RENO, Nev. (KSEE) – The Fresno State softball team will host Nevada in a three-game series this weekend. The Bulldogs and Wolf Pack have a lengthy history, having played 62 times in the past 20 years.
For the past two years, the rivalry has been personal for Linda Garza.
“I take a lot of pride in the five years that I spent there, and the things that we were able to build and the things that we were able to do,” she said.
Linda Garza is the head softball coach at Nevada. On Friday, she will coach at Margie Wright Diamond for the first time since she was Fresno State’s head coach in 2021.
“I take a lot of pride in the five years that I spent there, and the things that we were able to build and the things that we were able to do,” said Garza, who led the Bulldogs from 2016-2021, winning 161 games, one Mountain West championship and making two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
It was not Linda Garza’s choice to leave Fresno State, but she moved on and accepted the head coaching job at Nevada weeks after her time at Fresno State ended.
“I have nothing but respect for anyone who wears that uniform,” said Garza. “You know, I grew up a valley kid, I’m never gonna lose my valley ties.”
Linda Garza attended Hoover High School, which is literally within walking distance of Margie Wright Diamond. She will have quite a few family members in attendance this weekend.
“I’ve been a visitor most of the time in my career, in 21 years when I’ve headed into that stadium,” she smiled. “And it’s kind of ironic that Coach (Stacy May-Johnson) is from Reno. Let’s not forget that Coach Stacy is from the Reno area, I’m from the Fresno area. So both of us, we both have ties to places we’ve been and we both have a lot of respect for one another.
“And I love that about us, and that’s what makes this conference special.”
Nevada (26-11, 7-6 MW) is currently in third place in the Mountain West Conference while Fresno State (17-24, 6-7 MW) sits in a tie for fifth place.
