Badgers return to Florida for FGCU Classic

Friday, February 20

Fort Myers, FL

9:00 AM

Wisconsin Badgers

UConn

Emily Bojan smiles after a base hit in Texas.

Photo by: Ashley Steltenpohl

Badgers return to Florida for FGCU Classic

February 18, 2026 | Softball

UW looks to extend winning streak

By: Maddox Durst

Venue	FGCU Softball Complex \| Fort Myers, Fla.
Live Stats	UConn (G1) \| FGCU \| Buffalo \| Louisville \| UConn (G2)
Watch ($)	FGCU
Game Notes	Wisconsin
Social Media	X \| Instagram \| Facebook

MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin softball team returns to Florida this weekend, this time to take on the Gulf Coast Classic, hosted by Florida Gulf Coast between Friday, Feb. 20 and Sunday, Feb. 22.

The Badgers (7-2) will compete in five games in three days, first battling against UConn at 9:00 a.m. CT and FGCU at 6:00 p.m. CT in a doubleheader on Friday. UW will follow it up with back-to-back games versus Buffalo and Louisville, set to start at 9:00 a.m. CT on Saturday morning. The weekend will wrap up with a rematch against the Huskies on Sunday, with first pitch slated for 10:30 a.m. CT.

Friday's match against the Eagles will be streamed on ESPN+, as fans can follow along all weekend with live stats linked on uwbadgers.com.

This past weekend at the Dream City Invitational, UW notched their first undefeated tournament since they finished 4-0 at the Indiana Invite in 2023, enjoying their best start to a season since 2019. The bats produced at high rates through the first nine games of the year, as the Badgers enter this weekend with a team batting average of .363, which ranks 29th in the nation.

UW has plated 67 runs, averaging 7.44 runs per game. In Texas, Wisconsin posted double-digit run totals in a pair of games—including a 10-run first inning against Iowa State in the final game of the weekend. The Badgers last scored 10 runs in a single inning in 2024 against Penn State, doing so for the fifth time in program history last Sunday.

Sophomore Kendra Lewis and junior Alivia Bark have been sparks on the offensive end for UW, as each player will travel down to Florida with a nine-game hitting streak. Lewis leads the team with a .481 batting average and 13 hits, clubbing four doubles in the process. Bark has been a mainstay in the middle of the lineup, producing nine RBI, seven runs scored and 12 hits. Over the weekend, the two batters combined to finish 12-for-24 (.500 BA) at the dish.

From the leadoff spot, senior Emily Bojan provided a surge at the plate, producing eight hits in 14 at bats in Arlington. The Chicago native leads the team in extra base hits with six, barreling four doubles and two home runs—pacing the Badgers with a 1.259 OPS.

Junior Hilary Blomberg has been the beneficiary of Bojan's production, in addition to a strong bottom of the order presence for UW. The catcher has blasted three home runs on the year, as she is three away from eclipsing 25 in her storied career. Blomberg hit the first grand slam of her career this past weekend, entering the Sunshine State with a team-high 13 RBI. Redshirt freshman Jaclyn Showalter joined Blomberg in the power department, racking up the first two home runs of her collegiate career in Texas.

To round out the standouts for the Badgers, freshman Berritt Herr put together another quality weekend in the circle—accumulating a pair of wins and the first save of her career. Herr and the rest of the UW pitching staff has put forth a 2.70 ERA through the first nine games of the year, ranking within the top-40 in the country.

Up Next: The Badgers will take on their fourth weekend tournament of the season, heading out west for the first time all year to compete in the ASU/GCU Invitational. UW will begin play on Friday, Feb. 27 with a doubleheader versus California Baptist and Grand Canyon at 2:15 p.m. CT and 7:30 p.m. CT, respectively.