Northern Colorado softball starts defense of Big Sky Conference Tournament title Wednesday

The Northern Colorado softball team begins defense of its Big Sky Conference Tournament title Wednesday, May 8 against either Portland State or Weber State at Idaho State in Pocatello, Idaho. The Bears are the top seed for the tournament after winning the regular-season title on the final weekend of the conference season in late April. (Courtesy/UNC Athletics, Kassidy Schwartz).

The Northern Colorado softball team begins defense of its Big Sky Conference Tournament title Wednesday afternoon at Idaho State in Pocatello, Idaho.

The top-seeded Bears have a first-round bye — they don’t play Wednesday morning — and meet either No. 4 Portland State or No. 5 Weber State at 2 pm Wednesday at ISU’s Miller Ranch Stadium.

Portland State and Weber State play at 9 a.m. Wednesday. UNC won two of three games against Portland State April 26-27 on the road. UNC swept Weber State April 12-13 in Greeley.

The double-elimination tournament runs Wednesday through Saturday. The tournament champion will earn the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

UNC, 9-5 in the Big Sky and 24-23 overall, is aiming to be the first repeat tournament champion since Weber State in 2015-16. UNC won its first Big Sky Conference Tournament title last year with two victories over Idaho State on the final day.

UNC clinched its first Big Sky regular-season title on the last weekend of the conference season this year. A victory over Portland State April 27 played a part in the Bears winning the championship. UNC had some help from Idaho State when the Bengals won a game against Weber State in their final series of the regular season.

Idaho State (7-4 Big Sky, 25-25) is the second seed. The Bengals also have a first-round bye for the tournament and play either No. 3 Sacramento State or No. 6 Montana at 4:30 pm Wednesday.

UNC will host the 2025 conference tournament because the Bears won the regular-season title this year.