State leads the all-time series, 54-6. USD, however, has its first winning streak in the series, capturing the last two meetings in 2018 and 2019. San Diego was picked to finish fourth in the West Coast Conference preseason poll.
This year SDSU added Power 5 transfers Jenna Holcomb (Tennessee), Alyssa Pinto (Oregon/Ole Miss), Danielle Romanello (Florida) and Nicole Seiss (Mt. SAC/Purdue), and incoming freshmen Makena Brocki, Jeweliana Perez and Eliana Reyes. Additionally, seniors Shelby Thompson (four-time all-MW selection) and Marissa Moreno (2019 second-team all-MW pick) are coming back for a fifth season.