If you are not excited for the opening weekend of NCAA Division 1 College softball, then you should be. Why? Well, 2018 is going to be one of the most exciting years that this sport has ever seen. Patty Gasso and her Oklahoma Sooners will shoot for their third straight national championship. Major coaching changes have been made across the board, and the pitching is elevating to a level that no one could imagine possible. Yet, for those of you who are still not convinced that you should tune in, here are three reasons why you should most definitely be watching.

1. The Mid-Majors are on the Rise

Everyone wants a good underdog story, and in NCAA Division 1 softball, you are going to get it. In the 2017 season, mid-major teams made upsetting top programs their number one priority. Tulsa upset the defending national champions in the first game of their regional tournament, and James Madison University star Megan Good captured All-American honors once again, Fordham University upset Baylor in their season opener. Any team can win on any day, but you will have to watch.

2. Support the Girls

I urge you to given women’s sports in general a chance. More often than not, avid athletics’ fans hold the view that women’s events are not as entertaining, exciting, or as worthwhile as male competitions. However, if you give softball, in particular, a chance, you will be amazed by the athleticism of these women, the speed of the game, and the intensity of their competitions. Plus, the time it takes to watch a softball game is on average only 90 minutes, so it would be a lot quicker to watch when you’re in a time crunch!

3. If you don’t watch now… you’ll be lost in June

The softball season is long, but the Women’s College World Series will be in full force in June. If you don’t start watching the games now, you’ll be unable to converse with all of your friends who are going to be glued to their televisions the week the big show comes on. Educate yourself now and you will be ready to see if Gasso can do it again, or if a mid-major underdog will rise up and steal the crown.

Even if you’ve never seen softball before, or have been an avid follower since day one, you should still be excited. The game is full of surprises, and this season will send an enormous amount of drama, intensity, and jaw-dropping events from now until June. Get ready, get set, get educated because the 2018 NCAA Division 1 Softball season is ready to go. Are you?