Big Ten Softball Tournament begins

(Iowa City, IA) — The 2024 Big Ten Softball Tournament opens this week in Iowa City. The top 12 teams in the conference qualify for the event with the top four seeds getting byes into the quarterfinals. The University of Minnesota earned the number-five seed and will face 12-seed Illinois on Wednesday at 1:30 P-M. The winner of that game will advance to face four-seed Nebraska on Thursday. This is a single-elimination tournament culminating with Saturday’s championship game at 3 P-M. The host Hawkeyes did not qualify for the tourney. Here is a the tournament schedule on Wednesday and Thursday (seeding in parathesis): Wednesday First Round: (8) Indiana vs. (9) Purdue, 11 A-M (5) Minnesota vs. (12) Illinois, 1:30 P-M (7) Penn State vs. (10) Maryland, 4:30 P-M (6) Ohio State vs. (11) Wisconsin, 7 P-M Thursday Quarterfinals: (1) Northwestern vs. Indiana/Purdue winner, 11 A-M (4) Nebraska vs. Minnesota/Illinois winner, 1:30 P-M (2) Michigan vs. Penn State/Maryland winner, 4:30 P-M (3) Rutgers vs. Ohio State/Wisconsin winner, 7 P-M