Mississippi State and head coach Samantha Ricketts will have their work cut out for them in the new-look Southeastern Conference in 2025. What was already the toughest conference in college softball is now even tougher with the additions of four-time defending national champion Oklahoma and reigning national runner-up Texas, and the Bulldogs will face both SEC newcomers in the spring.
MSU released its full 2025 schedule on Friday, and the Bulldogs open the year at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida from Feb. 7-9 with games against Texas Tech, Penn State, Bethune-Cookman, Duke and Nebraska. That could mean facing two of the best pitchers in the country in the Red Raiders’ NiJaree Canady and the Cornhuskers’ Jordy Bahl. Duke is coming off its first-ever Women’s College World Series appearance last year.
The following weekend, MSU opens the home portion of its schedule with The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial Tournament against Southern Illinois, North Texas, Bradley and Georgia Tech. The Bulldogs then host Samford in a midweek game before traveling to Madison, Alabama, for the Rocket City Softball Showcase against North Alabama, Jacksonville State, Louisiana Tech and a Miami-Ohio team that has won four straight Mid-American Conference titles.
After a midweek home game against Alabama-Birmingham, MSU has another tournament at Nusz Park, with Alabama State, New Mexico and Northwestern State coming to Starkville for the Bulldog Invitational. The Bulldogs have one more midweek game against mid-major powerhouse Louisiana before SEC play begins at home against Auburn from Mar. 7-9.
On MSU’s SEC bye week, the Bulldogs head on the road to play three-time defending Big Ten champion Northwestern for a three-game series on Mar. 21 and 22. Other non-conference road opponents include UAB (Mar. 19) and Southern Miss (Mar. 26). MSU also has midweek games at home against Middle Tennessee (Mar. 12) and Central Arkansas (Apr. 1).
In conference play, the Bulldogs have road series against Alabama (Mar. 14-16), Tennessee (Apr. 4-6), Oklahoma (Apr. 18-20) and Kentucky (Apr. 25-27). MSU will host Texas (Mar. 28-30), Missouri (Apr. 11-13) and Ole Miss (May 1-3).
Overall, the schedule includes 32 games against teams who played in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, including 10 against last year’s WCWS participants. MSU finished 34-20 overall last season and 12-12 in SEC play, the Bulldogs’ first .500 or better finish in the SEC since 2007.
The SEC Tournament will take place in Athens, Georgia from May 6-10, with the NCAA Tournament selection show taking place May 11
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