When you see the trademark Tennessee orange and white come out of the dugout, you know instantly that you’re bearing witness to one of the most esteemed programs in college softball today.

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The Lady Volunteers once again appear destined for big things in 2025, being placed at No. 6 in the first NFCA/GoRout Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll of the season released Tuesday, and it’s easy to see why they’re regarded as a true national championship contender. The two-time reigning and defending Southeastern Conference champions are the queens of the nation’s toughest softball league until further notice, and that’s being said while including the fact that two more elite softball programs are making their SEC debuts this spring.

One thing has eluded Tennessee since the beginning of its program, however: a national championship. The road to Oklahoma City is a long one, though, and when UT visits the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic next month in what could be a preview of what’s to come at the Women’s College World Series, it’ll be eager to make a statement in nonconference play before it goes back to defending its SEC hardware.

Here’s a look ahead at what to expect out of Tennessee softball at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic next month, which is to be streamed live and exclusively on FloCollege:

How Did Tennessee Softball Do In 2024?

Expectations were sky-high for Tennessee in 2024 after it qualified for the Women’s College World Series in the 2023 season and pulled off the rare feat of being both the Southeastern Conference’s regular-season and tournament champion that same year, which is no easy task considering that the SEC is the best league in the sport. 

And while few in Knoxville are going to complain about a 44-win season that saw the Lady Vols both win another SEC regular-season crown and make it back to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament, UT is still left waiting for the day that it can finally call itself a national champion, which has got to hurt both because it lost at home in the Supers to a SEC rival in Alabama and that a potential window of opportunity to win it all has opened that can easily close at any time. 

That being said, coach Karen Weekly won a deserved SEC Coach of the Year honor for another stellar season at the helm, and star ace Karlyn Pickens followed it up by capturing the SEC Pitcher of the Year award, being one of five Lady Vols named to the All-SEC First Team. 

Who Coaches Tennessee Softball?

Now in her fourth season of being the outright head coach of the Lady Vols, Karen Weekly spent two decades in Knoxville as the co-head coach along with her husband Ralph, who retired following the 2021 campaign. 

Despite there being one less Weekly in charge, however, the standard at Tennessee hasn’t dipped in the slightest. Hired together in 2002 after 223 wins in five seasons at Chattanooga, the Weeklys have taken the Lady Vols to eight Women’s College World Series appearances in their tenure, though 2023 was the first time that Karen did it alone in the dugout. 

A three-time SEC regular-season champion — arguably the second-hardest achievement in college softball, next to winning the national championship — under the Weeklys in 2007, 2023, and 2024, Tennessee turned from a program that had just one NCAA Tournament appearance in its history before the couple arrived into a national powerhouse that has hosted 19 consecutive NCAA Regionals, made 13 Super Regionals and is almost always in the hunt to make it to Oklahoma City. 

Only the legendary Pat Summitt has won more games as a UT coach in any sport than Karen Weekly’s 1,085, though she can surpass who’s widely considered to be one of basketball’s greatest-ever coaches with 14 victories this season. 

Has Tennessee Softball Ever Won The Women’s College World Series?

No, Tennessee softball has never won the Women’s College World Series, though it has been very close on multiple occasions. 

The Lady Vols were the national runner-up in both 2007 and 2013, part of their eight WCWS appearances all-time (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2023), and they’re among the most successful college softball programs never to win a national championship.

Who Will Tennessee Softball Play At The Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic?

The Lady Vols will face Oregon at 3:30 p.m. (ET) on Feb. 20, Oregon State at 6 p.m. on Feb. 20, Rutgers at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 21, UCLA at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21 and Minnesota at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at the always highly-anticipated Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, scheduled to take place from Feb. 20-23 and be streamed live and exclusively on FloCollege.

 One of the highlight nonconference college softball events of the season, the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic — held every season at the Big League Dreams Complex in Cathedral City, California — features one of the most stacked fields that you’ll find at any college softball showcase this season outside of the Women’s College World Series. 

Powers of the sport like UCLA, Nebraska, Duke, and Arkansas are among those going to the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic this season, being all part of a stacked slate that you won’t want to miss any part of.

Notable Returning Tennessee Players

Karlyn Pickens, RHP

The current star pitchers of college softball — think the Jordy Bahls and the NiJaree Canadys — are about as good as it gets in the sport. Pickens deserves to be right in the conversation with them as the top ace in the country. 

