Every team that made it to last season’s Women’s College World Series had been there before except one: Duke.

That’s as clear of a sign as any that Blue Devil softball has taken an aggressive step forward in being considered among the nation’s best teams.

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It’s been a meteoric rise for Duke softball since it fielded a team for the first time in the 2018 season, with the 2024 campaign seeing the Blue Devils be ranked as the nation’s No. 1 team in a national poll for the first time and setting a whole host of program records with it, too.

The trick for the Blue Devils now will be sustaining that success for years to come, because some of the longstanding powers of the sport will be firing on all cylinders to try and contain Duke’s surge up the college softball totem poll.

That might be easier said than done, however, because with plenty of star returners back in the fold after such a strong 2024 season, Blue Devil softball might just be here to stay as a force to be reckoned with.

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

How To Watch 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.

How Did Duke Softball Do In 2024?

In less than 10 years, Duke softball has gone from being a program that didn’t exist in any capacity to a 50-game winner, conference champion, and Women’s College World Series qualifier. In a fast-paced world of college athletics that doesn’t appear to have any sign of slowing down soon and in which the powers that be only seem to get stronger, that’s a remarkable feat. 

The Blue Devils were phenomenal all of last season as one of the country’s top teams, setting a school record for wins (52) while winning their third straight Regional championship and capturing the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season championship for the first time ever, too. Getting past the Super Regional round was a goal for the program after exits in both 2022 and 2023, and Duke finally got over the hump in 2024 by winning a thrilling three-game series on the road against Missouri to make it to the WCWS, sealed thanks to a two-out, ninth-inning rally in the deciding game. 

The Blue Devils were eliminated after two games in Oklahoma City following defeats to eventual national champions Oklahoma and Alabama, but they had nothing to be ashamed of as the greatest season in the team’s young history was full of landmark moments.

Who Coaches Duke Softball?

Marissa Young has been coaching the Blue Devils since the very beginning, with the former Big Ten Conference Player of the Year at Michigan tasked with building Duke softball from the ground up after being hired as the program’s first-ever coach in July 2015. Ten years later, it’s safe to say that she’s done pretty well for herself.

Now a decade into her first D-I head coaching job, in which she was hired following a stint as an assistant at arch-rival North Carolina, Young entered the 2025 season with a record of 265-108 (.710 winning percentage) across seven seasons (since 2018) in Durham with four NCAA Tournament appearances, three Regional championships and the program’s biggest achievement yet earned in 2024, its first-ever trip to the Women’s College World Series. 

Throw in an ACC regular-season title on top of it in 2024, as well, and few can deny anymore that the Blue Devils aren’t a program on the rise — if they aren’t already considered one of the country’s elite squads for 2025. Young additionally earned her first ACC Coach of the Year nod last season as she and her assistants collectively obtained the NFCA Southeast Region Staff of the Year for the third time in four years, further signaling that Duke softball has a great thing going right now in Durham.

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

No, and part of that is due to the fact that the Blue Devils have only been playing softball since 2018 as they’ve had to start a program from scratch, compared to some elites of the sport who’ve been playing for decades. However, Duke did make the WCWS for the first time in program history this past season as part of its historic, record-smashing 2024 campaign. 

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

The Blue Devils will face Nebraska (at 4 p.m. ET) and Howard (6:30 p.m.) on Feb. 21, BYU (at 12:30 p.m.) and Minnesota (3 p.m.) on Feb. 22, and UCLA (noon) 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, Nebraska, 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 Players

Aminah Vega, INF

Duke almost performed a clean sweep of the ACC’s top end-of-season individual awards, capturing four of a possible five top honors. Among the Blue Devil players chosen among the ACC’s best, however, only Vega returns to Durham for 2025. The reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year was just about as good as it gets in almost every facet for Duke a season ago, batting .369 with 12 home runs, 52 RBIs, a .433 on-base percentage, and a .688 slugging percentage on top of just 13 strikeouts in 187 at-bats. As for Vega’s heralded defense, she finished with a .985 fielding percentage and only three errors, with only one of those errors coming in ACC play as she was sure-handed in the infield all season. Already an all-time great at Duke despite the fact she’s still only a junior, Vega has gotten right back to work in the first week of the 2025 season by batting .500 across five games with nine RBIs, with half of her eight hits being doubles. Expect her to be one of the top performers at the Mary Nutter and a can’t-miss sort of player that could rack up a whole bunch of national accolades this season.

