PHILADELPHIA— The University of Pennsylvania softball team travels to Phoenix, Ariz. to participate in the Purple Classic at Grand Canyon University this weekend. Split across multiple venues, Penn will play all five of their games in GCU Softball Stadium on Grand Canyon's campus.
Slotted to play five games in three days, the Quakers open the tournament against the University of New Mexico on Friday at 2 p.m. EST before playing host Grand Canyon at 7 p.m. EST on Friday night.
Penn (1-5) vs. New Mexico (10-11-1)
Friday, Mar. 7, 2025 | Noon MT / 2 p.m. EST
GCU Softball Stadium | Phoenix, Ariz.
Live Stats
Penn vs. Grand Canyon (16-3)
Friday, Mar. 7, 2025 | 5 p.m. MT / 7 p.m. EST
GCU Softball Stadium | Phoenix, Ariz.
Live Stats | Watch
The Red and Blue will then square off against University of Nevada – Las Vegas and Utah State University at 4:30 p.m. EST and 7 p.m. EST respectively on Saturday.
Penn vs. UNLV (13-6)
Saturday, Mar. 8, 2025 | 2:30 p.m. MT / 4:30 p.m. EST
GCU Softball Stadium | Phoenix, Ariz.
Live Stats
Penn vs. Utah State (12-8)
Saturday, Mar. 8, 2025 | 5 p.m. MT / 7 p.m. EST
GCU Softball Stadium | Phoeniz, Ariz.
Live Stats
Penn will then close out tournament play on Sunday with another game against UNLV at 11 a.m. EST before their return home.
Penn vs. UNLV
Sunday, Mar. 9, 2025 | 9 a.m. MT / 11 a.m. EST
GCU Softball Stadium | Phoenix, Ariz.
Live Stats
Philadelphia's Saint Joeseph's University is also participating in the tournament but will not face Penn while in Arizona. The two will meet in April at Penn Park later this season. University of San Diego is also participating in the tournament, but will not play Penn.
Quaker Notemeal
Penn enters the tournament weekend 1-5 on the season, coming off a week break following the Mizuno Classic tournament at the University of Virginia in February. Working with a limited lineup due to injuries, the Quakers are excited to have some flexibility in the lineup after the break.
Playing all their games on the road so far this season, this will be the final road trip for the Red and Blue ahead of their first home games with a doubleheader against Rider on Tuesday, Mar. 11 at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Previewing the Lobos
New Mexico enters the weekend 10-11-1 on the season, going 3-2 last weekend in the Bulldog Invitational in Starkville, Mississippi. Their only losses in that tournament came against No. 22 Mississippi State (then No. 21). Playing in the Houston Classic, the Bobcat Tournament, the Tarleton Invitational, and the Bulldog Invitational, the Lobos have faced fourteen opponents in twenty-two games this season. Making it to the NCAA Regional Finals in each of the last three seasons, Grand Canyon will be a tough opponent for the Quakers this weekend.
Of their fourteen unique opponents, they have not played any common opponents with the Quakers, nor will they face any previous opponents in this tournament.
The Lobos will open the Purple Classic at GCU against Saint Joseph's on Thursday, Mar. 6 at 4 p.m. MT (6 p.m. EST).
Friday will mark their first meeting against Penn in recent history.
Previewing the Antelopes
Grand Canyon enters the weekend receiving votes in the national rankings, garnering a 16-3 record on the season. Their only losses so far this season have come against Wichita State, No. 20 Oregon (now No. 12) and No. 3 Florida. Against the Oregon Ducks, the Antelopes only allowed four runs. When they faced the Florida Gators, GCU managed to score four runs while allowing six.
Of their seventeen unique matchups so far this season, they will only see one repeat opponent in this tournament in their games against Utah State. When they met last week, Grand Canyon defeated Utah State 10-2 in five innings of play.
The Lopes will open the Purple Classic at GCU against Saint Joseph's on Thursday, Mar. 6 at 6:30 p.m. MT (8:30 p.m. EST).
Friday will mark their first meeting against Penn in recent history.
Previewing the Rebels
UNLV enters the tournament 13-6 on the year, going 4-1 last weekend in the UC Santa Barbara Tournament. In the tournament, the Rebels had a solid run differential, scoring a total of 36 runs while only giving up 22 runs across five games. Playing in the UNLV Desert Classic, UNLV Rebel Classic, the Garnet and Black Invitational, and the UC Santa Barbara Tournament, UNLV has faced eleven different opponents in nineteen games this season.
Of their eleven unique opponents, they have not played any common opponents with the Quakers, nor will they face any previous opponents in this tournament.
The Rebels will open the Purple Classic at GCU against San Diego on Friday at 2:30 p.m. MT (4:30 p.m. EST).
Saturday will mark their first meeting against Penn in recent history.
Previewing the Aggies
Utah State begins the tournament with a 12-8 record after a month of play, with a notable win over Baylor (was No.19) earlier this season. Playing in the Aggie Classic, the Cal Baptist Classic, the Utah Tech Tournament, and the ASU/GCU Invitational, the Aggies have played sixteen different opponents in their twenty games this season.
Of their sixteen unique matchups, they will only see one repeat opponent in this tournament in their games against Grand Canyon. When they met last week, GCU defeated Utah State 10-2 in five innings of play.
The Aggies will open the Purple Classic at GCU against Saint Joseph's on Friday, with games at noon (2 p.m. EST) and 2:30 p.m. MT (4:30 p.m. EST).
Saturday will mark their first meeting against Penn in recent history.
For the latest on Penn Softball, follow @Penn_Softball on X and Instagram, and on the web at PennAthletics.com.
#FightOnPenn