The junior from North Carolina followed up her impressive SEC Freshman of the Year campaign with a stellar showing as a sophomore, finishing 22-7 on the mound with an ERA of 1.12 and 225 strikeouts across 188⅓ innings pitched, making her an easy call to be a consensus First Team All-American as the newest star on the mound for a Tennessee program that seemingly churns them out yearly. Pickens’ stuff is lethal deep into games, as evidenced by her 15 complete games and 12 shutouts in 2024 as well as the fact that opposing hitters only went .156 for the season against her, too. 

She’s widely tipped — and for good reason — as a contender for national player of the year honors in the same vein as a Lady Vol legend, Monica Abbott, did before her; comparing anyone to arguably the greatest softball pitcher of all-time is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly, of course, but before Pickens, no Tennessee player had won SEC Pitcher of the Year honors since Abbott, either.

On February 23, 2024, Karlyn Pickens threw a Perfect game with 12 Ks. #poetryinmotion@PickensKarlyn | @Vol_Softball | @NutterClassic#mncc #perfectgame #volsoftball #secsoftball #collegesoftball #ncaasoftball #softballpitchers pic.twitter.com/xEypAlA7zq

— FloCollege | Softball (@FloCollegeSB) October 3, 2024

McKenna Gibson, INF

Former All-American and now-graduated outfielder Kiki Milloy is about as irreplaceable of a player as there is, but as the Lady Vols look to try and do the near-impossible and do just that, they’ll be turning to Gibson this spring for when they need a spark on offense. Milloy finished her legendary career at UT last season with 69 home runs, the most in program history, but it’s actually been Gibson who has either tied for or been the solo leader for the Lady Vols in RBIs in each of the past two seasons. The Californian paced UT a year ago with 41 RBIs and also tied for the team lead in hits (59), slashing .339/.412/.506 as she started in every game she played in and made the All-SEC First Team for the second straight year. Obviously, without Milloy, the Lady Vols will have a massive hole to fill in the lineup production-wise, which will be one of UT’s burning questions entering the year as it tries to make it back to OKC. Gibson has shown indications throughout the years that she’s able and capable of taking the reins, however, with flashes of great power (15 home runs in 2023) throughout her time in Knoxville and a proven ability to bring runners home.

Notable Tennessee Softball Newcomers

Kinsey Fiedler, UTL

It’s not every day that someone with experience starting in the Women’s College World Series enters into the transfer portal, and if they do, best of luck trying to get them to sign onto the dotted line with your program. 

Tennessee, however, has done exactly that in nabbing Fiedler from another national power in Washington — and the Lady Vols might have just gotten the multi-tooled talent, who’s played at every position in college except pitcher and first base, at exactly the right time. The Missouri native (once FloSoftball’s No. 1 overall high school softball recruit) started 143 of a possible 150 games played over three years with the Huskies, earning a spot in the starting lineup during Washington’s WCWS run in 2023 as a sophomore. 

Fiedler put up decent numbers in her first two seasons before her efficiency skyrocketed as a junior a year ago, slashing a career-best .336/.411/.573 with seven home runs and 27 RBIs, and a move to some new scenery may help her game continue to rise. That new scenery does come with an even better SEC that now adds Oklahoma and Texas to an already-stacked league, but few programs in the country win year in and year out like Tennessee, too.

Peyton Tanner, RHP

Is being the No. 4-ranked recruit in the 2024 Extra Elite 100 National Rankings not enough to prove to you that Tanner is ready to take on the many monsters at the plate that the SEC has to offer? 

Well, what about the fact that she finished with over 1,000 career strikeouts in high school while playing in the biggest enrollment class in Texas, a state well known for being a factory for elite college softball talent? 

Regardless of whether you’re convinced yet or not, the overarching point is that Tennessee rarely misses on pitchers, so if there’s a freshman that you want to keep an eye on for making a potential instant impact, look no further than Tanner. 

She was the Texas High School Coaches Association Pitcher of the Year for Class 6A and a Second Team NFCA All-American at the high school level, putting her among the best of the best in the nation at her position during her final high school season. Throw in that Tanner has the opportunity to learn right away under one of the best minds in the sport in Weekly and one of the best pitchers competing in the sport in Pickens, and the ceiling is deservedly high for the Lady Vols’ blue-chipper from the Lone Star State.

