College softball is back! Over the last four days I watched 25 games involving 11 teams in the DePaul Dome Tournament.
Tracie Adix-Zins
Since it is too cold to start the season outside in Chicago, DePaul hosts a season opener for several teams inside the comfortable environs of the Dome in Rosemont. It is a long weekend of softball before the teams travel to warmer places for games until they return for home openers in late March.
Abby Ramirez
I proudly cheered for my alma mater DePaul as they went 4–0. DePaul pitchers held opponents to only 10 runs total. All four games were exciting, with two requiring late or extra-innings heroics by the Blue Demons.
Carly Alvers
The Dome is a 140,000-square-foot sports complex adjacent to the Ballpark. It contains two full-sized fields, with one left-field wall 20 feet across from the other’s right-field wall. With games played simultaneously, that occasionally causes issues if a batter hits a long home run onto the other field.
Baylee Cosgrove
Each day had standing-room-only crowds. Although DePaul is the host and only Chicago team in the tournament, the rest are Midwest schools, like Evansville University and St. Louis University. It has become such a fun event, fans come from all ends of the country. This is especially true for parents who want to see their daughter’s first college game.
Alisa Goler
I caught up with old friends DePaul head coach Tracie Adix-Zins and assistant coach Abby Ramirez; DePaul players including Carly Alvers, Baylee Cosgrove, Tori Meyer, Maddy Miklesh and Brooke Johnson; and familiar parents including Corey and Kimberly Meyer. I also ran into a few friends from the now-defunct Chicago Bandits pro softball team including Sammy Marshall, Shelby Turnier and Western Illinois head coach Alisa Goler.
Sammy Marshall, Shelby Turnier and Kathy Marshall
The tourney is a great way to start the season while giving local fans a sample of the upcoming season. DePaul heads west before finally returning home March 31. I can’t wait.
Kimberly Thompson Meyer
Tori and Corey Meyer
— John Wroblewski, online writer
Maddy Miklesh Tori Meyer
Brooke Johnson
Read This Next
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Oct 14, 2026Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo Debuts Cultural Programming
Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, in the Costalegre region of Mexico, invites travelers to explore a different Día de Muertos, one of Mexico’s most meaningful holidays. To celebrate, the property introduces its first-ever month-long celebration with a calendar of on-property cultural events.
Sponsored Content
Get to Know TAP FORBIZ
Unlock flexible, refined business travel with TAP Air Portugal's program, TAP FORBIZ. Developed for small, medium and large Companies, with options for corporate events, TAP FORBIZ offers exclusive advantages adapted to each type of business. TAP FORBIZ offers solutions suited to each business: travel cost reduction, more flexibility, more benefits and more value. With TAP FORBIZ, businesses can centralize purchases, control the company budget and ensure greater cost predictability with exclusive discounts and benefits tailored to each company's profile. Each trip becomes a strategic decision to travel more and spend less.
Destinations / North America
Oct 14, 2026Review: Villatel Resort Orlando
Opened March 2025, Villatel Orlando Resort is one of Orlando’s newest elevated resorts, but far more unique and private than you’ll find at many other resorts and hotels in the area. The name alone points to an experience beyond your typical hotel room or suite; here, you have the flexibility to select from a wide range of modern villas, ranging from four to nine bedrooms, as well as a series of Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy units.
eFlyer News
Oct 14, 2026Amex Announces Largest Centurion Lounge Network Expansion to Date
American Express undergoes its largest Centurion Lounge Network expansion to date across four locations. The network expansion includes a brand-new Centurion Lounge at Newark Liberty International Airport, a second lounge at London Heathrow Airport, and significant expansions of existing lounges at both Philadelphia International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Sponsored Content
Why Japan Is Best Explored by Sea with Princess
Japan is a destination that rewards repeat visits because no two regions — or seasons — feel quite the same. One moment, you’re wandering through centuries-old geisha districts in Kanazawa. The next, you’re watching neon reflections dance across Tokyo streets long after midnight.
eFlyer News
Oct 14, 2026La Fontaine Hotel Opening in Los Angeles’ Century City in 2027
A new luxury hotel comes to Century City, California, in early 2027, bringing even more elevated hospitality, dining venues and social spaces to the heart of Los Angeles. La Fontaine will offer 212 guestrooms and 150 suites, with private balconies and city and mountain views in every guestroom.
Daily
Oct 14, 20263 Movie Theaters in Northern California Get a Grand Redesign
CAW Architects, a firm recognized for its sensitive stewardship of Northern California’s architectural heritage, announced the completion of three performance venues, bridging the gap between historic preservation and modern technical innovation. From the $41 million restoration of San Francisco’s legendary Castro Theatre to the topography-driven "resculpting" of UC Berkeley’s Hearst Greek Theatre to the ground-up industrial craftsmanship of Sacramento’s Channel 24, CAW’s latest work ensures the region’s most beloved gathering places remain vibrant, inclusive and future-ready.
Sponsored Content
What Actually Happens If You Get Sick or Hurt on a Cruise?
You’ve booked your cabin, mapped the ports and packed the sunscreen. Hopefully, you also bought some insurance. But have you ever thought about what actually happens if a medical emergency strikes mid-voyage?
Daily
Oct 13, 2026Soon-to-Open The Langham, Custom House, Bangkok Announces New Culinary Program
Langham Hospitality Group announced new food and beverage programming for The Langham, Custom House, Bangkok, its newest hotel set to open in December. The program will be led by a group of accomplished culinary and bartending professionals, and revolve around a collection of restaurants and bars designed to position the hotel as a new social hub on Chao Phraya River.
ShareThis