RENO, Nev. – The Nevada softball team begins its 2018 campaign south of America as the Wolf Pack travels to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to compete in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Feb. 8-10. This marks the second time Nevada has competed in this tournament, the first being in the event's inaugural year in 2015.

Fans have the ability watch the Pack in its opening games as all five contests that Nevada will play will be broadcast on CollegeSportsLive.com. To keep up the Wolf Pack's trip in Mexico, be sure to follow Nevada on all its social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).

With NCAA Tournament aspirations in its sight, Nevada is coming off one of its most successful seasons in recent history as the Pack finished 2017 with a 30-win campaign and the program's first postseason berth since 2009. Nevada returns all but three players from its power hitting lineup from a year ago and for the first time in a few seasons, the Pack's offense will be fully healthy, adding depth to what is already a balanced and talented roster.
 
2018 will see redshirt junior Jennifer Purcell, redshirt sophomore Kwynn Warner and sophomore Sierra Mello back on the field as all have suffered injuries in years past. The last time fans saw these three on the field, Purcell set a program record with a .412 batting average in 2016, Warner batted .345 in her rookie campaign and Mello led the team in runs scored prior to her injury in 2017.
 
#RiseUp

• Looking to build off of last year's postseason run and continue its rise in the Mountain West, 2018 features Nevada softball launching #RiseUp as a trademark to the program's upward trend of success.
• One of the overarching themes of #RiseUp is to represent Nevada softball's characteristic of not being afraid of the moment and the team's ability to rise up to the occasion. On top of that, #RiseUp resembles how the Wolf Pack continues to climb the ranks in its conference as an up-and-coming power in the Mountain West. 

SETTING THE TONE EARLY

• Last season, the Pack had a trend of jumping out to early leads, scoring in the first inning 23 times, where the team held a 17-6 mark in such games.
• In the first two innings, Nevada outscored its opponents 77-48. The Pack scored a combined 12 runs in the first two innings in its three-game series against UNLV (April 13-15).
• Scoring first was an important characteristic of the Wolf Pack in 2017 as Nevada was 20-7 on the year when it came out with the first lead of its games.

A TOUGH SCHEDULE AHEAD

• With 25 contests prior to the start of conference play, the Pack will square up against a pair of Power-5 opponents and seven teams that competed in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
• Nevada's lineup this season features matchups against national powerhouses in LSU and James Madison, along with three other teams that are part of the USA/NFCA coach's preseason poll.
• 2018 is also highlighted by a three-game series with the reigning MW Champion San José State Spartans, as well as a trio of contests with San Diego State, who was picked to win the conference in the preseason poll.