2025 Tennessee Softball Roster (Name, Position, Class, Hometown)

• Katie Taylor, OF, Sr., Newman, Ga.
• Laura Mealer, INF, Sr., Chapel Hill, Tenn.
• Taylor Pannell, OF, R-Soph., Milan, Ill.
• Peyton Tanner, RHP, Fr., Lake Jackson, Texas
• Sage Mardjetko, RHP, Soph., Lemont, Ill.
• Sophia Nugent, C, Sr., Seal Beach, Calif.
• Alannah Leach, OF, Soph., The Woodlands, Texas
• Zoie Shuler, OF, Fr., Robbinsville, N.C.
• Bella Faw, INF, Soph., Sugar Hill, Ga.
• Emma Clarke, INF, Fr., Cleveland, N.C.
• Camryn Sarvis, INF, Jr., Gray, Tenn.
• Saviya Morgan, OF, Fr., Columbia, Tenn.
• Karlyn Pickens, RHP, Jr., Weaverville, N.C.
• McKenna Gibson, INF, Sr., Santa Clarita, Calif.
• Ella Dodge, UTL, R-Fr., Bradenton, Fla.
• Kinsey Fiedler, UTL, Sr., Lee’s Summit, Mo.
• Aubrey Barnhart, UTL, R-Jr., Pleasant View, Tenn.
• Erin Nuwer, LHP, Fr., East Aurora, N.Y.
• Destiny Rodriguez, INF, Jr., Live Oak, Texas
• Amayah Doyle, INF, Fr., Carterville, Ill.
• Jackie Kirkpatrick, C, Jr., Moore, Okla.
• Gabby Leach, OF, Soph., The Woodlands, Texas
• Ryan Brown, INF, Soph., Thompson’s Station, Tenn.
• Charli Orsini, RHP, Jr., Kellyville, New South Wales, Australia
• Amanda Ahlin, UTL, Jr., Bamberg, S.C.

How To Watch Tennesee At The 2025 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic

Watch the 2025 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on FloSoftball and the FloSports App.

Replays of the games, highlights and more breaking news will be on both platforms.

FloSoftball will be streaming several other NCAA Division I College Softball tournaments, including the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, Rocket City Softball Showcase, FAU Paradise Classic and the FAU Joan Joyce Classic.

2025 Mary Nutter Team List

As of Sept. 4, 2024

• Arkansas
• Baylor
• Bethune Cookman
• BYU
• Cal-Berkeley
• CSU Fullerton
• CSUN
• Duke
• Fresno State
• Hawai’i
• Howard University
• Long Beach State
• Loyola Marymount University
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• Northwestern
• Oregon
• Oregon State
• Rutgers
• Saint Mary’s College
• San Diego State
• San Jose State
• Seattle
• Tennessee
• UC Santa Barbara
• UCLA
• UC Riverside
• Utah
• Washington

When Is The 2025 Mary Nutter Softball Tournament?

The 2025 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic will take place Feb. 20-23.

Games begin Thursday and culminate with the final games on Sunday. 

Where Is The 2025 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic?  

The Mary Nutter Classic returns to the Big League Dreams Complex in Cathedral City, California. The complex has five fields available. 

Complete 2025 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Schedule

All Times Eastern

Thursday, Feb. 20

Wrigley Field

• 12:30 p.m. – Rutgers vs. Arkansas
• 3 p.m. – Cal State Fullerton vs. Arkansas
• 5:30 p.m. – Nebraska vs. Baylor
• 8 p.m. – Missouri vs. UCLA
• 10:30 p.m. – Nebraska vs. UCLA

Yankee Stadium

• 1 p.m. – California vs. Oregon
• 3:30 p.m. – Tennessee vs. Oregon 
• 6 p.m. – Tennessee vs. Oregon State
• 8:30 p.m. – Washington vs. BYU
• 11 p.m. – Washington vs. UC Riverside

Fenway Park

• 1 p.m. – Nevada vs. Baylor
• 3:30 p.m. – Rutgers vs. Missouri
• 6 p.m. – Bethune-Cookman vs. Nevada
• 8:30 p.m. – Bethune-Cookman vs. UC Riverside
• 11 p.m. – CSUN vs. BYU

Des Moines Field

• 6 p.m. – California vs. Cal State Fullerton
• 8:30 p.m. – CSUN vs. Oregon State

Friday, Feb. 21

Wrigley Field

• 1:30 p.m. – Rutgers vs. Tennessee
• 4 p.m. – Duke vs. Nebraska
• 6:30 p.m. – Tennessee vs. UCLA
• 9 p.m. – Arkansas vs. Loyola Marymount
• 11:30 p.m. – California vs. Washington

