Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University softball team will open the 2017 season versus Southwest Minnesota State, Minnesota Crookston, Dakota State and Valley City State from the Presentation College Dome. In the 2016 season, the Wolves finished 25-32 overall and 14-16 in the NSIC.
Last year Northern State finished ninth overall in conference play, advancing to the Conference Tournament where they defeated Winona State 5-3, but were eliminated by Minnesota Duluth 4-0. The Wolves also swept conference champions, Minnesota State, during regular season action.
The Wolves return seven seniors and six starters, including;
Missy Elkins,
Jamie Fisher,
Katie Dawson,
Katelynn Dilts,
Lauren Kunz and
Rachel Albright. At the plate, NSU held a team batting average of .251 and recorded 173 RBIs, 19 HRs and 50 doubles as a team.
Defensively, the Wolves tallied a fielding percentage of .962, while holding opponents to a batting average of .278. The Northern State pitching staff recorded six shutouts and 45 total strikeouts.
Returning in her senior season,
Missy Elkins is coming off a team-high 13 wins from the mound, while offensive threats,
Rachel Albright,
Katie Dawson and
Jamie Fisher each return to the lineup after batting .250 in the previous season.
Head coach
Kristi Villar enters her seventh season with the Wolves, compiling an overall record of 131-162. Villar continues to excel for the Northern State leading her team to the conference tournament for the third time in six seasons.
The Wolves will face SMSU and UMC at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, and take on DSU and VCSU at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday.
About Southwest Minnesota State
- The Mustangs finished 2016 in a tie for 10th place in the NSIC with a 19-33 overall record and a 12-18 conference mark.
- SMSU returns five starting position players, including Sam Flack, who led the Mustangs in batting average (.315), runs scored (27), hits (47), slugging percentage (.477), and on-base percentage (.407) last season. Flack finished last season with five home runs and 13 total extra base hits.
- SMSU also returns its top pitcher from last year's staff, Alex O'Connor, who finished the year 11-15 with a 2.81 earned run average in 184.2 innings.
About Minnesota Crookston
- The Golden Eagles had an improved season in 2016 with 11 wins, just one victory shy of tying their all-time wins mark of 12. They made sizeable strides as a program as they improved from four wins the previous year.
- The Golden Eagles return five starters last season in the field and two in the circle after posting a .278 batting average last season with 25 home runs, 162 RBI's and 189 runs scored.
- Minnesota Crookston is in their third season under Head Coach Don Stopa.
About Dakota State University
- The Trojans finished the 2016 season with an overall record of 8-30, and were predicted to finish eighth in the North Star Athletic Association.
- Elizabeth Rubalcava led the team with a batting average of .345 with 41 hits, 19 RBIs, 12 doubles and four homeruns.
- Audrey Kosman led the Trojans from the mound, nabbing four wins with 44 strikeouts and an ERA of 5.85.
Valley City State University
- VCSU softball is coming off a record-setting season in which the team broke more than a dozen school records, including winning a school-record 40 games. The Vikings were selected second in the NSAA, behind defending champions Dickinson State.
- Katie Cameron batted .480 for the Vikings with 82 hits, while Cejay Hilhorst led the team with 58 RBIs, 13 HRs and 17 doubles.
- From the mound, Morgan Nalley picked up 22 wins with 172 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.80.
