By the Pac-12 Conference

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The 2013 Pac-12 softball season begins this weekend as six of the Conference’s nine teams head to ARIZONA STATE’s Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz., while UCLA hosts the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament. UTAH stays in-state as they compete in the Utah Valley/BYU Tournament. WASHINGTON travels west across the ocean as they participate in the Paradise Softball Classic in Honolulu, Hawai’i. Reigning Pac-12 Champion, California leads the Conference in both the USA Today/NFCA and USA Softball/ESPN.com preseason poll being ranked No. 3. The Golen Bears were picked to win the Pac-12 title in 2013 after a polling of the Conference’s softball coaches. Fourteen Pac-12 players were named to the preseason watch list for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the year award, which recognizes outstanding achievement by female players across the country.

Upcoming Schedule
Thursday, February 7
No. 16/16 Washington vs. Saint Mary’s% 11 a.m. HT
No. 16/16 Washington vs. UBA% 3 p.m. HT
No. 21/20 Stanford vs. Bradley^ 4 p.m. MT
Oregon State vs. Stephen F. Austin^ 5 p.m. MT
No. 5/6 Oregon vs. Western Michigan^ 6 p.m. MT
No. 4/4 Arizona State vs. New Mexico^ 7 p.m. MT

Friday, February 8
No. 21/20 Stanford vs. No. 2/2 Oklahoma^ 9 a.m. MT
No. 3/3 California vs. Kentucky^ 12:30 p.m. MT
No. 13/14 Arizona vs. Northwestern^ 12:30 p.m. MT
Utah vs. South Dakota* 1:30 p.m. MT
No. 21/20 Stanford vs. Portland State^ 2:30 p.m. MT
Oregon State vs. No. 2/2 Oklahoma^ 2:30 p.m. MT
No. 5/6 Oregon vs. Stephen F. Austin^ 3 p.m. MT
No. 16/16 Washington vs. Ole Miss% 3 p.m. HT
Utah vs. Loyola Marymount* 4 p.m. MT
No. 19/19 UCLA vs. Wright State@ 4:30 p.m. PT
No. 4/4 Arizona State vs. Cal State Northridge^ 4:30 p.m. MT
No. 5/6 Oregon vs. No. 14/15 Florida^ 5:30 p.m. MT
No. 13/14 Arizona vs. Bradley^ 5:30 p.m. MT
Oregon State vs. Creighton^ 5:30 p.m. MT
No. 19/19 UCLA vs. No. 17/17 Texas A&M@ 7 p.m. PT
No. 4/4 Arizona State vs. Indiana^ 7 p.m. MT
No. 16/16 Washington vs. No. 23/25 Hawai’i% 8 p.m. HT

Saturday, February 9
No. 5/6 Oregon vs. No. 2/2 Oklahoma^ 9 a.m. MT
No. 13/14 Arizona vs. Cal Poly^  9 a.m. MT
Oregon State vs. Northwestern^ 9 a.m. MT
No. 21/20 Stanford vs. Cal Poly^ 11:30 a.m. PT
No. 5/6 Oregon vs. San Jose State^ 2 p.m. MT
No. 13/14 Arizona vs. San Diego State^  2 p.m. MT
Oregon State vs. Kentucky^ 2 p.m. MT
No. 3/3 California vs. Cal State Northridge^ 2:30 p.m. MT
Utah vs. Seattle University* 4 p.m. MT
No. 19/19 UCLA vs. McNeese State@ 4:30 p.m. PT
No. 4/4 Arizona State vs. Kentucky^ 4:30 p.m. MT
No. 3/3 California vs. No. 14/15 Florida^ 5 p.m. MT
No. 21/20 Stanford vs. Indiana^ 5 p.m. MT
No. 19/19 UCLA vs. Wright State@ 7 p.m. PT
No. 4/4 Arizona State vs. Western Michigan^ 7 p.m. MT
No. 16/16 Washington vs. TBD% TBA

Sunday, February 10
No. 5/6 Oregon vs. Boise State^ 8:30 a.m. MT
No. 13/14 Arizona vs. No. 14/15 Florida^ 8:30 a.m. MT
Utah vs. Arkansas* 10 a.m. MT
No. 3/3 California vs. Indiana^ 11 a.m. MT
No. 4/4 Arizona State vs. Bradley^ 11 a.m. MT
No. 21/20 Stanford vs. Kentucky^ 11 a.m. MT
Oregon State vs. San Jose State^ 11 a.m. MT
No. 19/19 UCLA vs. No. 17/17 Texas A&M@ 11:30 a.m. PT
Utah vs. Nevada* 1:30 p.m. MT
No. 4/4 Arizona State vs. Boise State^ 1:30 p.m. MT

All game times local to site and subject to change.
^ Kajikawa Classic - Tempe, Ariz.
@ Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament - Los Angeles
* Utah Valley/BYU Tournament- Utah Valley, Utah
% Paradise Softball Classic- Honolulu, Hawai’i

Rankings from NFCA/USA Softball

PAC-12 SOFTBALL NOTES

• The Pac-12 has 14 players on the watch list for the 2013 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. The list includes Top 25 Finalists California senior pitcher Jolene Henderson and Washington junior pitcher Kaitlin Inglesby.

• Conference Players on the Preseason Watch List:
  Arizona: SR INF Brigette Del Ponte, SO OF Hallie Wilson
  Arizona State: JR P Dallas Escobedo, SO C Amber Freeman, JR OF Alix Johnson
  California: SR P Jolene Henderson
  Oregon: SR P Jessica Moore, SR OF Samantha Pappas
  Stanford: SR P Teagan Gerhart, SR INF Jenna Rich, SO INF Hanna Winter
  UCLA: SR OF B.B. Bates, SO INF Stephany LaRosa
  Washington: JR P Kaitlin Inglesby

• The Pac-12 leads the way with seven teams ranked in both the NFCA and USA Softball polls.

• In a polling of the Conference’s coaches, California was picked to win the Pac-12 title in 2013. The Golden Bears return 12 letterwinners including 2012 Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year Jolene Henderson.

• 2013 Roster Breakdown: