Nebraska has been waiting a very, very long time to finally be the talk of the college softball world again. 

The Cornhuskers were the story of the 2023 offseason when the program, already with plenty of previous success under its belt, got a type of player from the transfer portal slated to potentially change their fortunes entirely and maybe take them to heights never before seen in Lincoln.

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Bad luck shut down the hype just as it was beginning to build, however, but that player is still there playing for Nebraska — and she has a host of talent surrounding her that could help make the Huskers even more dangerous. With a dose of elite programs looming on Nebraska’s schedule, many of whom the Huskers will face at the loaded Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, it will be determined to finally make up for lost time and be the talk of the sport again.

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

How To Watch The Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic 2025

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.

How Did Nebraska Softball Do In 2024?

Maybe outside of juggernaut Oklahoma, no other college softball team in the country had more hype surrounding it entering last season than Nebraska — and no other team (unfairly so) saw its preseason hype disappear faster. 

In what’s still probably the most shocking transfer in the sport’s history, Nebraska native Jordyn Bahl, who had a 44-2 record on the mound with a 1.00 ERA across two national championship-winning seasons with the Sooners, left Norman after what was then OU’s third straight national title in 2023 to return closer to home and play for the Sooners. 

Season ticket sales skyrocketed in Lincoln and more eyes were lasered in on Husker softball than ever before due to Bahl’s move, but she then injured her ACL in her left knee in her debut against Washington, sidelining her for the rest of the season. With expectations dramatically tempered from that point forward, a middling 2024 season then transpired for Nebraska as it finished with a 30-23 overall record and fourth in the Big Ten Conference while missing out on the NCAA Tournament, though infielder Billie Andrews did earn a deserved First Team All-Big Ten selection in the meantime.

Who Coaches Nebraska Softball?

Much of the history of Nebraska softball can be told through Rhonda Revelle, a National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Famer and fixture of Husker athletics who is entering her 33rd season coaching her alma mater in 2025. 

The school’s all-time winningest coach in any sport — up to 1,127 victories entering this weekend’s slate, the sixth-most of any active coach nationally — Revelle was a player on Nebraska’s first Women’s College World Series team in 1982 and eventually helped lead the Huskers to three more since as coach in 1998, 2002 and 2013, making her one of the few people ever in the sport to make it to the WCWS as both a player and a coach. 

Nearly two-thirds of Revelle’s seasons at the helm (21 of 32) in Lincoln have ended with Nebraska playing in an NCAA Tournament, and she additionally has four regular-season conference championships on her resume: three from the Huskers’ time in the Big 12 Conference (1998, 2001 and 2004) and one as a member of the Big Ten (2014). 

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

No, Nebraska softball has never won the Women’s College World Series, but it has made it to the final stage of the college softball season eight times: 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1998, 2002, and 2013. 

The Huskers’ best performance at the WCWS came in 1985 when they finished as the national runner-up, though that was later vacated by the NCAA. In all in program history, Nebraska softball has qualified for the NCAA Tournament on 27 occasions, most recently in 2023. 

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

The Cornhuskers will face Baylor (at 5:30 p.m. ET) and UCLA (10:30 p.m.) on Feb. 20, Duke (4 p.m.) on Feb. 21, San Jose State (8:30 p.m.) and Howard (11 p.m.) on Feb. 22 and Utah (2 p.m.) on Feb. 23 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, Tennessee, 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 Nebraska Softball Returning Players

Jordyn Bahl, RHP

Odds are that if you’re reading this, we probably don’t need to tell you why Bahl is one of the most feared pitchers in the country and someone who by herself makes the Huskers legitimate WCWS threats. But in case you do, here’s a partial list of some of her many, many accolades: 2022 and 2023 NFCA First Team All-American; 2023 WCWS Most Outstanding Player; 2023 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and 2022 Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Year; 2022 and 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 10 Finalist. 

Get the point yet? 

While Bahl is technically a returner, being able to throw only 2⅓ innings for Nebraska last season before suffering her season-ending injury is hardly anything to go off of, making 2025 a very important season for a now-healthy Bahl to remind college softball fans and observers across the country why she was arguably the most recognizable name in the sport in 2023. If Bahl gets back to the national player of the year-type form that she’s best known for, look out for the Huskers, because no one will want to face them when Bahl is in the circle.

Ava Bredwell, C/UTL

Nebraska’s starting catcher across each of the past three seasons, Bredwell should man the backstop once again in Lincoln as increased attention swarms the program yet again. And when she’s not forming a likely-elite battery with Bahl this season, she’ll be powering the Huskers’ offense as the team’s top returning hitter from a season ago, as well. 

The former Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2022 has carved out a solid career for herself in Lincoln over the past three seasons, which was especially true as a junior in 2024 when she batted a career-high .329 (second on the team) with eight home runs, 14 doubles and 29 RBIs, all of which were also career-high marks. Being able to partner with Bahl more often last season may have helped Bredwell’s profile grow, but she still managed to put up a solid season in her own right despite her team being dealt a crushing blow on opening weekend. 

Now, with Bahl back in the mix and almost certainly building plenty of chemistry together with Bredwell in practice over the past few months, how far Nebraska softball will go this season may very well depend on how far those two players can take it.

Notable Nebraska Softball Newcomers

Hannah Camenzind, LHP/UTL

One year after a different Nebraska native and stellar college softball player decided to come back home through the transfer portal in order to play in her home state, another one (well, really two) has done the same. 

Camenzind — from the small town of Valley, Nebraska, and someone who played her high school softball in Omaha — transferred into the Huskers’ program this past offseason after two strong years as an effective two-way player at Arkansas, most notably being named as a Second Team All-Southeastern Conference selection as a freshman in 2023 and finishing her time in Fayetteville with a 14-3 record on the mound to go with a 3.07 ERA, plus a .308 average at the plate in the most stacked conference in college softball. 

She’ll arrive in Lincoln with fellow Razorbacks transfer and twin sister Lauren Camenzind, who started games as both a catcher and shortstop with the Hogs and batted .237 across her two seasons with the team, as a one-two punch ready to add some more depth and experience to an already vet-heavy roster.

Olivia DiNardo, C/UTL

Considering that Nebraska lost two players in Billie Andrews and Sydney Gray who had a combined 30 home runs between them last season, it was in heavy need of an injection of power into the lineup going into 2025. 

Enter DiNardo, who should provide exactly that after starting 102 of a possible 106 games played for Arizona over the past two seasons before she opted to transfer to the Huskers in the offseason. The California native immediately hit the ground running in Tucson in 2023 as she became one of the finest freshman hitters in the country, batting .382 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs as she was named to the Pac-12 Conference All-Freshman Team, honored with a spot as a Second Team NFCA All-West Region nominee and more in her first year with the Wildcats. 

DiNardo’s average dipped as a sophomore to .291, but her ability to launch softballs over the fence only got better as she blasted 12 homers with 33 RBIs, with 16 of her 41 hits on the year going for extra bases. New surroundings in Lincoln could help her explode into one of the Big Ten’s best power hitters and overall make the Huskers one of the conference’s most dangerous lineups.

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

• Bella Bacon, INF, Jr., Omaha, Neb.
• Jordyn Bahl, RHP, Jr., Papillion, Neb.
• Samantha Bland, INF/OF, Soph., Chino Hills, Calif.
• Ava Bredwell, C/UTL, Sr., Shawnee, Kan.
• Hannah Camenzind, LHP/UTL, Jr., Valley, Neb.
• Lauren Camenzind, INF/C, Jr., Valley, Neb.
• Katelyn Caneda, INF, Jr., Cerritos, Calif.
• Dakota Carter, OF, Jr., Eastvale, Calif.
• Emmerson Cope, RHP/UTL, Soph., Topeka, Kan.
• Olivia DiNardo, C/UTL, Jr., San Mateo, Calif.
• Alina Felix, OF, Jr., Tucson, Ariz.
• Natalia Hill, INF/OF, Fr., Norwalk, Calif.
• Kacie Hoffmann, OF, Jr., Elkhorn, Neb.
• Ava Kuszak, INF, Jr., Broomfield, Colo.
• Kylee Magee, RHP, Soph., Anaheim, Calif.
• Mckinley Malecha, C/INF, Sr., Lakeville, Minn.
• Nessa McMillen, OF/UTL, Fr., Blair, Neb.
• Carlie Muhlbach, C/UTL, Fr., Gretna, Neb.
• Caitlin Olensky, LHP, Soph., Montville, N.J.
• Abbie Squier, OF, Sr., Lincoln, Neb.
• Malia Thoms, OF, Soph., Lincoln, Neb.
• Talia Tokheim, OF, Jr., San Carlos, Calif.
• Macie Vickers, C, Fr., Escalon, Calif.
• Haidyn Warner, C, Jr., Oro Valley, Ariz.
• Kennadi Williams, UTL, Fr., Lincoln, Neb.

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 on 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

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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