Photo by: SMC Athletics / Piper Westrom
SB | Gaels Announce 2025 Schedule
12/4/2024 10:01:00 AM | Softball
MORAGA, Calif. — The defending WCC Softball Champions, the Saint Mary's Gaels, have put together an arduous schedule for the 2025 campaign that will feature loads of regional and national competition in non-conference play. The hope is that a schedule like this will best prepare the Gaels to defend their WCC title come conference play, a task that has become even more difficult with the addition of Oregon State as a WCC affiliate member. That said, Coach Sonja Garnett's squad returns eight from last year's starting batting order, and a full pitching staff that should lead the team through another strong campaign.
As is customary, the Gaels will spend the first month of the season away from Cottrell Field, taking part in four tournaments throughout the Golden State. Things get started in the NorCal Kickoff, as they did last year, co-hosted by UC Davis and Sacramento State from February 7-9. The tournament opens with the Gaels taking on Mountain West power Boise State, who has won 30 or more games in each of the last three seasons. With three returning all-conference players, including the 2024 Mountain West Freshman of the Year, Sophia Knight, the Broncos will certainly be a strong early test for Saint Mary's. After their clash with the Broncos, the Gaels will take on host Sacramento State later that afternoon. The Gaels split a double-header with the Hornets last season in the capital, winning 3-2 and falling 5-3. Day two of the NorCal Kickoff taking on Idaho State in Davis, a team they will see four times throughout the 2025 campaign, and saw twice last year, splitting with a 3-0 win and a 7-2 loss. In the final day of the event, the Gaels will see Boise State again, this time in Davis, before closing out by taking on the other host, UC Davis. Saint Mary's went 2-0 vs the Aggies last year, outscoring them 17-2.
Tournament two of the year is hosted by Long Beach State from February 13-15 and features more national talent. Day one of the tournament has the Gaels squaring off with Kansas. The Jayhawks won 28 contests last year, including upsets over Texas A&M and Baylor, but graduated their lone all-conference selection from a season ago. Host Long Beach State will be the Gaels second foe of day one, a team who rebounded from a 4-21 start last year to finish out 25-29 overall, and finished second in the Big West. Day two's lone matchup for the Gaels will be against East Bay foe Cal under the lights. The Gaels dropped both of their meetings with the Golden Bears last season, 7-1 and 2-1. This tournament will round out with the Gaels taking on Southern Utah and Iowa State on day three. Southern Utah went just 21-29 last season, but went 0.500 in neutral site contests a year ago, while Iowa State went 20-31 overall, but 7-6 in neutral games in 2024.
One of the top softball early season tournaments on the west coast, The Mary Nutter Classic, is next on tap for the Gaels, from February 21-23 in Cathedral City. Saint Mary's will open the tournament with a rematch against the Fullerton Titans, who knocked them out of the Stanford Regional last season, followed by a tilt with the Matadors of Cal State Northridge, who the Gaels fell to 5-1 in Northridge last year. Day two has Saint Mary's taking on Northwestern and Hawaii under the lights. Northwestern went an impressive 35-13 last year, winning the Big Ten regular season title, before getting bounced by #1 Texas in the finals of the Austin Regional. Hawaii went just 20-26 last season, and lost all five of their neutral site contests a year ago, all at the Nutter Classic. On the final day of the tournament, the Gaels will get San Diego State, who wont the 2024 Mountain West Tournament, but went 0-2 to Virginia Tech and Grand Canyon to be bounced from the Los Angeles Regional.
A UC Santa Barbara hosted tournament will finish out a 19 game stretch away from home for the Gaels from February 28 through March 1. The Gaels will have a doubleheader against the host Gauchos on day one. UCSB was a 0.500 team at home last year. Day two has the Gaels taking on UNLV, while day three will feature SMC and Creighton. UNLV won 31 games last season, but dropped each of their last three for an early exit from the Mountain West Tournament. Creighton logged their first 30+ win season in over a decade, but narrowly missed a spot in the regionals after falling in the Big East Title Game to Villanova.
