PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland State softball team is set to kick off its 2025 campaign this weekend, opening a 50-game regular season at the La Jolla Invitational in La Jolla, Calif. The three-day tournament will see the Vikings face Winthrop twice, UC San Diego twice, and BYU once.
 
All of this weekend's games will be played at Triton Softball Field, home of UC San Diego. Admission is free for all attendees. Portland State's matchups against UC San Diego will be streamed live on ESPN+, while all other games will have live stats only.
 
VIKINGS' OPENING WEEKEND SCHEDULE
2025 LA JOLLA INVITATIONAL - La Jolla, Calif. | Triton Softball Field | Feb. 7-9

Day 1 - Friday, Feb. 7 
Gm 1: Portland State vs. Winthrop  (11am) - Live Stats  
Gm 2: Portland State at UC San Diego  (4:30pm) - Live Stats  |  ESPN+

Day 2 – Saturday, Feb. 8
Gm 3: Portland State vs. BYU (1:30pm) - Live Stats
Gm 4: Portland State at UC San Diego (7pm) - Live Stats | ESPN+

Day 3 – Sunday, Feb. 9
Gm 5: Portland State vs. Winthrop (12:30pm) - Live Stats

OPPONENT NOTES

Winthrop: The Vikings will face Winthrop for the first time in program history on Friday. The Eagles finished 26-29 in 2024, making a run to the Big South Conference Championship game. They are led by senior pitcher/utility player Megan Powell, last season's Big South Newcomer of the Year.

UC San Diego: The Tritons and Vikings have met just four times in program history, entering the weekend with the all-time series tied at 2-2. Their most recent matchup came at the 2023 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, where the Tritons secured a 6-5 extra-inning victory. UCSD finished 16-35 in 2024 and is led in the circle by senior pitcher India Caldwell, a Big West Preseason Team selection.

BYU: The Cougars lead the all-time series against the Vikings, 10-3. This weekend marks the 14th meeting between the programs, with three of those matchups occurring since Meadow McWhorter took over at PSU. BYU had a strong 2024 season, finishing 31-23, including 11 wins in Big 12 play. They return 15 players from last year's roster.
 

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2025 VIKING SOFTBALL SEASON PREVIEW 

Coming off a 23-win season in which they fell just one extra-inning victory short of a Big Sky Championship title, the Vikings are looking to build on that success despite the departure of nine graduating seniors. With 11 newcomers and 13 returners—including seven seniors—this year's squad is ready to prove itself.

"This group is eager and has been fully committed to establishing its own identity," Viking head coach Meadow McWhorter said. "They work really hard, and it's been great to watch them come together and find that identity."

With the graduation of one of the most accomplished senior classes in program history—one that secured four consecutive top-three finishes in the Big Sky Tournament, including a championship and a runner-up finish—the Vikings had no choice but to redefine themselves.

Leading that charge is a core group of seven seniors, all returners from last year: Grace Kimball, Ellie Babbitt, Natalia Martinez, Alapese Matautia, Annie Lemos, Neveah Smith, and Jade Henry.

"I've really enjoyed watching this senior class step into a leadership role," McWhorter said. "They've taken full ownership and embraced everything that comes with being a senior."

Also returning are sophomores Lorraine Alo and Brooke Subia, redshirt sophomore Alison Harris, junior Sherreigh Nakoa-Chung, and redshirt juniors Gracie Walters and Grace Johnson. Of the Vikings' 13 returning players, three earned All-Big Sky honors in 2024.

Following a standout freshman season, Alo was named Big Sky Freshman of the Year and earned First Team All-Big Sky honors after hitting .457 in conference play with 16 RBI across 14 league games. She completed the season with a remarkable .440 batting average—the highest single-season mark in program history and eighth nationally in 2024. In addition to her conference accolades, Alo was also named Second Team All-Pacific Region by the NFCA.

Kimball made an immediate impact in the circle during her first season at PSU in 2024, earning Big Sky Newcomer of the Year honors. A transfer from Boise State, Kimball was also a 2024 Second Team All-Big Sky selection after posting 15 wins, a 3.42 ERA, 14 complete games, and four shutouts.

Martinez, a veteran third baseman, earned her first career All-Big Sky honorable mention after hitting .350 in conference play. She finished the 2024 season with 34 hits and 13 RBI while starting 42 games at third base, where she recorded 42 putouts and 77 assists.

Alo, Kimball, and Martinez were all named to the 2024 Big Sky All-Tournament Team, along with fellow returner Babbitt, who will once again suit up for the Vikings this season.

Babbitt was a defensive standout in the outfield as a junior last year, recording 63 putouts and two assists on 65 chances for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. At the plate, she contributed 16 hits and 13 RBI which included six doubles and one home run. Matautia also returns after making 36 starts at shortstop in 2024. In addition to anchoring the Vikings' middle infield, Matautia tallied 25 hits and 13 RBI during her debut season with the Vikings.

While Portland State brings back plenty of experience, they'll also introduce a sizable group of newcomers, with 11 fresh faces on the roster, including eight freshmen.

The freshman class includes right-handed pitcher Delaney Hoyle (Tualatin, Ore.); catchers Kendall Nevin (Anaheim Hills, Calif.), Scarlett McEwen (Camano Island, Wash.), and Samiya Wright (San Diego, Calif.); outfielders Gracie Toney (Bothell, Wash.), Nichole Orozco (Gardena, Calif.), and Elise Sanchez (Fontana, Calif.); and middle infielder Rylee Gaustad (West Linn, Ore.).

"We were really impressed with how the freshmen performed in the fall—they've all shown they can be key contributors," McWhorter said, while recognizing the challenges that come with it. "A big focus this offseason was preparing the newcomers for the pressure," she added. "We believe we've given them the tools to handle it with confidence."

Rounding out the Vikings' 2025 squad are three transfers. Left-handed pitcher and Guatemala native Sophia Guerra joins the Vikings after one season at CSU Bakersfield. Right-handed pitcher Anna Jardin, from Wilsonville, Ore., arrives after a year at Rhode Island. Additionally, sophomore transfer catcher Abby Carsley, originally from McMinnville, comes to PSU from the University of Kansas and will redshirt this season.

McWhorter, entering her ninth season at the helm, holds a 137-214 (.390) record at PSU. She will be assisted this season by returning coaches Kellie Wilkerson and Meghan Romero, along with former Viking and recent graduate Shea Garcia. Just 10 wins shy of passing former head coach Tobin-Hawk Creek, McWhorter is on the verge of becoming the second-winningest coach in program history.

Portland State opens its season this weekend (Feb. 7-9) at the La Jolla Invitational, the first of four tournaments making for a packed February. This opening stretch will be a pivotal test for the Vikings as they continue shaping their identity—and if McWhorter's past teams are any indication, they won't just rise to the challenge; they'll embrace it.