With Western Athletic Conference softball teams continuing to play some of the best opponents in the nation, it's getting more difficult each year to come up with a list of our Top 20 non-conference games.
But, we've narrowed down a list of at least 40 outstanding non-conference games and here we unveil 20 of the most anticipated games of the 2012 season:
1. Fresno State vs. Arizona State, March 16
A number of storylines exist here when the Bulldogs meet the defending national champions at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton. Not only does the game match a pair of former NCAA championship teams, but it takes place at the same prestigious tourney where Fresno State has won some of the biggest games in school history. In fact, this matchup against Arizona State
occurs exactly five years from the day when the Bulldogs stunned the same Sun Devils program on the same field. On March 16, 2007, Fresno State routed then 2nd-ranked ASU 6-1 at the Garman Classic. Can Margie Wright's team pull off the feat again? Chances are good that Arizona State will come into this game ranked among the top two or three teams in the nation again. This culminates the single most difficult day of the season for any WAC team; Fresno State faces perennial power Louisiana-Lafayette the same afternoon.2. New Mexico State at Arizona, March 21
These two teams continue their recent tradition of playing home-and-home doubleheaders when they meet for a pair of games in Tucson. New Mexico State has had Arizona on the ropes several times in recent years, only to have the Pac-12 power Wildcats prevail in the end. The doubleheader could also provide a glimpse into the postseason as well. Last year, the Aggies qualified for their first NCAA Tournament and were sent to the Tucson regional, where Arizona knocked off New Mexico State on its way to advancing to the Super Regionals.
3. Brigham Young vs. Florida, February 24
In their lone year as an affiliate member of WAC softball, Brigham Young will carry the conference banner alongside Fresno State and New Mexico State at the nation's toughest in-season tournament, the Cathedral City Classic near Palm Springs. BYU meets Florida, which finished as the national runners-up a season ago after being swept by Arizona State in the NCAA championship series. The Gators are the first Southeastern Conference team ever to advance to four straight Women's College World Series, and they'll provide a stern test for the Cougars.
4. Texas at Hawai'i, M
arch 13In the opening game of Hawai'i's annual Spring Fling tournament, the Longhorns will face the Rainbow Wahine. This year's event could be considered the most difficult Spring Fling ever for Hawai'i. In addition to hosting Texas, the Wahine will welcome Pac-12 power California and Texas A&M, among others. A victory over the Longhorns could set the tone for an exciting weekend against top opponents.
5. Fresno State vs. UCLA, February 25
One of the most storied rivalries in college softball history resumes at the prestigious Cathedral City Classic near Palm Springs. Four different times since 1982, these two teams have met in the NCAA championship game. And it was the Bruins who came out on top all four times in tight, close games. In 2010, UCLA and Fresno State met in the championship game of the NCAA Los Angeles Regional and the Bruins broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning on their way to an 11th national championship. Fresno State would love to win this key game.
6. Louisiana Tech vs. Michigan, February 10
It's the season opener for the Lady Techsters at the LSU Lady Tigers Classic in Baton Rouge. And what better time to face the defending Big Ten champion Wolverines, who will enter the year without All-American pitcher Jordan Taylor for the first time in five seasons? This will be one of two games against Michigan on the same weekend for Louisiana Tech, which will also have a new look this season. All-WAC pitcher Meghan Krieg has now departed so it will be interesting to see what the Techsters can do.
7. New Mexico State vs. Oregon, February 26
This game could be easily interchanged with New Mexico State's game against Stanford, which takes place on the same day. The Aggies will meet both Pac-12 powers back to back at the same tournament, the prestigious Cathedral City Classic near Palm Springs. New Mexico State has been knocked in the past for playing a less than ambitious non-conference schedule, but that's not the case this year. In fact, this weekend in Cathedral City will say a lot about the Aggies' fortunes on the national scene. The environment -- with thousands of fans and more than 30 of the nation's top powers -- can't be duplicated and has to be experienced to fully understand it.
8. California at Fresno State, March 11
For the third time in the past four seasons, the Bulldogs will host perennial national power California as part of the final day at the Bayer CropScience Classic. Cal will likely enter the season as a top five team and one of the favorites to win the NCAA title. With Val Arioto back from an injury, this looks to be one of the best Bears teams in school history. Fresno State beat Cal in this tourney in 2009, and the Bears returned the favor last year to capture the title. This has turned out to be one of the better non-conference rivalries in the country.
9. Utah State at Georgia, February 11
On the opening weekend of the season, the Aggies will meet the Southeastern Conference power Bulldogs at the University of Georgia tournament in Athens. The tough travel distance aside, this matchup creates a lot of unknowns for a team and program not used to playing in the deep south. Georgia, which had a mildly disappointing 2011, is expected to be strong once again.
10. Florida State at Hawai'i, March 3
You're not going to find a longer road trip in all of NCAA Division I athletics. The Seminoles of the Atlantic Coast Conference make the long trek across the Pacific Ocean to face the Rainbow Wahine in the Bank of Hawai'i Classic. With Hawai'i implementing bracket play in most of its home tournaments, the Wahine and Florida State could meet on back to back days.