The Gaels will kick off their 25th season playing at Cottrell Field by hosting Sacramento State in their second meeting of the season on March 4. The Gaels will then head to Fresno for one final tournament on the road from March 7-9. Saint Mary's will take on host Fresno State to open the tournament on the 7th. The Gaels and Bulldogs split a pair of matchups in Fresno last year, winning 7-4 and falling 1-0. Day two will feature a double-header between the Gaels and Nevada Wolf Pack, who swept a double-header against the Gaels in Reno last year, before finishing out with another double-header, this time against the host Bulldogs.
Saint Mary's will host its annual tournament at Cottrell Field from March 14-16, welcoming Columbia, Weber State, Harvard and Portland State to Moraga. The Gaels will see Weber State twice, and Columbia, Harvard and Portland State all once. Each one of these foes tallied at least 16 wins last year, and should all represent good tests for the Gaels. Saint Mary's went a perfect 4-0 at their tournament last season, winning a pair each against Marist and North Dakota State.
The Gaels will host 2024 ACC semifinalist Georgia Tech, as they will make a stop in Moraga on a west coast swing, before hitting the road for a daunting five game in four days out of state stretch. The Gaels will take on Utah on March 20, before heading almost 200 miles north of Salt Lake City for a three game set in Pocatello against Idaho State. Before heading home, the Gaels will head back 100 miles south to Logan, Utah for a single game at Utah State on March 23.
Saint Mary's will have a full week off before hosting UC Davis on April 1, then jumping into conference play at Pacific from April 5-6. With the addition of Oregon State to the conference, the WCC will now play three game series, rather than four. The Gaels took three of four against Pacific in Moraga last season. The Gaels will then have their bye week in conference play, but will welcome in both Florida State (4/9) and Cal (4/15) before their next conference series.
The Gaels conference home opener will be against Santa Clara on 4/18-19. The Gaels dropped three of four in Santa Clara last season, making the road to their first WCC title a bit more arduous. The Gaels will then head to Corvallis to take on new conference foe Oregon state on 4/26-27. The Gaels met up with the Beavs last season, besting them 1-0 in Fresno.
Senior weekend will be against San Diego on May 3-4. The Gaels swept San Diego down south a year ago. That will set up the final series of the year, a rematch of last year's winner take all championship series against LMU, this time in Los Angeles. The Gaels split with LMU at home last season, which was enough to secure them their first WCC title and a trip to the Stanford Regional.
#GaelsRise
As is customary, the Gaels will spend the first month of the season away from Cottrell Field, taking part in four tournaments throughout the Golden State. Things get started in the NorCal Kickoff, as they did last year, co-hosted by UC Davis and Sacramento State from February 7-9. The tournament opens with the Gaels taking on Mountain West power Boise State, who has won 30 or more games in each of the last three seasons. With three returning all-conference players, including the 2024 Mountain West Freshman of the Year, Sophia Knight, the Broncos will certainly be a strong early test for Saint Mary's. After their clash with the Broncos, the Gaels will take on host Sacramento State later that afternoon. The Gaels split a double-header with the Hornets last season in the capital, winning 3-2 and falling 5-3. Day two of the NorCal Kickoff taking on Idaho State in Davis, a team they will see four times throughout the 2025 campaign, and saw twice last year, splitting with a 3-0 win and a 7-2 loss. In the final day of the event, the Gaels will see Boise State again, this time in Davis, before closing out by taking on the other host, UC Davis. Saint Mary's went 2-0 vs the Aggies last year, outscoring them 17-2.
Tournament two of the year is hosted by Long Beach State from February 13-15 and features more national talent. Day one of the tournament has the Gaels squaring off with Kansas. The Jayhawks won 28 contests last year, including upsets over Texas A&M and Baylor, but graduated their lone all-conference selection from a season ago. Host Long Beach State will be the Gaels second foe of day one, a team who rebounded from a 4-21 start last year to finish out 25-29 overall, and finished second in the Big West. Day two's lone matchup for the Gaels will be against East Bay foe Cal under the lights. The Gaels dropped both of their meetings with the Golden Bears last season, 7-1 and 2-1. This tournament will round out with the Gaels taking on Southern Utah and Iowa State on day three. Southern Utah went just 21-29 last season, but went 0.500 in neutral site contests a year ago, while Iowa State went 20-31 overall, but 7-6 in neutral games in 2024.
