SAN DIEGO – Head coach MJ Knighten and the San Diego softball program announced its 2023 spring schedule on Tuesday.
 
The schedule consists of 56 games, beginning with the season opener against California on February 10 at 3:30 p.m., on the campus of Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, Calif. The schedule features 13 games against eight opponents that made last season's NCAA Tournament.
 
"Competitive greatness – this is what came to mind when our schedule was finalized," said Knighten. "It has been our mindset all fall and I believe every game until the last is going to grow our competitive greatness, especially in the first weekend out facing top-50 RPI opponents. Last season we left our mark and now it's time to rise."
 
The 2023 opener against California will kick start the Stacy Winsberg Tournament, that is hosted by three different programs across Los Angeles and Fullerton, Calif. The Toreros will face the Golden Bears twice on Feb. 10 and 11, Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 11 and conclude with a doubleheader at UCLA on Feb. 12.  
 
After a midweek doubleheader at Long Beach State on Feb. 15, the Toreros will host their first of four tournaments, welcoming Boise State, Fairleigh Dickinson, Utah Tech and Wichita State to town for the Torero Classic. San Diego's home opener will be on Feb. 17 at 4:30 p.m., against Fairleigh Dickinson, before hosting Boise State (Feb. 17), Utah Tech (Feb. 18) and Wichita State (Feb. 18).
 
The month of February will conclude on the road, as the Toreros play a game against local foe UC San Diego on Feb. 20, before traveling to the prestigious Mary Nutter Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. The Toreros will face some of the nation's best, headlined by a matchup with Women's College World Series participant Northwestern on Feb. 26 at 9 a.m. The Toreros will also play California, Cal Poly, Iowa State and Utah Valley from Feb. 24-26.
 
March begins with a home game against California Baptist on Mar. 1, before returning home to serve as co-hosts of the San Diego Classic with San Diego State from Mar. 3-5. The Toreros will play at San Diego State for the first two days, facing the Aztecs in one game and playing Montana in two games, before hosting Boston University on Mar. 5.
 
The Toreros will take on Grand Canyon in Phoenix, Ariz., on Mar. 7, before returning home for a game against UC Riverside on Mar. 9. The game will serve as the opener of a 13-game home stretch, that kicks into high gear with the San Diego Tournament from Mar. 11-12. The Toreros will host Michigan State, Western Carolina and Yale. San Diego will welcome another Ivy League opponent in Harvard for a doubleheader on Mar. 14 at 3 p.m., and 5:30 p.m.
 
The long homestand will end with a round robin against Colgate and South Dakota from Mar. 17-18 and a doubleheader against St. Thomas on Mar. 22. From there, the Toreros will head down to Tucson, Ariz., for the Bear Down Fiesta, facing off against host Arizona and Georgetown from Mar. 31 – Apr. 1.
 
WCC play begins on Apr. 7, as the Toreros travel to Moraga, Calif., for a three-game set at Saint Mary's. San Diego will have their WCC home opening series from Apr. 15-16 against Pacific and follow it up with a quick one-game road trip to CSUN on Apr. 19.
 
After a non-conference finale against Grand Canyon at the USD Softball Complex on Apr. 26, the Toreros will wrap up the conference season with a three-game series at BYU (Apr. 28-29), three more home games against Santa Clara (May 6-7) and the three-game season finale at Loyola Marymount (May 12-13).