Rick Heller and the Iowa baseball team open their 2026 campaign in Arizona on Friday, but Iowa softball is already underway. That's just far too early.
It's February.
While the state of Iowa is experiencing an unusually-warm month, much of the Midwest (and even some parts of the South) have encountered snowstorms.
That's why basketball is played during the winter months, but we've reached the point where we can start talking about baseball season. MLB teams are beginning to report for spring training, but there's actually real baseball being played tomorrow.
That's right. The 2026 college baseball season kicks off tomorrow. Head coach Rick Heller and Co. will begin their new campaign on Friday in the MLB Desert Invitational in Goodyear, Arizona. The games will be played at the Goodyear Ballpark - the spring training home of the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians.
This is a topic that comes up every season, but why are we starting a baseball season in February? The MLB moving up Opening Day to late March is also a head-scratcher to me, but playing in the winter just doesn't make sense.
And that's just baseball. It often gets swept under the rug due to the Super Bowl and college basketball, but softball is already in full swing. Iowa has already played five games, with its opener taking place on Feb. 6 in Tallahassee, Florida.
The fact that we're playing softball two days before the end of a football season is ridiculous, and when you look at the Hawkeyes' schedule, their home-opener isn't until March 20 against Minnesota.
That's a raw deal for first-year head coach Stacy May-Johnson as she attempts to rebuild the struggling program. It's also an unfortunate situation for any of the Midwestern baseball or softball programs, but that's exactly how the NCAA seems to prefer it.
I've always been a baseball fan and played the sport for many years during my childhood, but despite growing up in the college sports-obsessed state of Iowa, nobody ever mentioned Iowa baseball and softball.
Rick Heller's arrival in 2014 changed the course of the baseball program, but not many people realize how dominant the softball program was under Gayle Blevins. The Hawkeyes reached four Women's College World Series under Blevins, but her retirement in 2010 sent Iowa into a downward spiral that it hasn't yet recovered from.
Iowa is never going to be an easy place to succeed in baseball or softball due to its cold-weather climate and lack of tradition, but it's really hard to build a foundation when you have to live out of a suitcase for weeks.
Heller did schedule a last-second midweek home game with Wisconsin-Platteville, but outside of a Feb. 24 game against Wartburg, the baseball team won't play a home game until March 3.
The NCAA would never change the schedule, because it caters perfectly to their intended audience - the Southeastern Conference. Each of the 16 teams in the SEC have successful baseball and softball programs.
Money certainly plays a factor into that, but they have a distinct advantage at this point because they have the luxury of not only practicing outside everyday, but they can also play home games right now.
The summer calendar can get murky with football season approaching, but wouldn't we be better off with an April start and a mid-July finish?
That's my two cents.
Looking for a FREE Hawkeyes community?
Don't miss out on our Roundtable community and the latest news! It's completely FREE to join.
Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the FREE Roundtable APP and stay even more connected!