UMD Bulldogs "ALLETE" Moments: Competition
Throughout this year, UMD Athletics is partnering with Minnesota Power, ALLETE to highlight the Bulldogs accomplishments in the 3 C's: Classroom, Competition, Community. 

Elle Potts of the University of Minnesota Duluth softball team was named the Division II Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player of the Week, per a release. Potts becomes the first UMD player to be awarded this honor since Jordyn Thomas won it back in March of 2021. The junior infielder is just the third Bulldog overall to achieve the feat.

And when you look at Potts' statlines across UMD's weekend sweep… rightfully so. 

It started with a bang against Bemidji State on Friday, Feb. 11. Across four at-bats in that contest, Potts recorded three hits. Those slams generated three total RBIs and put the senior in position to score twice herself. Don't let the St. Michael, Minn. native's single hit in the ensuing game against UMary fool you- she made it count. It was a double, Potts' second of the weekend already, and it left her with two more RBIs to her name. The junior would also go on to score herself. 

Saturday started with more of the same from Potts in a rematch against BSU. There, the infielder went a perfect 3-3 from the plate, bringing home another RBI and scoring twice herself in the process. Then came the weekend swansong against St. Cloud State. If you can believe it, Potts saved her best for last. Not even just best on the weekend- the junior put up some career numbers in this one. When all was said and done in UMD's eventual 11-1 win over the Huskies, Potts had gone 2-2 on the night. Then you look at the offensive output she was able to generate from those hits… a total of six RBIs (a career-best) and two runs herself. Perhaps it helps that each of those hits was a home run- it's the first time Potts has ever recorded two moonshots in a single game as a Bulldog.

All-told, Potts landed herself a pretty impressive weekend slash line. The junior hit .818 across the Bulldogs' four wins, coupling that average with a slugging percentage of 1.545 and an on-base percentage of .846. These figures helped pave the way for nine hits, two home runs, two doubles, a whopping 12 total RBIs and seven runs. 

UMD softball will look to continue its winning ways on the road once again this coming weekend as it takes part in the Emporia State Classic. Weather is causing an ongoing shift in start times for this event- full schedule updates will be released shortly.

About Minnesota Power, ALLETE:
Our bold vision centers on our commitment to climate, customers and communities. We're a clean-energy leader under our EnergyForward strategy, already delivering 50% renewable energy ahead of all other Minnesota utilities. Now we're doubling down on that with a vision to deliver 100% carbon-free energy to customers reliably and affordably by 2050. Learn more at: https://www.mnpower.com/CarbonFreeEnergyVision