Rutgers Softball team to participate in 2020 Big Ten/ACC Challenge

This coming February, the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers will be competing in their first Big Ten/ACC Challenge in Durham, North Carolina. They are scheduled to face off against Duke and Syracuse in four games on February 14-16, 2020.

For this upcoming installment of the Challenge, there will be 20 teams with each conference having 10 representatives. Rutgers will be joining Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State and Wisconsin in fighting for the Big Ten.

“It’s a fun atmosphere and we’re proud and excited to represent the Big Ten in this Challenge for the first time,” said head coach Kristen Butler. “This is wonderful opportunity to compete against quality teams early in the spring season, and against a relatively new program at Duke. We’re thrilled to be able to contribute to keeping the Big Ten/ACC Challenge trophy in the Big Ten offices.”

Since the Challenge began four years ago, the Big Ten and ACC have both taken home the trophy twice, with the Big Ten reigning supreme in 2016 and 2019. During last year’s battle, the Big Ten went 23-13, with Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska and Wisconsin all putting up 4-0 records in order to help secure their win.

During the 2019 season, the Scarlet Knights secured 29 wins, with 11 coming in conference play. They qualified for their first non-conference postseason tournament for the first time since 1996 by taking part in the National Invitational Softball Championship, where they set a school record for home runs. Their efforts landed them in their highest seed in the Big Ten Tournament (sixth) since they first debuted in the conference in 2015.

The schedules are formulated through collaboration between the ACC and Big Ten offices. They also work together to pick the official title of the Challenge, since it is different every year. The title for 2020 will be the Big Ten/ACC Softball Challenge in order to continue to mirror the official title of the conference’s Challenge agreements for men’s basketball, women’s basketball and volleyball.

Exact game dates and times, as well as television and online coverage, are to be determined. The 2020 Big Ten/ACC Softball Challenge participants, as well as the site assignments can be found below.

2020 Big Ten/ACC Softball Challenge

(all games to be played Feb. 14-16, 2020 except where noted)

At Clearwater, Fla. (ESPN St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational – to be played Feb. 13-16, 2020)

(results between Big Ten and ACC schools will count towards Challenge standings)

Big Ten – Minnesota, Northwestern

ACC – Florida State, Virginia Tech

At Chapel Hill, N.C. (host – North Carolina)

Big Ten – Michigan, Wisconsin

ACC – Louisville, North Carolina

At Raleigh, N.C. (host – NC State)

Big Ten – Illinois, Ohio State

ACC – NC State, Notre Dame

At Durham, N.C. (host – Duke)

Big Ten – Indiana, Rutgers

ACC – Duke, Syracuse

At Atlanta, Ga. (host – Georgia Tech)

Big Ten – Iowa, Nebraska

ACC – Boston College, Georgia Tech

At Clemson, S.C. (host – Clemson)

Big Ten – Maryland, Michigan State

ACC – Clemson, Pitt