With new coach on board, Fresno State eager to start softball season
Just two weeks remain before the Fresno State softball team begins its first regular season under coach Linda Garza.
Garza returns to her hometown after 20 years away. Garza prepped at Hoover High and played college ball at UNLV before going into coaching. She joins the Bulldogs from UC Riverside, where she went 115-104-1 in four seasons.
At Fresno State, Garza replaced Trisha Ford, who left for Arizona State after four seasons with the Bulldogs.
“The championship culture at Fresno State is the reason why I am here,” Garza said ahead of a Friday practice at Margie Wright Diamond. “I grew up down the street always dreaming of finding a way to come back here. I’m super excited to get these athletes on the field and get them going and showcasing them so they’re ready to go compete.”
The Bulldogs finished 42-12-1 last season while also winning a second straight Mountain West Conference title. Fresno State was eliminated at the Los Angeles Regional of the NCAA Tournament.
Key returners include seniors Kierra Willis, Malia Rivers and Lindsey Willmon, and sophomores Dominique Jackson and Kamalani Dung.
Fresno State will open Feb. 10 at the Arizona State Kajikawa Classic, playing five games in Tempe, Ariz., before heading to Mexico for four more at the Puerto Vallarta Classic.
Garza and Co. make their home debut Feb. 23 at the Bulldog Classic at Margie Wright Diamond. The Bulldogs will face Cal Poly, Minnesota, UC Davis and Idaho State in the tournament.
Angel Moreno: 559-441-6401, @anhelllll
2017 Fresno State softball schedule
- Feb. 10 Indiana, 8 a.m. in Tempe, Ariz.@
- Feb. 10 Oregon, 10:45 a.m. in Tempe, Ariz.@
- Feb. 11 Purdue, 11:15 a.m. in Tempe, Ariz.@
- Feb. 11 San Diego, 2 p.m. in Tempe, Ariz.@
- Feb. 12 Stanford, 10:45 a.m. in Tempe, Ariz.@
- Feb. 16 Mississippi State, 8 a.m. in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico#
- Feb. 16 Florida Gulf Coast, 11 a.m. in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico#
- Feb. 17 Florida Gulf Coast, 2 p.m. in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico#
- Feb. 18 Cal State Fullerton, 9:45 a.m. in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico#
- Feb. 19 Texas Tech, 7 a.m. in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico#
- Feb. 23 Cal Poly, 7 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond%
- Feb. 24 Minnesota, 5:30 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond%
- Feb. 25 UC Davis, 5:30 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond%
- Feb. 25 Idaho State, 8 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond%
- Feb. 26 Cal Poly, 11:30 a.m. at Margie Wright Diamond%
- Feb. 26 UC Davis, 2:30 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond%
- March 2 Long Beach State, 12:30 p.m. in Fullerton^
- March 2 Iowa, 3 p.m. in Fullerton^
- March 3 Indiana, 8 p.m. in Fullerton^
- March 4 Northwestern, 9:30 a.m. in Fullerton^
- March 4 Washington, 12:30 p.m. in Fullerton^
- March 10 Brigham Young 2:30 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond+
- March 10 Oregon State, 5:30 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond+
- March 11 Brigham Young, 3:30 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond+
- March 11 Oregon State, 6 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond+
- March 12 Sacramento State, 11:30 a.m. at Margie Wright Diamond+
- March 17 at San Diego State, 6 p.m.*
- March 18 at San Diego State, 6 p.m.*
- March 19 at San Diego State, noon*
- March 21 Cal State Bakersfield, 6 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond
- March 24 vs. Boise State, 6 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond*
- March 25 vs. Boise State, 6 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond*
- March 26 vs. Boise State, noon at Margie Wright Diamond*
- March 29 vs. Pacific, 6 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond
- March 31 vs. Nevada, 6 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond*
- April 1 vs. Nevada, 6 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond*
- April 2 vs. Nevada, noon at Margie Wright Diamond*
- April 7 at Utah State, 2 p.m.*
- April 8 at Utah State, 2 p.m.*
- April 9 at Utah State, 11 a.m.*
- April 13 at Santa Clara, 6 p.m.
- April 14 at Cal, 4 p.m.
- April 15 at Cal, 1 p.m.
- April 19 at UC Santa Barbara, 3 p.m.
- April 21 vs. San Jose State, 6 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond*
- April 22 vs. San Jose State, 6 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond*
- April 23 vs. San Jose State, noon at Margie Wright Diamond*
- April 28 at UNLV, 6 p.m.*
- April 29 at UNLV, 4 p.m.*
- April 30 at UNLV, noon*
- May 5 vs. New Mexico, 6 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond*
- May 6 vs. New Mexico, 6 p.m. at Margie Wright Diamond*
- May 7 vs. New Mexico, noon at Margie Wright Diamond*
- May 11 at Colorado State, 3 p.m.*
- May 12 at Colorado State, 3 p.m.*
- May 13 at Colorado State, 11 a.m.*
@ASU KAJIKAWA CLASSIC
#PUERTO VALLARTA COLLEGE CHALLENGE
%BULLDOG CLASSIC
^CSUF JUDI GARMAN CLASSIC
+FRESNO STATE INVITATIONAL
*MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE
This story was originally published January 27, 2017 at 7:35 PM with the headline "With new coach on board, Fresno State eager to start softball season."