LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The road to the Women's College World Series begins at the NM State Softball Complex.

The Aggies will open the 2020 campaign in the comfort of their own home, head coach Kathy Rodolph revealed when she announced the teams' schedule Wednesday. The upcoming season's slate features 21 home contests, starting with the Troy Cox Classic on Feb. 6-9.

NM State hosts Nebraska, Arkansas, Bradley and rival UTEP over the four-day season-opening tournament. The Aggies take on the Huskers in the first game of the year, with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. MT Thursday, Feb. 6, at the Softball Complex.

The Aggies have won four consecutive season openers at home, most recently downing Creighton, 11-4, one year ago.

The 2020 schedule also features a handful of opponents, including Nebraska and Arkansas, from Power Five conferences. The Aggies will play Oklahoma, Arizona State, Texas Tech and Arizona, all of which advanced to last year's NCAA Tournament, in addition to Oregon State.

NM State's biggest non-conference test of the year comes in early March, as the Aggies travel to Norman, Okla., to compete in a tournament hosted by national runner-up Oklahoma. The top-ranked Sooners went 57-6, including a perfect 18-0 in Big 12 play, one year ago, advancing to the championship round of the Women's College World Series.

Another non-conference challenge comes only a few weeks later when the Aggies make a jaunt to Tucson, Ariz., for a two-game series against 2018 WCWS participant Arizona. The Wildcats won 48 games last season and made their 23rd WCWS appearance in program history. 

The Battle of I-10 and Battle of I-25, meanwhile, continue to rage on in 2020. After hosting UTEP at the season-opening tournament, the Aggies, who won 2-of-3 games against their rival last year, will clash with the Miners twice more during the campaign.

NM State won all four contests against New Mexico last year and will look to do the same in 2020. The Aggies and Lobos are set to square off twice in the upcoming season. 

The Aggies begin Western Athletic Conference play in late March, starting with a home series against Cal State Bakersfield on March 27-28. NM State will also host conference foes Seattle and Cal Baptist at the Softball Complex, while making trips to Utah Valley, Kansas City and Grand Canyon in 2020.

NM State is seeking its fourth WAC Tournament title in the last six years entering the 2020 season. The Aggies have posted seven consecutive winning campaigns, recording 29 or more wins in each of those seven years and claiming the regular-season WAC title in four of the past five years. 

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