California State University Northridge Athletics
Thursday, February 19
Cathedral City, Calif
3:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
vs
Brigham Young University
Photo by: Chuck Marvel
Matadors Travel to Cathedral City for Annual Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic
2/18/2026 2:39:00 PM | Softball
GAME NOTES
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif.--- The CSUN softball team is set to embark on a major non-conference tournament this weekend as it will participate in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic at Big League Dreams Sports Park in Cathedral City, February 19-21. CSUN will take on BYU on Thursday at 3:00 p.m., Seattle University and Utah on Friday,and finally will wrap up with Oregon State on Sunday.
ABOUT LAST WEEK
CSUN was swept in a three-game series versus Saint Mary's in Moraga this past weekend. CSUN lost 8-0 in game one, 3-1 in game two and 9-0 in game three. Savannah Simons drove in the lone run in game two. Kaitlyn Tso pitched a complete game in game two, striking out five but giving up nine hits in the process on three earned runs.
LET'S TALK ABOUT 2025
CSUN had a solid season last year in the final head coaching year of Charlotte Morgan. CSUN finished second overall in the Big West after it was picked seventh overall in the preseason coaches' poll. The Matadors had a 17-10 record in conference play with a 26-26 record overall, the best winning percentage (.500) by a CSUN team since 2023. Eleven seniors made up a majority of this group as the team only lost one Big West series all season.
CSUN made it happen on both sides of the ball. In Big West play, CSUN was second in batting average all season with a .287 clip. The Matadors also ranked third in ERA on the year in the Big West with a 2.77 ERA. In the inaugural 2025 Big West Softball Championship Tournament, CSUN advanced to the finals with key wins over UC San Diego and Hawai'i. However, CSUN fell just short of championship glory when it fell in its final two games of this season to UC Santa Barbara.
WHAT'S AHEAD IN 2026
Interim head coach Jodie Cox is commencing her first year as the captain of the ship. Cox is holding the reins after she was a Matador assistant and pitching coach during the 2025 season. She will be the eighth coach to lead the Matadors in the program's storied history. Cox returned to CSUN in 2025 after building an extensive coaching resume in the Division I, Division III, and high school ranks.
She previously served as a CSUN assistant coach under head coach Barbara Jordan from 2005-2007 when the Matadors won 61 games over a three-year period and earned an NCAA Regional berth in 2007. In 2025, under the tutelage of Cox, the pitching staff racked up 180 strikeouts on the year.
The 2026 CSUN team features 17 newcomers, with 11 transfers and six freshmen. Key players returning to the Matadors are senior outfielder Raegan Jackson and senior infielder Jadyn Nielsen, both starters on the team that played in the Big West Championship last season. Other returners include Baylee Brand-Castilleja, Sheridan Gonzalez, Aleyna Urbina, Mackenzie Kila, and Maddie and Makenzi Padilla.
ABOUT BYU
The Cougars are 1-8 in to begin the 2026 campaign. Their lone win came against Notre Dame on February 6, where they won 8-5.
The Cougars will participate in the Mary Nutter Classic for the 19th time in 27 seasons. BYU has three batters hitting .300 or better for the season in Hailey Shuler (.385), Hailey Morrow (.350) and Lily Owens (.316). The trio have combined for 23 hits, 17 runs, eight RBI, three home runs and three doubles.
Jada Villegas, Kaysen Korth, Hailey Shuler, Rita Tavita and Gianna Mares each spent time in the circle for the Cougars, surrendering 41 hits, 37 runs (27 earned) and 18 walks while striking out 14.
SERIES HISTORY: The Cougars lead the all-time series with the Matadors, 6-2. CSUN beat BYU in last year's Mary Nutter contest, 6-2.
ABOUT SEATTLE U
The Redhawks enter this week with a 7-3 record overall, including wins against fellow Big West opponents in Hawaii and UC Davis. Karen Spadafors (.360), Ava Sin (.406), Avari Morris (.514) and Taylor Fitch (.533) are all batting over .350. Seattle has 81 runs scored over the 10 games, including a 23-7 win against North Dakota earlier in the season.
