2023 Season Opens Thursday

Two major tournaments highlight the opening weekend of the 2023 college softball season. One is the Mark Campbell Invitational in Irvine, California, whose seven-team field includes Oklahoma (winner of the last two Women's College World Series and this year's unanimous preseason No. 1), along with 2022 super-regional participant Duke and perennial contender Washington. The other is the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida, a 16-team affair. This tourney features last year's WCWS runner-up Texas and four SEC schools (Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, and Auburn). This NCAA.com article previews the first several weeks' tournaments.

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