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THE WIND UP: The University of Minnesota Duluth will hit the road for spring break on a five-day road trip through Oklahoma and Arkansas facing Southeastern Oklahoma State, Southwestern Oklahoma State, Northeastern State (Okla.) and Arkansas Tech in double header engagements starting Monday to conclude the non-conference portion of their schedule.

THE RECORDS: The Bulldogs, who have won eight out of their last 10, are 11-6 overall. Southeastern Oklahoma  State, who has won seven straight, is 16-7. Southwestern Oklahoma State , who has lost their last six, stands in at 3-7. Northeastern State, who has won 17 of their past 18, pitches a 19-7 record and Arkansas Tech, who snapped a seven game losing streak Sunday, holds an overall record of 8-12.

THE SERIES: UMD heads into uncharted territory as this marks the first-ever matches against Southeastern, Northeastern and Arkansas Tech in the Bulldogs' 37th years of competition. UMD defeated Southwestern in their only meeting earlier this season.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD stacks up against the four other opponents in the NFCA Top 25 and as well as their records.
 
Team                            NFCA        Record
UMD                                NR            11-6
SE Oklahoma State         NR           16-7
SW Oklahoma State        NR            5-17
NE Oklahoma State        NR            19-7
Arkansas Tech                 NR            8-12

THE SCOUTING REPORT:

Southeastern Oklahoma State- The Savage Storm, who is 9-3 at home, finished up a weekend four-game set against Southern Nazarene, sweeping them to push their win streak to a season-best seven games.
A trio of players -- Sydney Kramer (.463) , Jessica Simmons (.457) and Laramie Beal (.435), who are all hitting above .400  -- keep the Storm brewing. Kramer leads the Southeastern with 38 hits and 24 RBIs. Simmons has an OBP of .558 and 20 stolen bases on 26 tries. Beal has 11 extra base hits including five home runs for a .739 slugging percentage. The Storm also have a ternary pitching rotation led by Mindy McElroy, who is 9-3 on the season with 1.68 ERA. McElroy is the ace of the staff starting in nearly half of the games (12) and has thrown six complete games, two of those as shutouts.

Southwestern Oklahoma State- The Bulldogs suffered back-to-back double header losses to Henderson State over the weekend. SWOSU endured a 5-1 setback to UMD in Monticello, Ark.

Adrienne Martinez is batting .406 with 28 hits (11 doubles) for the Bulldogs. Nikki Brandt has two of the club's four home runs and pilots the team with 15 RBIs. SWOSU has been outscored 134-76 and is allowing opponents to hit .307 against them. Julianne Martinez has pitched eight complete games and has four  of the five wins this season.

Northeastern State- The Riverhawks have been red hot since they took the field at home for the 2014 season, going 17-1 in consecutive games since Feb. 22 with their only slip up against Lindenwood University (L, 3-1).

Madison Reed is currently on a seven-game hitting streak and is hitting .427 overall. Redd is also dangerous on the basepaths as the number two hitter in the lineup, swiping 14 bases and scoring the squad with 26 runs.  Kayce Wooldridge paces NSU on the mound, with a 9-3 record with a 2.00 ERA. Wooldridge has thrown nine complete games and has come in to save three games.

Arkansas Tech- The Golden Suns salvaged one victory against the University of Arkansas-Monticello to close the weekend.ATU is the only team this week that has less stolen bases than UMD (5). Coming into Sunday,  Arkansas Tech has a 96-91 advantage in runs but is under the .500-mark.

Ashley Keen has been a force at the plate guiding the Suns in runs (17), hits (27), home runs (five), total bases (47), and slugging percentage (.758). `Despite her 3-4 record, Sydnee Clark has been a ray of hope in the circle posting a 2.51 ERA and holding opposing hitters to a .238 average in 47.1 innings.

FOLLOW THE ACTION: The games can be monitored via live stats by looking for the live stats link under the schedule tab at umdbulldogs.com. Additionally, live stats and can be viewed at each respected site:
3/17 vs. SEOSU- www.sidearmstats.com/se/softball
3/18 vs. SWOSU- www.sidearmstats.com/swosu/softball
3/19 vs. NSU- www.sidearmstats.com/nsuok/softball
3/20 vs. ATU- No link

THE MANAGER: The passion for softball Jen Banford displayed as an all-conference collegiate player certainly has carried over into her role as a head coach. Since her arrival on the UMD campus in the summer of 2005, Banford's hard work, commitment and dedication has helped keep the tradition-rich Bulldog program firmly on the NCAA Division II radar.

During her eight years at the Bulldog helm, Banford, the reigning Northern Sun Intercollegiate Coach of the Year, has guided UMD to a 247-153 career record (for a .618 winning percentage), four NCAA II Central Regional berths (2007, 2010, 2011, and 2012), and one NSIC regular season championship. That NSIC title conquest, the school's first since 2003, occurred last spring when the Bulldogs rolled up their second most victories ever (they were 41-13 overall) and shattered some 23 team and individual single-season records, including most conference wins (19). In addition, between Feb. 19 and March 19, the Bulldogs reeled off 14 straight wins -- their second longest victory streak ever (bettered only by the team's 19-game run in 1988).

In 2012, UMD went 38-22 and also churned out the school's fourth All-American in second baseman Tyra Kerr (National Fastpitch Coaches Association second team). Two years earlier, Banford's first recruit at UMD, pitcher/designated hitter Kristin Danielson, joined the All-American club (NFCA Division II third team) and a four-time member of the All-NSIC/North Central Conference team. She is one of three NFCA All-Central Region selections who has played for Banford (Kerr in both 2012 and 2011 and outfielder Myriam Trepanier in 2009 and 2007 were the others) and is among 16 Bulldogs who have secured All-NSIC/NCC first or second team acclaim.  