Redhawk pitchers have a combined 2.73 ERA and Morris leads the team with a 1.87 ERA with 14 strikeouts.
SERIES HISTORY: CSUN is 10-3 all time against Seattle U. Both teams split a pair of games at Matador Diamond in 2025.
ABOUT UTAH
For the first time since 2021, the University of Utah softball team has started a season with eight wins in 10 tries. Utah has wins against fellow Big West foes in UC Riverside, Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara.
Mia Gomez is the best hitter for Utah. She leads the team in batting average at .483, slugging at .724, on base percentage at .545 and hits at 14. Hailee White leads the Utes in runs scored at seven.
Overall, the Utes have a really solid ERA at 2.37. Shelbee Jones leads the team with a 0.86 ERA. Hailey Maestretti has been their workhorse, pitching in six games with a 2.02 ERA with 18 strikeouts.
Series History: CSUN leads 24-16-2 all-time. Utah is currently riding a six game win streak.
ABOUT OREGON STATE
OSU is 4-6 heading into this weekend's tournament. The Beavers have wins against fellow Big West opponents in Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara.
Through two weekends of play, the Beaver offense has shown improvements from the 2025 season. Across 47 games last year, OSU scored 203 runs, an average of 4.32 per contest. Through 10 games in 2026, however, the Beavers have put up 49 total runs, an average of 4.9 per contest.
Jaeya Butler leads the team in batting, hitting.457 with seven home runs, 12 RBI and 1.171 slugging percentage across 35 at bats. She's in a two-way tie for fourth in the country for home run total, one of just five players this season to hit seven or more through the first two weekends of play and has already tied her season total from 2025.
In the circle, the Beavers are led by Bailey Murray. Through eight appearances this season, Murray ranks top-10 in the conference with a team-leading 2.27 ERA across 12.1 innings of work, also holding the top mark in the conference for saves with two.
SERIES HISTORY: CSUN leads 20-15-1 all-time against Oregon State.
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif.--- The CSUN softball team is set to embark on a major non-conference tournament this weekend as it will participate in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic at Big League Dreams Sports Park in Cathedral City, February 19-21. CSUN will take on BYU on Thursday at 3:00 p.m., Seattle University and Utah on Friday,and finally will wrap up with Oregon State on Sunday.
ABOUT LAST WEEK
CSUN was swept in a three-game series versus Saint Mary's in Moraga this past weekend. CSUN lost 8-0 in game one, 3-1 in game two and 9-0 in game three. Savannah Simons drove in the lone run in game two. Kaitlyn Tso pitched a complete game in game two, striking out five but giving up nine hits in the process on three earned runs.
LET'S TALK ABOUT 2025
CSUN had a solid season last year in the final head coaching year of Charlotte Morgan. CSUN finished second overall in the Big West after it was picked seventh overall in the preseason coaches' poll. The Matadors had a 17-10 record in conference play with a 26-26 record overall, the best winning percentage (.500) by a CSUN team since 2023. Eleven seniors made up a majority of this group as the team only lost one Big West series all season.
CSUN made it happen on both sides of the ball. In Big West play, CSUN was second in batting average all season with a .287 clip. The Matadors also ranked third in ERA on the year in the Big West with a 2.77 ERA. In the inaugural 2025 Big West Softball Championship Tournament, CSUN advanced to the finals with key wins over UC San Diego and Hawai'i. However, CSUN fell just short of championship glory when it fell in its final two games of this season to UC Santa Barbara.
WHAT'S AHEAD IN 2026
Interim head coach Jodie Cox is commencing her first year as the captain of the ship. Cox is holding the reins after she was a Matador assistant and pitching coach during the 2025 season. She will be the eighth coach to lead the Matadors in the program's storied history. Cox returned to CSUN in 2025 after building an extensive coaching resume in the Division I, Division III, and high school ranks.
