LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) — UNLV Softball hosts Kansas City and Weber State for its annual Desert Classic tournament this weekend at Eller Media Stadium.

Utah Valley was previously scheduled to compete but will be unable due to COVID-19 protocols within the Wolverines' program.

Kansas City and Weber State open the tournament Friday, Feb. 18, at 3 p.m., followed by UNLV and Weber State.

Broadcast info

All games of the UNLV Desert Classic stream live on YouTube.com/UNLVAthletics. Live audio of UNLV's games Friday and Sunday, with Wyatt Tomcheck calling play-by-play, are free at UNLVRebels.com.

UNLV vs. the field

• All-time vs. Kansas City: 0-1
• Streak: Lost 1. 
• First meeting: April 20, 2010. Kansas City won game 6-5.
   
• All-time vs. Weber State: 9-1
• Streak: Won 7.
• First meeting: March 5, 2010. UNLV won game 8-0 (5).
• Last meeting: Feb. 19, 2021. UNLV won series 5-0, 4-2.

Last time out

UNLV (5-0) head coach Kristie Fox earned her 250th career win as the Rebels swept through their season-opening Rebel Kickoff tournament, defeating BYU, CSU Bakersfield and Hawaii. Sophomore center fielder Janyssa Martin earned Mountain West Player of the Week honors after batting in eight runs and scoring seven.

Early favorites

UNLV is predicted to top the Mountain West, according to preseason polling of the conference's coaches. The Rebels tied with San Diego State in overall predicted-order-of-finish points but carried the most first-place votes with five. UNLV's last conference championship came in 1995 as a member of the Big West. That year, the Rebels reached the Women's College World Series.

Bull market

UNLV returns 12 letterwinners, including eight starters and All-Mountain West selections Denise Armendariz (DP), Jenny Bressler (P) and Mia Trejo (1B), from last season when the Rebels finished second in the Mountain West standings. The Rebels added six freshmen and three transfers in the offseason.