The Minnesota Golden Gophers baseball program has officially announced their schedule for the upcoming 2023 season. The Gophers will partake in 32 non-conference games and a full 24-game Big Ten schedule.
"As we embark on the 135th season of Golden Gopher Baseball, we are excited to release the very competitive 2023 schedule," said head coach John Anderson. This is the first year in my career that we have been able to schedule 56 Division I games and play 32 at home, featuring some of the top programs in college baseball."
The 2023 schedule features 32 home games, 17 away games and seven games at neutral sites. Minnesota is set to play 11 non-conference home games at U.S. Bank Stadium in March before playing 21 contests at Siebert Field in March, April and May. Of those 21, 12 games are a part of weekend series' against Big Ten opponents (Purdue, Iowa, Michigan and Rutgers).
To begin the year, Minnesota will play four games in Surprise, Ariz. (Feb. 17-20), where the Gophers will take on UC Santa Barbara twice, Oregon State and New Mexico. The weekend after that, there will be three more non-conference, warm-weather games. This time they'll be at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Fla., against Saint Louis (Feb. 24-26). Minnesota returns home for a six-game home stand from March 1-8, beginning with a game at U.S. Bank Stadium versus Milwaukee on March 1.
This year's Cambria College Classic goes from March 3-5, and features some heavy-hitters from the Southeastern Conference. Defending national champion Ole Miss comes to town with annual powerhouse Vanderbilt, while Hawaii will represent the Big West. Minnesota, Maryland and Nebraska will play each team on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
"The opportunity to play games at U.S. Bank Stadium in March and host the Cambria College Classic, which features three nationally ranked teams, is an exciting way to open our season at home," said Anderson.
The Gophers are set for mid-week games against Northern Illinois (March 7) and South Dakota State on March 7-8 at U.S. Bank Stadium before heading to Morgantown, W.V., for a road series against the West Virginia Mountaineers (March 10-12).
Minnesota closes out its U.S. Bank Stadium slate the week after that, playing Gonzaga (March 14-15) and Houston (March 17-19) in a six-day stretch. A Tuesday/Wednesday road series at Illinois State comes next before the 'U' plays its last non-conference series against Creighton to open up play at Siebert Field (March 24-26).
Big Ten play opens up on the road for the second straight year as Minnesota heads to Columbus, Ohio for a three-game series (March 31-April 2). After a pair of mid-week games versus St. Thomas and South Dakota State (April 4-5), the Gophers play their first conference home series against Purdue (April 7-9).
Another Big Ten weekend home swing is on tap for April 14-16 against Iowa after a mid-week game against North Dakota State (April 11). Minnesota will then play UST for the second of three times on Wednesday, April 19.
The Gophers will be back on the road with two straight weekend series, one at Illinois (April 21-23) and another at Nebraska (April 28-30). Weekday games against NDSU (April 25) and UST (April 26) are sandwiched in between.
Michigan comes to town from May 5-7 before the 'U' goes to Maryland on its final conference road trip from May 12-14. Senior weekend will be against Rutgers from May 18-20, which is a Thursday-Saturday series at Siebert Field.
The Big Ten Tournament is slated for May 24-28 in Omaha, Neb.
The 2023 campaign will represent head coach John Anderson's 42nd year at the helm of the program. With 1,347 wins in hand entering the year, Anderson is already the winningest coach in Big Ten history and ranks second in victories among active Division I head baseball coaches.
"I invite you to join our team at the ballpark this spring, fill the stadium and create a fun-filled environment each time we take the field. Your support gives us an important home field advantage and your presence at the games enhances the Golden Gopher Baseball experience and our success," Anderson said.
2023 Minnesota Baseball Schedule
Feb. 17-20 at College Baseball Classic (Surprise, Ariz.)
Feb. 24-26 vs. Saint Louis (Ft. Myers, Fla.)
March 1 vs. Milwaukee (U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.)
March 3-5 Cambria College Classic (U.S. Bank Stadium)
March 7 vs. Northern Illinois (U.S. Bank Stadium)
March 8 vs. South Dakota State (U.S. Bank Stadium)
March 10-12 at West Virginia (Morgantown, W.V.)
March 14-15 vs. Gonzaga (U.S. Bank Stadium)
March 17-19 vs. Houston (U.S. Bank Stadium)
March 21-22 at Illinois State (Normal, Ill.)
March 24-26 vs. Creighton (Siebert Field)
March 31-April 2 at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio)*
April 4 vs. St. Thomas (Siebert Field)
April 5 vs. South Dakota State (Siebert Field)
April 7-9 vs. Purdue (Siebert Field)*
April 11 vs. North Dakota State (Siebert Field)
April 14-16 vs. Iowa (Siebert Field)*
April 19 vs. St. Thomas (Siebert Field)
April 21-23 at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.)*
April 25 vs. North Dakota State (Siebert Field)
April 26 vs. St. Thomas (Siebert Field)
April 28-30 at Nebraska (Lincoln, Neb.)*
May 5-7 vs. Michigan (Siebert Field)*
May 12-14 at Maryland (College Park, Md.)*
May 18-20 vs. Rutgers (Siebert Field)*
May 24-28 at Big Ten Tournament (Omaha, Neb.)
Schedule Notes:
-The Gophers will play eight games against teams that either finished in the top-25 in 2022 or were receiving votes in the final poll.
-Minnesota will host the Ole Miss Rebels, the defending national champions, on Saturday, March 4 at U.S. Bank Stadium in the Cambria College Classic. The Gophers will also take on Vanderbilt on Sunday, one of the top programs in college baseball.
-The 'U' will play perennial top-10 team Oregon State in the College Baseball Classic in Surprise, Ariz., on Saturday, Feb. 18. It will be their first meeting versus the Beavers since the 2018 Super Regionals in Corvallis, Ore.
-Gonzaga made the NCAA Tournament and finished the 2022 season receiving votes. Minnesota hosts the Bulldogs on March 14-15 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
-UC Santa Barbara made the tournament as well and finished the season receiving votes. The Gophers play them twice in Arizona to open the year.
-Maryland hosted a regional last season and Michigan made the NCAA Tournament after winning the Big Ten Tournament. The Gophers travel to College Park, Md., to play Maryland and host Michigan in May.
-Overall, Minnesota is set to play 12 games against teams that made the postseason in 2022.