Cassidy Curd, LHP

After Jala Wright emerged last year as the Blue Devils’ ace en route to winning the ACC Pitcher of the Year award, it’s now Curd’s time to become Duke’s undisputed top arm. Of course, those who have followed the Blue Devils for the past two seasons are well aware already of what Curd brings to the table; she entered this year with a 31-7 record across 43 games starting with eight complete games, five shutouts and a pair of sub-2.00 ERA seasons, numbers that would no doubt make her the No. 1 option on most pitching staffs across the country. Now, through Duke’s first week of games of the 2025 slate, it’s confirmed that she’s the team’s No. 1 option, especially after she started on the mound for the Blue Devils’ first game of the season against Penn State last Friday and tossed a three-hit, complete game shutout with eight strikeouts compared to just one walk. Up to 332 career strikeouts and a .151 opposing batting average in 274⅔ innings pitched as of Tuesday afternoon, look for Curd to be in contention all season for an ACC Pitcher of the Year award of her own.

Notable Duke Softball Newcomers

Jessica Oakland, INF

Between being named last season’s Big Ten Player of the Year and having a total of 34 home runs in two seasons with a .386 batting average, Oakland immediately became one of the most sought-after signatures in college softball when she entered the transfer portal last season after a pair of stellar seasons at Minnesota. Duke was the eventual winner of the Oakland sweepstakes, however, and with her commitment, the Blue Devils are getting a lethal weapon at the plate that can hit for both power and contact. The California native started all 110 games she played in with the Golden Gophers as a shortstop, going from an impressive freshman (.322 average, 14 home runs, 45 RBIs in 2023) to a record-setting sophomore (.452 average, 20 home runs, 58 RBIs in 2024) who set a single-season Minnesota record for runs scored (70) and tied a single-season record for home runs. Oakland will be an instant injection of power in the Blue Devils’ lineup following the graduation of reigning ACC Player of the Year Claire Davidson and her team-leading 18 homers from a season ago, something that will come in handy as Duke tries to take the next step toward competing for a national championship

Brooklinn Thomas, UTL

Duke softball is now at the point where it’s competing against the other blue bloods of the sport for some of the top recruits in the country — and importantly winning those recruiting battles. Getting Thomas to sign on was a little easier, however, considering that she’s from Durham, and the hometown product (who won two state championships in high school) has made an immediate impact early on in the 2025 season as a true freshman. Thomas has started all five games that the Blue Devils have played thus far and batted .273, having an explosive debut against Penn State at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in which she went 3 for 3 with two runs, a double, and an RBI in Duke’s season-opening victory. Later that same day against No. 24-ranked Mississippi State (another Duke win by an 8-0 margin in five innings), Thomas kept her hot start going with another RBI off of a fielder’s choice, not only starting in a loaded Duke lineup right away but producing, too. 

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

• Jada Baker, INF, R-Jr., Longwood, Fla.
• Ava Bradshaw, RHP, Fr., South Lyon, Mich.
• Amiah Burgess, OF, Soph., League City, Texas
• Cassidy Curd, LHP, Jr., Port Saint Lucie, Fla.
• Dani Drogemuller, RHP, Gr., Frankfort, Ill.
• Dakota Farmer, C, Soph., Leander, Texas
• Sophie Garner-MacKinnon, RHP, Jr., West Hartford, Conn.
• Ana Gold, INF, Sr., Ballston Spa, N.Y.
• D’Auna Jennings, OF, Jr., Houston
• Linh Le, INF, Soph., Milpitas, Calif.
• Thessa Malau’ulu, UTL, Gr., Long Beach, Calif.
• KK Mathis, INF, Jr., West Chester, Ohio
• Gabriella Mike, RHP/UTL, Fr., Altamonte Springs, Fla.
• Jessica Oakland, INF, Jr., San Jose, Calif.
• Kairi Rodriguez, C, R-Soph., West Palm Beach, Fla.
• Hailey Shuler, RHP/INF, Fr., Lake Balboa, Calif.
• Aleyah Terrell, OF, Jr., Greensboro, N.C.
• Brooklinn Thomas, UTL, Fr., Durham, N.C.
• Aminah Vega, INF, Jr., DeBary, Fla.

2025 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Full 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

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

Ranked Teams In The 2025 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic

• UCLA
• Tennessee
• Duke
• Arkansas
• Missouri
• Baylor
• Nebraska
• Northwestern

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. 

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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