2025 NFCA Lead-Off Classic Schedule Announced Monday
TAMPA, Fla. – The Kentucky Softball team will open its 2025 season in Clearwater, Florida at the 2024 National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association Lead-Off Classic Feb. 7-9 at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex with five games over three days on opening weekend in the Sunshine State.
The Wildcats season will commence Friday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. ET against the Pitt Panthers, who UK also faced in its last appearance at the event. Following that game, Kentucky will face its second-straight Atlantic Coast Conference opponent as it faces off against Notre Dame at 1 p.m. ET in the back half of the Friday doubleheader.
Saturday afternoon will see Kentucky play two more games with a Noon ET start on field three against Morgan State before closing out the day at 3 p.m. ET on the same field against Southern Miss.
The close to the weekend comes Sunday for the Wildcats as Kentucky will play the Iowa Hawkeyes out of the Big Ten at 10 a.m. ET on field four to cap off opening weekend. Kentucky also played Iowa on opening weekend in the 2022 season at the Northern Lights/Southern Nights Tournament in Leesburg, Florida with UK winning in a run rule.
This will be Kentucky’s third time attending the NFCA Lead-Off Classic since the event was resurrected in February of 2020. Kentucky all-time in the event is 8-0-1 as the Wildcats went 4-0 in 2020 and 4-0-1 in 2023’s edition of the event.
2025 NFCA Lead-Off Classic
Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex – Clearwater, Fla.
Friday, February 7
10am ET [Field 3] – Kentucky (H) vs. Pittsburgh (A)
1pm ET [Field 1] – Kentucky (H) vs. Notre Dame (A)
Saturday, Feb. 8
Noon ET [Field 3] – Kentucky (A) vs. Morgan State (H)
3pm ET [Field 3] – Kentucky (A) vs. Southern Miss (H)
Sunday, Feb. 9
10am ET [Field 4] – Kentucky (H) vs. Iowa (A)
The Kentucky Softball Designated Players Club
The Designated Players is the Official Booster Program of Kentucky Softball. Financial contributions and community support through The Designated Players program, Kentucky Softball will be able to continue to develop our student-athletes on and off the field. To join The Designated Players, you can join online or click here to download the membership form and mail to the address listed. For more information, email Kristine Himes at kentuckysoftball@uky.edu or Larry Cash at Larry.Cash@uky.edu.
For the latest on UK Softball, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @UKSoftball.
