Weather Forces Arizona, Iowa State to Reschedule Series

Cold rain and low temperatures in Ames prompt changes to the softball matchup.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 9:23pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the action of a college softball game, with players and the field broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in navy, green, and red tones, conveying the disruption caused by unexpected weather conditions.Inclement weather forces a rescheduling of the Arizona-Iowa State softball series, exposing the logistical challenges of coordinating college athletics across diverse climates.Ames Today

The Big 12 softball series between the Arizona Wildcats and Iowa State Cyclones has been rescheduled due to inclement weather in Ames, Iowa. Originally set for Thursday through Saturday, the three-game set will now be played as a doubleheader on Sunday and a single game on Monday to avoid the forecasted rain and cold temperatures.

Why it matters

Weather has been an ongoing challenge for scheduling in college softball, especially for programs in colder climates. The Big 12 has tried to account for this by front-loading the schedule with warm-weather home series, but unexpected storms can still force changes like this one between Arizona and Iowa State.

The details

The Wildcats and Cyclones were originally scheduled to play one game per day from Thursday through Saturday. However, with rain expected in Ames on Thursday and Friday, and temperatures only reaching the low 50s Fahrenheit, the series had to be pushed back. The teams will now play a doubleheader on Sunday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. MST, followed by a single game on Monday at 11 a.m. MST. All three games will stream on ESPN+.

  • The series was originally scheduled for Thursday, April 3 through Saturday, April 5.
  • The games will now be played as a doubleheader on Sunday, April 6 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. MST.
  • The final game of the series will be on Monday, April 6 at 11 a.m. MST.

The players

Caitlin Lowe

The head coach of the Arizona Wildcats softball team.

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What they’re saying

“'You're telling me, man. I mean, we can say that now, but it just was luck of the draw what weekend we got.'”

— Caitlin Lowe, Arizona Head Coach

What’s next

After the rescheduled series against Iowa State, the Arizona Wildcats will travel directly to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to play a three-game series against the LSU Tigers starting on Friday, April 10.

The takeaway

Weather-related schedule changes are an ongoing challenge for college softball programs, especially those in regions with unpredictable spring conditions. The Big 12's efforts to front-load warm-weather home series help, but unexpected storms can still force last-minute adjustments like this one between Arizona and Iowa State.