Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney softball team starts the 2024 season this weekend at the Division II Cactus Classic in Tucson, Ariz.
 
The four-day, multi-team event is behind held at the Lincoln Park Complex. There is no host school so there will not be live video and live stats for most contests. Some games will have stats via Game Changer or from opponents; check the Loper schedule page for the most updated media links. 

Temperatures in Tucson are slated to only be in the high 50's on Thursday and Friday and then drop to the high 40's on Saturday. Rain is in the forecast on both Thursday and Saturday as well. 
 
UNK faces Davis & Elkins, W.V. (4-0) and Minnesota State-Moorhead (4-0) on Thursday, Western New Mexico (3-2) and Hawai'i-Hilo (0-0) on Friday and then battles Adams State, Colo. (1-4) and San Francisco State (1-3) on Saturday. The team left Kearney on Wednesday afternoon and is slated back late Sunday night. 

The Lopers went 16-34 (7-19 MIAA) last spring to finish 12th in the league standings; they were picked 12th in the 2024 preseason coaches' poll. Senior outfielders Carly Dembowski (Lincoln North Star) and Abbie Jo Gaube (Omaha Gross) and senior pitcher Madison Rosenthal (Johnstown, Colo.) are among eight returners with four freshmen and six transfers rounding out the roster.
 
Next weekend (Feb. 15-17), the Blue & Gold heads to the OKC area and will play another six games in three days.