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Minnesota Welcomes Five Teams for Gopher Indoor Classic
2/19/2026 11:00:00 AM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS – The University of Minnesota softball team hosts the Gopher Indoor Classic Feb. 20–22 at U.S. Bank Stadium. The tournament marks the third time the Gophers have hosted the event at the venue. Minnesota is set to face Long Island University, Iowa State, Central Michigan (twice), and North Dakota State. All games will stream live on Big Ten Plus.
Weekend Schedule
Game One
Minnesota (4-6, 0-0 B1G) vs. Long Island (0-10, 0-0 NEC)
Date: Friday, Feb. 20
Time: 4:30 p.m. CT
Stream: B1G+
Game Two
Minnesota (4-6, 0-0 B1G) vs. Iowa State (5-4, 0-0 B12)
Date: Friday, Feb. 20
Time: 7:00 p.m. CT
Stream: B1G+
Game Three
Minnesota (4-6, 0-0 B1G) vs. Central Michigan (2-3, 0-0 MAC)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 21
Time: 4:30 p.m. CT
Stream: B1G+
Game Four
Minnesota (4-6, 0-0 B1G) vs. North Dakota State (6-4, 0-0 SL)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 21
Time: 7:00 p.m. CT
Stream: B1G+
Game Five
Minnesota (4-6, 0-0 B1G) vs. Central Michigan (2-3, 0-0 MAC)
Date: Sunday, Feb. 22
Time: 11:30 a.m. CT
Stream: B1G+
Gopher Indoor Classic
This season marks the third time Minnesota has hosted the Gopher Indoor Classic at U.S. Bank Stadium. The event was most recently held during the 2025 season and featured Minnesota, St. Thomas, Wagner, Miami (OH) and NDSU. Prior to that, the tournament was held in 2023.
Historical Notes
Minnesota looks to improve upon its 2–4 all-time record against Central Michigan. In their last meeting at the inaugural Gopher Indoor Classic, Kayla Chavez delivered a walk-off home run to lift the Gophers to a 2–1 victory. The Gophers and North Dakota State met twice at the 2025 Gopher Indoor Classic, with Minnesota earning 3–1 and 10–1 (five innings) wins over the Bison. Minnesota and Iowa State meet for the first time since 2010. The Gophers lead the all-time series 35–29 and have won seven of the last 10 matchups. This weekend also marks the first-ever meeting between Minnesota and LIU.
Schwartz Earns Big Ten Weekly Honors
Senior pitcher Sydney Schwartz was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week, the conference announced Monday, marking her first weekly honor of the 2026 season and the second of her career. The Victoria, Minn., native recorded 23 strikeouts across 16.0 innings in four appearances, compiling a 1.31 ERA with two wins and one save on the weekend. She opened play with a complete-game victory over Idaho State on Feb. 13, striking out 10 while allowing just one run in 7.0 innings. Later that day, she earned a relief win against UTEP. Schwartz added a three-inning save against New Mexico State, striking out four in a scoreless outing, and closed the weekend with another three scoreless frames against the Aggies, fanning five. She is the first Gopher to earn weekly Big Ten honors since she last received Pitcher of the Week recognition on April 28, 2025.
Last Weekend Highlights
Scarlett Kuhn and Tara Wolocko made an impact while competing in their home state. Kuhn posted a .573 batting average with five RBIs. Wolocko hit her first collegiate home run against UTEP and added four more over the weekend. Cassie Johnson also recorded her first collegiate home run against No. 4 Oklahoma. Jessa Snippes continued her steady play at the plate, batting .347. In the circle, Sydney Schwartz was dominant, posting a 1.31 ERA with two wins and one save while striking out 23 batters in 16 innings pitched.
A Tradition of Gopher Softball
The 2026 season marks the 52nd year of Minnesota softball. Piper Ritter enters her sixth season as head coach and 19th overall with the program. Bailey Oetting (fourth season) and Roya St. Clair (second season) return as assistant coaches, while Stephanie Lombardo joins the staff after serving as a development coach with the Greensboro Grasshoppers (High-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates).
Schedule Snapshot
Minnesota's 2026 schedule features 51 games, including 27 non-conference matchups and 24 Big Ten contests. The Gophers will face 10 teams that reached the 2025 NCAA Tournament, including Top 25 foes Oklahoma, Nebraska and Arizona. The season opens with a road-heavy early slate that includes trips to California, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Minnesota hosts its first games at the Gopher Indoor Classic (Feb. 20–22) at U.S. Bank Stadium before Big Ten play begins March 6 at Indiana. Conference action includes home series against Illinois, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin, with road trips to Iowa, Washington and Northwestern. The 2026 Big Ten Tournament is set for May 6–9 in College Park, Md.