Only once in the last 14 years has the Chico State softball team failed to take a mid-season break to compete in the annual Tournament of Champions. This season's edition of the Wildcats will continue the tradition this weekend, briefly putting the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) race aside to travel to Turlock to play six games spread across three days, with action taking place at Pedretti Park and the Turlock Sports Complex.
 
Chico State, 20-10 on the season and ranked No. 25 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association top 25 poll, will be at Pedretti Park Friday to face Notre Dame de Namur at 4:30 p.m. and Hawaii Pacific at 7 p.m. Saturday the 'Cats will play two more contests at Pedretti Park, squaring off against Chaminade at 4:30 p.m. and Academy of Art at 7 p.m. Sunday Chico State moves to the Turlock Sports Complex to wrap up the tournament, taking on Holy Names at 12:30 p.m. and Hawaii-Hilo at 3 p.m.

All games  be followed online via Live Stats, available through the Wildcat Athletics website.
 
The Wildcats enter the Tournament of Champions after taking three of four against CCAA rival Stanislaus State. The 'Cats are 17-9 in conference play and sit in third place in the conference standings, trailing only Humboldt State and San Francisco State.
 
On the season, Chico State is fifth in the CCAA in hitting with a team batting average of  .282. The Wildcats are averaging 4.7 runs and 7.7 hits a game and have only been shut out once all season.
 
In the pitcher's circle, the 'Cats rank third in the conference in team earned run average (2.39) and strikeouts (165) and are second in opposing batting average (.222).
 
Chico State has enjoyed its share of success at the Tournament of Champions. The Wildcats are 44-36 over their 13 years of participation. Last season the 'Cats won four of six tournament games, losing only to Simon Fraser and Western Washington.
 
Among the many Chico State highlights at the Tournament of Champions: the 2011 Wildcats team winning six straight games in 2011 before falling in the Gold Bracket finals to defending Division II national champion Hawaii Pacific.
 
Former Chico State player and coach Allison Smith still owns a share of the Tournament of Champions record for most hits in a game (5 vs. Western Washington on March 31, 2007). Desiree' Gonzalez, playing this weekend in her final Tournament of Champions, put on a memorable hitting display in 2014, tying the record for most home runs (5) and runs batted in (16) in a single tournament year. And last season Brooke Langeloh came within two outs of throwing a no-hitter at the Tournament of Champions, settling for a one-hit shutout while striking out 13 in a 3-0 victory over Holy Names.
 
The Wildcats' six opponents at this year's Tournament of Champions all hail from the Pacific West Conference. Here is a thumbnail description of each team:
 
Notre Dame de Namur (Friday, 4:30 p.m., Pedretti Park)
     -- the Argonauts are 8-17 on the year and in ninth place in the PacWest with a 7-13 conference record.
     -- Notre Dame de Namur enters the Tournament of Champions having won three of its last four since snapping an eight-game losing streak to begin the month of March.
     -- last weekend the Argonauts split a doubleheader with Academy of Art, then swept a twin bill vs. Holy Names.
     -- offensively, Notre Dame de Namur is batting .261 (ninth among the 12 PacWest conference teams) while averaging 3.3 runs and 6.9 hits a game.
     -- the Argonauts' pitching staff is eighth in the PacWest with a team ERA of 4.21
    -- vs. Chico State: The two teams have not played each other since 2009, but the Wildcats hold an 18-3 lead in the all-time series.
 
Hawaii Pacific (Friday, 7 p.m., Pedretti Park)
     -- the Sharks are 13-17 overall and in seventh place in the PacWest with a 9-9 conference record.
     -- Hawaii Pacific has won three straight and four of the last five games since dropping five in a row in early March.
     -- last weekend the Sharks took both ends of a doubleheader from BYU-Hawaii.
     -- Hawaii Pacific averages 4.4 runs and 6.8 hits a game, and its team batting average of .263 ranks eighth in the PacWest.
     -- Sharks' pitchers have combined for a 3.96 ERA – seventh-best in the PacWest.
     -- vs. Chico State: Hawaii Pacific leads the all-time series 9-5, though the Wildcats won the last meeting 8-0 at the 2014 Tournament of Champions. In 2010, it was the Sharks who knocked Chico State out of the NCAA West Super Regional on the way to winning the national championship.
 
Chaminade (Saturday, 4:30 p.m., Pedretti Park)
     -- the Silverswords are 8-24 on the year and in 12th place in the PacWest with a 4-18 conference record.
     -- Chaminade has lost 12 straight and 17 of its last 18 heading into the Tournament of Champions.
     -- Earlier this week the Silverswords were swept in a doubleheader by PacWest foes Azusa Pacific and dropped a pair Wednesday to Concordia (Calif.).
     -- offensively, Chaminade is batting .230 (12th in the Pac West) while averaging 3.3 runs and 5.8 hits a game.
     -- Silverswords pitchers have combined for a 6.01 ERA (12th in the PacWest).
     -- vs. Chico State: the Wildcats own a 5-2 lead in the all-time series between the two teams. Saturday will mark the first time since the 2010 Tournament of Champions that Chico State and Chaminade have gone head-to-head (the 'Cats won that game 5-2).
 
Academy of Art (Saturday, 7 p.m., Pedretti Park)
     -- the Urban Knights are 13-16-1 on the year and in sixth place in the PacWest with a 9-7 conference record.
     -- Academy of Art has lost five of its last seven heading into the Tournament of Champions.
     -- last weekend the Urban Knights split doubleheaders with both Notre Dame de Namur and Dominican.
     -- Academy of Art is hitting .291 as a team (seventh in the PacWest), averaging 5.0 runs and 7.9 hits a game.
     -- The Urban Knights' pitching staff sports a 5.03 team ERA (11th in the PacWest).
     -- vs. Chico State: the 'Cats and Academy of Art split a doubleheader in Chico Feb. 6 to open the 2016 season. Chico State leads the all-time series 5-2.
 
Holy Names (Sunday, 12:30 p.m., Turlock Sports Complex)
     -- the Hawks are 8-22-1 overall and in 11th place in the PacWest with a 3-13 conference record.
     -- Holy Names has lost five of its last six contests heading into the Tournament of Champions.
     -- last weekend the Hawks were swept by Notre Dame de Namur in a conference doubleheader, then Tuesday split a twin bill against Menlo College.
     -- Holy Names is hitting .247 as a team (11th in the PacWest) and averaging 2.5 runs and 6.0 hits a game.
     -- the Hawks' pitching staff has a team ERA of 4.72 (ninth in the PacWest).
     -- vs. Chico State: the Wildcats have won all three previous meetings, including a 3-0 decision at last year's Tournament of Champions.
 
Hawaii-Hilo (Sunday, 3 p.m., Turlock Sports Complex)
     -- the Vulcans are 22-13 on the year and in fifth place in the PacWest with a 14-8 conference record.
     -- Hawaii-Hilo has lost seven of its last nine games, including dropping a doubleheader Monday against Cal Baptist and both ends of a twin bill Wednesday vs. Dixie State.
     -- the Vulcans are hitting .316 as a team (fourth in the PacWest) while averaging 5.3 runs and 8.4 hits a game.
     -- Hawaii-Hilo pitchers have combined for a 3.25 ERA (fifth in the PacWest).
     -- vs. Chico State: Hawaii-Hilo leads the all-time series 9-4. The last time the Wildcats and Vulcans met, the two teams split a doubleheader in Chico to open the 2015 season.