Yankee Stadium

• 1 p.m. – Missouri vs. Baylor
• 3:30 p.m. – Missouri vs. Minnesota
• 6 p.m. – BYU vs. Hawai'i
• 8:30 p.m. – BYU vs. UC Santa Barbara
• 11 p.m. – Oregon State vs. UC Santa Barbara

Fenway Park

• 1:30 p.m. – Oregon vs. Utah
• 4 p.m. – Oregon vs. San Diego State
• 6:30 p.m. – Howard vs. Duke
• 9 p.m. – Northwestern vs. Seattle
• 11:30 p.m. – Howard vs. San Jose State

Des Moines Field

• 1 p.m. – Fresno State vs. Minnesota
• 3:30 p.m. – Fresno State vs. Seattle
• 6 p.m. – Long Beach State vs. Utah
• 8:30 p.m. – Nevada vs. UC Riverside
• 11 p.m. – Nevada vs. Hawai'i

Pawtucket Field

• 1 p.m. – Cal State Fullerton vs. Bethune-Cookman
• 3:30 p.m. – Rutgers vs. Bethune-Cookman
• 6 p.m. – Cal State Fullerton vs. Saint Mary’s
• 8:30 p.m. – San Jose State vs. CSUN
• 11 p.m. – Saint Mary’s vs. CSUN

Saturday, Feb. 22

Wrigley Field

• 1 p.m. – Baylor vs. Arkansas
• 3:30 p.m. – Baylor vs. UCLA
• 6 p.m. – Arkansas vs. UCLA
• 8:30 p.m. – San Jose State vs. Nebraska
• 11 p.m. – Howard vs. Nebraska

Yankee Stadium

• 12:30 p.m. – Oregon vs. Missouri
• 3 p.m. – Utah vs. Cal State Fullerton
• 5:30 p.m. – Utah vs. Northwestern 
• 8 p.m. – Saint Mary’s vs. Northwestern
• 10:30 p.m. – Saint Mary’s vs. Hawai'i

Fenway Park

• 12:30 p.m. – BYU vs. Duke
• 3 p.m. – Minnesota vs. Duke
• 5:30 p.m. – Minnesota vs. Tennessee
• 8 p.m. – UC Riverside vs. Rutgers
• 10:30 p.m. – UC Santa Barbara vs. Washington

Des Moines Field

• 12:30 p.m. – Seattle vs. Long Beach State
• 3 p.m. – Oregon State vs. Long Beach State
• 5:30 p.m. – Oregon State vs. Rutgers
• 8 p.m. – UC Santa Barbara vs. San Diego State
• 10:30 p.m. – UC Riverside vs. San Diego State

Pawtucket Field

• 12:30 p.m. – Bethune-Cookman vs. Fresno State
• 3 p.m. – CSU vs. Nevada
• 5:30 p.m. – Seattle vs. California
• 8 p.m. – Loyola Marymount vs. California
• 10:30 p.m. – Loyola Marymount vs. San Jose State

Sunday, Feb. 23

Wrigley Field

• Noon – Duke vs. UCLA
• 2 p.m. – Nebraska vs. Utah
• 4 p.m. – San Diego State vs. Hawai'i

Yankee Stadium

• 12:30 p.m. – Washington vs. Fresno State
• 2:30 p.m. – Hawai'i vs. Loyola Marymount
• 4:30 p.m. – Howard vs. Loyola Marymount

Fenway Park

• Noon – Northwestern vs. California
• 2 p.m. – San Diego State vs. Saint Mary’s

Des Moines Field

• 12:30 p.m. – Long Beach State vs. Minnesota
• 2:30 p.m. – Long Beach State vs. Howard

Pawtucket Field

• Noon – Seattle vs. Oregon State
• 2 p.m. – San Jose State vs. UC Santa Barbara

Watch Hawaii vs Fresno State At Mary Nutter 2024

About Big League Dreams Cathedral City

The Big League Dreams Sports Parks are scattered throughout the United States and provide recreational and tournament players of all ages the chance to compete on world-class fields, often built as replicas of famous stadiums from the storied history of Major League Baseball.

Along with the nostalgic fields, the Big League Dreams venues include a restaurant and bar, batting cages, play area for children, stadium seating and space for other sports (hockey, soccer, sand volleyball), events and competitions. 

Big League Dreams Cathedral City was the first of the eight BLD properties to open, doing so in 1998. The park includes five fields. Among them, Boston’s Fenway Park, Chicago’s Wrigley Field and New York’s Yankee Stadium.

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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