11. Fresno State vs. Arizona, February 23
It's another high profile matchup at the prestigious Cathedral City Classic near Palm Springs when the Bulldogs meet the powerful Wildcats. These teams met here in 2010 and it wasn't close as then-freshman phenom Kenzie Fowler dominated in a pitching battle with Morgan Melloh. It's always intriguing when the Bulldogs meet Arizona, however. Fresno State posted the biggest win ever for a WAC softball team when it knocked off then-No. 1 ranked Arizona to win the 1998 NCAA championship.
12. New Mexico State at Arizona State, March 11
Coach Kathy Rodolph's Aggies return to the site of one of the worst losses in school history when they face the defending national champions on the final day of the Diamond Devil Invitational in Tempe. Then-freshman Dallas Escobedo tossed a 1-hitter and New Mexico State lost 17-0 in a game called after four and a half innings last year. That pounding did seem to ignite the Aggies last season though, as they went on to win 22 of their next 29 games following the loss. It will be interesting to see how this one turns out a year later.
13. Louisiana Tech at LSU, February 12
A lot of times and in a lot of sports, Louisiana Tech's in-state rival LSU ducks the Lady Techsters. Not so in softball this season. As part of a tough opening weekend slate at the Lady Tigers Classic, Tech meets the tourney host on the final day. If any win carries more weight than others in Louisiana Tech lore, it's one that comes over Southeastern Conference power LSU. The Tigers are always a force to be reckoned with and 2012 should be no different.
14. Brigham Young at Utah, March 7
It's one of the biggest rivalries in college sports in general when BYU meets Utah. And with these two local rivals no longer in the same conference, it may even take on greater significance. Both were Mountain West Conference members a season ago, but Utah is now in the Pac-12, while BYU is a one-year affiliate member of the WAC in softball. Before the Cougars leave to join the Pacific Coast Softball Conference, they might want to help out the WAC's ratings percentage index numbers by grabbing a win over their arch rivals in Salt Lake City.
15. Oregon at Fresno State, March 9
Now this is rare. While Fresno State has periodically played host to Cal and Stanford over the years, a visit from the Ducks is one to remember. Oregon will participate in Fresno State's Bayer CropScience Classic, which features the deepest field in history. Along with Oregon, the Bulldogs welcome powerful Cal, San Diego State, Purdue and UConn, among others. The Ducks, aiming for their third straight trip to the Super Regionals in 2012, could arrive as Top 10 team.
16. Nebraska at New Mexico State, February 19
The Huskers are in Las Cruces again this season, participating in the Troy Cox Invitational a year after scheduling a 4-game weekend series at New Mexico State. Nebraska won three of four against NMSU a year ago and eventually reached an NCAA regional championship game before falling to Stanford. These teams will meet twice on the season's second weekend, giving the Aggies a good chance for an early marquee win.
17. Brigham Young vs. Arizona State, March 15
A day before Fresno State meets the Sun Devils at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, the Cougars will have their chance to pick up a big win over the reigning NCAA champs. In an odd twist, these two schools were two of the founding members of the original Western Athletic Conference decades ago.
18. Louisiana Tech at La.-Lafayette, February 19
In-state rivals will face off at the ULL Tournament in Lafayette when the Lady Techsters meet the Ragin' Cajuns on the tourney's final day. This will be a challenging day for Louisiana Tech, which meets ULL just hours after completing a game earlier in the day against ACC power North Carolina. This will be Tech's 11th game of the season, five of which will have come against teams from the state of Louisiana.
19. Nevada vs. Boise State, February 10
It's the season opener for the Wolf Pack at the UC Davis Aggie Stampede, and it's a glimpse into both the past and the future. Former WAC member (and current Mountain West member) Boise State is the opponent for a non-conference meeting this season. The two met as WAC members last year, and Boise State will be moving back to the league next year. But by that time, Nevada will be gone from the WAC and will have firmly taken up residence in the Mountain West. Confused yet?
20. Stanford at San Jose State, April 17
More often that not, the annual non-conference meeting between the Spartans and the Cardinal takes place on Stanford's campus a few miles away. But this year, the South Bay area rivals will meet at the SJSU Field, giving the Spartans' chances for victory a boost.
Other important games to watch -- DePaul at Hawai'i (Feb. 10), North Dakota State at Fresno State (Feb. 10), BYU vs. Texas A&M (Feb. 10), Long Beach State at Fresno State (Feb. 12), Pacific at Fresno State (Feb. 14), Utah State vs. LSU (Feb. 19), Nevada vs. UNLV (Feb. 24), Fresno State vs. Iowa (Feb. 24), New Mexico State vs. Cal (Feb. 25), New Mexico State vs. Illinois (March 2), Louisiana Tech at Baylor (March 6), Louisiana Tech at Auburn (March 9), Purdue at Fresno State (Mar. 10, 13), California at Hawai'i (March 15), BYU vs. Arizona (March 16), San Jose State vs. Oklahoma State (March 16), Utah State at Utah (March 28), UNLV at Fresno State (April 4).
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