One of the top softball early season tournaments on the west coast, The Mary Nutter Classic, is next on tap for the Gaels, from February 21-23 in Cathedral City. Saint Mary's will open the tournament with a rematch against the Fullerton Titans, who knocked them out of the Stanford Regional last season, followed by a tilt with the Matadors of Cal State Northridge, who the Gaels fell to 5-1 in Northridge last year. Day two has Saint Mary's taking on Northwestern and Hawaii under the lights. Northwestern went an impressive 35-13 last year, winning the Big Ten regular season title, before getting bounced by #1 Texas in the finals of the Austin Regional. Hawaii went just 20-26 last season, and lost all five of their neutral site contests a year ago, all at the Nutter Classic. On the final day of the tournament, the Gaels will get San Diego State, who wont the 2024 Mountain West Tournament, but went 0-2 to Virginia Tech and Grand Canyon to be bounced from the Los Angeles Regional.
A UC Santa Barbara hosted tournament will finish out a 19 game stretch away from home for the Gaels from February 28 through March 1. The Gaels will have a doubleheader against the host Gauchos on day one. UCSB was a 0.500 team at home last year. Day two has the Gaels taking on UNLV, while day three will feature SMC and Creighton. UNLV won 31 games last season, but dropped each of their last three for an early exit from the Mountain West Tournament. Creighton logged their first 30+ win season in over a decade, but narrowly missed a spot in the regionals after falling in the Big East Title Game to Villanova.
The Gaels will kick off their 25th season playing at Cottrell Field by hosting Sacramento State in their second meeting of the season on March 4. The Gaels will then head to Fresno for one final tournament on the road from March 7-9. Saint Mary's will take on host Fresno State to open the tournament on the 7th. The Gaels and Bulldogs split a pair of matchups in Fresno last year, winning 7-4 and falling 1-0. Day two will feature a double-header between the Gaels and Nevada Wolf Pack, who swept a double-header against the Gaels in Reno last year, before finishing out with another double-header, this time against the host Bulldogs.
Saint Mary's will host its annual tournament at Cottrell Field from March 14-16, welcoming Columbia, Weber State, Harvard and Portland State to Moraga. The Gaels will see Weber State twice, and Columbia, Harvard and Portland State all once. Each one of these foes tallied at least 16 wins last year, and should all represent good tests for the Gaels. Saint Mary's went a perfect 4-0 at their tournament last season, winning a pair each against Marist and North Dakota State.
The Gaels will host 2024 ACC semifinalist Georgia Tech, as they will make a stop in Moraga on a west coast swing, before hitting the road for a daunting five game in four days out of state stretch. The Gaels will take on Utah on March 20, before heading almost 200 miles north of Salt Lake City for a three game set in Pocatello against Idaho State. Before heading home, the Gaels will head back 100 miles south to Logan, Utah for a single game at Utah State on March 23.
Saint Mary's will have a full week off before hosting UC Davis on April 1, then jumping into conference play at Pacific from April 5-6. With the addition of Oregon State to the conference, the WCC will now play three game series, rather than four. The Gaels took three of four against Pacific in Moraga last season. The Gaels will then have their bye week in conference play, but will welcome in both Florida State (4/9) and Cal (4/15) before their next conference series.
The Gaels conference home opener will be against Santa Clara on 4/18-19. The Gaels dropped three of four in Santa Clara last season, making the road to their first WCC title a bit more arduous. The Gaels will then head to Corvallis to take on new conference foe Oregon state on 4/26-27. The Gaels met up with the Beavs last season, besting them 1-0 in Fresno.
Senior weekend will be against San Diego on May 3-4. The Gaels swept San Diego down south a year ago. That will set up the final series of the year, a rematch of last year's winner take all championship series against LMU, this time in Los Angeles. The Gaels split with LMU at home last season, which was enough to secure them their first WCC title and a trip to the Stanford Regional.
#GaelsRise
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