FULL 2020 Schedule Here

VERMILLION, S.D.—Tournaments in Florida, New Mexico and Arizona highlight the 2020 South Dakota softball schedule announced Tuesday by head coach Robert Wagner.
 
The Coyotes open with six weekend tournaments before diving into Summit League play March 21 at Omaha. South Dakota's home opener is the following weekend, March 28-29, against North Dakota. USD will also host Western Illinois (April 4-5), Iowa State (April 22) and South Dakota State (May 1-2).
 
On the non-conference slate are 30 teams representing 16 different conferences including four from the Big Ten and two from the Pac-12. Eight are 2019 NCAA Tournament participants and 16 finished in the top 100 of the RPI.
 
USD is meeting nine teams for the first time including Indiana (March 7) and Ohio State (March 14). Nine are rematches from a year ago including Purdue (Feb. 15), Arizona State (March 10), Nebraska (April 7) and Iowa State.
 
South Dakota opens its campaign Feb. 7 against Northern Iowa (1:30 p.m.) and Drake (6 p.m.) at a tournament hosted by the Panthers in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Murray State and Big East Tournament champion DePaul are on deck for Feb. 8. Opening weekend concludes Feb. 9 with a second game against UNI.
 
Like 2019, the Coyotes will spend weekends two and three in Madeira Beach, Florida. USD will play six games Feb. 14-16 and five more Feb. 21-23. Missouri Valley champion Southern Illinois and MAAC winner Monmouth are amongst the opponents there.
 
Tournaments hosted by New Mexico (Feb. 28-March 1), Arizona (March 6-8) and Grand Canyon (March 11-14) follow. That stretch includes games against North Texas, Indiana, Boise State, Ohio State, Arizona and Arizona State.
 
Scattered in between Summit League series are the game at Nebraska, a two-game series with Kansas City (April 14-15) and the home game against Iowa State. It will mark the Cyclones first trip to Vermillion.
 
The Summit League Tournament will take place May 6-9 in Fargo, North Dakota. The top six teams will qualify for the tournament and the top-two seeds will earn byes into the four-team, double-elimination tournament. The winner receives the Summit's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
2020 Schedule Notes:

• Tournaments in Cedar Falls, Madeira Beach, Albuquerque, Tucson and Phoenix
• 30 non-conference opponents from 16 different conferences
• Opponents include four from the Big Ten, two from the Pac-12 and Iowa State from the Big 12
• Of the 36 teams USD is set to face, 27 won at least 20 games last year and 16 won at least 30
• Nine of 36 foes were 2019 NCAA Tournament participants
• First-time meetings include: Colgate, DePaul, Georgia State, Indiana, Monmouth, North Texas, Ohio State, Pacific and Providence
• Rematches include: Arizona State, Central Arkansas, Grand Canyon, Iowa State, Kansas City, Lehigh, Murray State, Nebraska and Purdue
• 18 games against teams ranked in the top 100 of the final 2019 RPI
• March 28 – Home opener against North Dakota
• April 22 – First home matchup against Iowa State
• May 1-2 – South Dakota Showdown Series vs. South Dakota State
• May 6-9 – Summit League Tournament in Fargo, North Dakota