Seven years ago, Banford's Bulldogs finished with a 31-23 mark, earned a trip to the NCAA II regionals and placed second in the NCC Tournament after going 25-20 the previous spring in her UMD debut despite possessing a roster which was void of any seniors and sported a mere three juniors.

Banford, who, at age 33 (she was born on 11/29/80), is the youngest member of the UMD head coaching staff, joined the Bulldogs in the summer of 2005 following a one-season stint as the interim head coach at Mayville State University. Banford piloted the Comets to a 26-16 mark in all games and a 11-9 mark in the Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC-10). Besides serving as a head coach, Banford was also a lecturer in Mayville State's Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Banford spent the 2003-04 season at Northern State University, where she was graduate assistant coach with the softball Wolves. She entered the coaching arena fresh off a four-year career as a standout catcher at Valley City State (N.D.). During her Viking playing days she attained All-DAC 10 softball honors in 2000, 2001, and, one year later, was named to the DAC-10 All-Tournament Team as a senior team captain.

Banford, who was a multi-sport athlete (softball, hockey, basketball, and volleyball) at Seaway District High School in Iroquois, Ontario, graduated from Valley City State in 2003 with a B.S. degree, double majoring in Health and Physical Education and completed her Master of Science degree in Health, Nutrition and Exercise Science at North Dakota State University in 2005.

LAST APPEARANCE: UMD won twice in its double dip by blanking Minnesota State University Moorhead in the West St. Paul dome in West St. Paul, Minn. this past Tuesday.  The Bulldogs took the opening game 10-0 in a five innings then captured the backend of the two-game set 4-0. Sophomore pitcher Cayli Sadler compiled both wins to move to 8-4 on the year including fanning 10 Dragons on her way to a complete game shutout during the first meeting. Sophomore outfielder Ashley Schilling went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and freshman Hailey Lundquist drove in four runs on a pair of hits to help Sadler. Sophomore infielder Sami Schnyder had a critical two-run blast, her first of the season, to seal game two.

DOME SWEET DOME: The Bulldogs have called the West St. Paul dome its home away from Duluth after finishing a perfect 15-0 inside the comfort of the Teflon bubble and 22-2 since the beginning of the 2013 year., and when inside, are 33-5 overall.

ALL ABOUT THE FAST START: The first inning has aided in the success for UMD, who is out scoring the opposition 23-7. When the Bulldogs score first, they are 9-0 and a perfect 5-0 when they score in the opening frame. Once ahead after the fourth inning, UMD has yet to relinquish a lead in six games.

LEFT PONDERING: In their two games against left-handed pitchers, the Bulldogs have come out on the wrong end suffering defeats. They are 11-4 in such games when not facing a southpaw.

TOUCH 'EM ALL: The Bulldogs led the conference in homers per game (0.94) with 16 home runs, which ranked second among the league and 32nd in the nation. Seven players have made the trip around the bases this season.

TURN TWO: UMD has turned six double plays on the year to lead the conference including two against Southern Nazarene in the season opener. Those six double plays rank tied for 34th among the country. Senior infielder Brooke Neuroth and junior infielder Jordan Rice has each helped complete three twin killings.

FOLLOW MY LEAD: Sophomore infielder Sami Schnyder responded to the pressure since being thrown into the leadoff position to start the 2014 season reaching base 12-of-25 (.480) as the leadoff hitter.

THE BIG HURT: Junior Jordan Rice has been ripping the cover off the ball. Of her 19 hits, over half of those have gone for extra bases (a .820 slugging percentage) including five home runs. Rice currently ranks third in slugging percentage, tied for fifth in runs batted in (17), and holds a piece of the top slot in the conference in home runs.

THE NSIC FORECAST: For the second straight season, UMD was projected with a fourth-place finish in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Coaches' Preseason Poll. The Bulldogs received 182 points (one first-place tally) while Minnesota State Mankato (seven) and Winona State (six) shared the top spot with 209 points in the 16-team conference. UMD was sandwiched between Augustana (184 pts.) and Minot State (177 pts.) to round out the top five.

2014 NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches Poll
1       Minnesota State Mankato       209
         Winona State                           209
3       Augustana                               184
4       UMD                                        182
5       Minot State                              177
6       Concordia-St. Paul                  153
7       Wayne State                            152
8       St. Cloud State                        114
9       U. of Mary                                113
10     Upper Iowa                               111
11     Northern State                          78
12     Southwest Minnesota State      72
13     Sioux Falls                                69
14     Minnesota State Moorhead       41
15     Bemidji State                             35
16     Minnesota Crookston                21

LEADER OF THE PACK: Senior pitcher/outfielder Megan Mullen, a two-time All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference selection, has been chosen as the University of Minnesota Duluth's team captain for the 2014 season.

Mullen made quite a splash in her debut season, landing the NSIC Freshman of the Year Award and all-league second team acclaim to enjoy a rewarding sophomore year in which she set nine single-season team pitching records. Last spring, the Hermantown, Minn., product showed her versatility by spending most of her time in the outfield and wound up batting a career-high .327 in 52 games. For her efforts, she landed a spot on the All-NSIC second team last spring.

ON DECK: The Bulldogs will kick off their 30-game conference schedule at St. Cloud State in the Husky Dome with a double header matchup on March 25 in St. Cloud, Minn.