She previously served as a CSUN assistant coach under head coach Barbara Jordan from 2005-2007 when the Matadors won 61 games over a three-year period and earned an NCAA Regional berth in 2007. In 2025, under the tutelage of Cox, the pitching staff racked up 180 strikeouts on the year.
The 2026 CSUN team features 17 newcomers, with 11 transfers and six freshmen. Key players returning to the Matadors are senior outfielder Raegan Jackson and senior infielder Jadyn Nielsen, both starters on the team that played in the Big West Championship last season. Other returners include Baylee Brand-Castilleja, Sheridan Gonzalez, Aleyna Urbina, Mackenzie Kila, and Maddie and Makenzi Padilla.
ABOUT BYU
The Cougars are 1-8 in to begin the 2026 campaign. Their lone win came against Notre Dame on February 6, where they won 8-5.
The Cougars will participate in the Mary Nutter Classic for the 19th time in 27 seasons. BYU has three batters hitting .300 or better for the season in Hailey Shuler (.385), Hailey Morrow (.350) and Lily Owens (.316). The trio have combined for 23 hits, 17 runs, eight RBI, three home runs and three doubles.
Jada Villegas, Kaysen Korth, Hailey Shuler, Rita Tavita and Gianna Mares each spent time in the circle for the Cougars, surrendering 41 hits, 37 runs (27 earned) and 18 walks while striking out 14.
SERIES HISTORY: The Cougars lead the all-time series with the Matadors, 6-2. CSUN beat BYU in last year's Mary Nutter contest, 6-2.
ABOUT SEATTLE U
The Redhawks enter this week with a 7-3 record overall, including wins against fellow Big West opponents in Hawaii and UC Davis. Karen Spadafors (.360), Ava Sin (.406), Avari Morris (.514) and Taylor Fitch (.533) are all batting over .350. Seattle has 81 runs scored over the 10 games, including a 23-7 win against North Dakota earlier in the season.
Redhawk pitchers have a combined 2.73 ERA and Morris leads the team with a 1.87 ERA with 14 strikeouts.
SERIES HISTORY: CSUN is 10-3 all time against Seattle U. Both teams split a pair of games at Matador Diamond in 2025.
ABOUT UTAH
For the first time since 2021, the University of Utah softball team has started a season with eight wins in 10 tries. Utah has wins against fellow Big West foes in UC Riverside, Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara.
Mia Gomez is the best hitter for Utah. She leads the team in batting average at .483, slugging at .724, on base percentage at .545 and hits at 14. Hailee White leads the Utes in runs scored at seven.
Overall, the Utes have a really solid ERA at 2.37. Shelbee Jones leads the team with a 0.86 ERA. Hailey Maestretti has been their workhorse, pitching in six games with a 2.02 ERA with 18 strikeouts.
Series History: CSUN leads 24-16-2 all-time. Utah is currently riding a six game win streak.
ABOUT OREGON STATE
OSU is 4-6 heading into this weekend's tournament. The Beavers have wins against fellow Big West opponents in Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara.
Through two weekends of play, the Beaver offense has shown improvements from the 2025 season. Across 47 games last year, OSU scored 203 runs, an average of 4.32 per contest. Through 10 games in 2026, however, the Beavers have put up 49 total runs, an average of 4.9 per contest.
Jaeya Butler leads the team in batting, hitting.457 with seven home runs, 12 RBI and 1.171 slugging percentage across 35 at bats. She's in a two-way tie for fourth in the country for home run total, one of just five players this season to hit seven or more through the first two weekends of play and has already tied her season total from 2025.
In the circle, the Beavers are led by Bailey Murray. Through eight appearances this season, Murray ranks top-10 in the conference with a team-leading 2.27 ERA across 12.1 innings of work, also holding the top mark in the conference for saves with two.
SERIES HISTORY: CSUN leads 20-15-1 all-time against Oregon State.
Players Mentioned
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C/UTIL
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P/UTIL
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