THE OPENING PITCH: The University of Minnesota Duluth takes to the turf and the bubbled dome to open the 2025 season with the St. Cloud State Dome Invite in St. Cloud, Minn. The Bulldogs open the 44th season of collegiate softball action with four non conference games over the course of two days against Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference foes. UMD matches up with Southwest Minnesota State University and host St. Cloud State University on Saturday, Feb. 1. SMSU and Bemidji State University close out the weekend slate the following day. The opening pitch of the 2025 campaign starts on Saturday at 11:00 AM against the Mustangs.

SCOUTING REPORT ON SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE: The Mustangs finished last season 19-32 and 10-18 in NSIC action, good for a 11th place finish. They return 10 letterwinners from last season. SMSU senior shortstop Abby Russell and senior pitcher Karlie Miller were both named the Mustangs' Players to Watch in the conference this season. SMSU is coached by seventh-year head coach Bailey Bouman, who holds a 112-148 record.

SCOUTING REPORT ON ST. CLOUD STATE: The Huskies finished 2024 30-26 overall and 12-16 in NSIC play, good for eighth. SCSU had its season come to a close in the NSIC Quarterfinals. The Huskies return 14 players from last season. SCSU senior infielder Maggie Fitzgerald and junior pitcher Justyce Porter were named the Huskies' Players to Watch in the conference this season. SCSU is coached by fourth-year head coach Mitch Roberts, who holds a 100-64 record.

SCOUTING REPORT ON BEMIDJI STATE: The Beavers went 13-38 last season with a 7-21 NSIC record, good for 12th in the conference. BSU brings back 14 letterwinners  to the 2025 squad. The Beavers' sophomore outfielder Jackie Larsen and sophomore pitcher Danica Sarff were named Bemidji State's Preseason Players to Watch. BSU is coached by fourth-year head coach Jordan Petersen, who has a 48-104 record.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and its opponents stack up with their respective records from last season, their conference records from last season and place and their ranking in the 2025 NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 

TEAM	RECORD	NSIC	POLL
UMD	41-15	20-8 (Third)	Fourth
SMSU	19-32	10-18 (11th)	10th
SCSU	30-26	12-16 (Eighth)	Seventh
BSU	13-38	7-21 (T-12th)	12th

CATCH THE ACTION: The four games will be available to view via a live stream carried by St. Cloud State University. 

All four games can be viewed here
*Note – for non-SCSU games there will be no audio and no scorebug on the live streams.

Live Stats are also available to view here

WELCOME TO OPENING DAY: The Bulldogs are 11-8 on opening day over the past decade. However, UMD is undefeated the last three seasons winning all six of its opening contests. Last season, Emporia State University (W, 6-5) and Upper Iowa University (W, 10-7) fell victim to the Bulldogs at the Mankato Dome Invite in Mankato, Minn.

SURVEY SAYS: The NSIC coaches placed UMD fourth in the coaches' preseason poll for the second time in a row. The poll was released on Jan. 23 and the league selected Augustana to finish first in the 2025 NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll. This marks the sixth consecutive season that the Vikings have been selected to win the NSIC. The four-time defending regular season champions amassed 196 points and 14 first place votes. Concordia-St. Paul was second with 174 points and Minnesota State came in third with 163 points and the other first place vote. The Bulldogs, who are looking to secure their first regular season title since 2013, claimed 157 points.

Augustana senior pitcher Grace Glanzer -- the 2024 NSIC Pitcher of the Year -- was named the NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year, while Concordia-St. Paul sophomore infielder Alexis Monty -- the 2024 NSIC Freshman of the Year -- was named the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year.
 

2025 NSIC Softball Preseason Poll	Points
1. Augustana (14)	196
2. Concordia St. Paul	174
3. Minnesota State (1)	163
4. Minnesota Duluth	157
5. Winona State	155
6. Minot State	125
7. St. Cloud State	116
8. MSU Moorhead	100
9. Sioux Falls	86
10. Southwest Minnesota State	81
11. Northern State	70
12. Bemidji State	54
13. Wayne State	43
14. Minnesota Crookston	38
15. U-Mary	17

    first place votes in ( )

ALL EYES ON ME: Senior infielder Nicole Schmitt and sophomore pitcher Maddy Walsh were selected as the UMD duo to watch for from the conference. Schmitt was labeled the Player to Watch and Walsh was labeled the Pitcher to Watch.

Schmitt, a native of Verona, Wis., was the lone Bulldog to suit up and play in every game last season. She paced the club with 62 hits, 18 doubles, six home runs and 45 RBI. She carried a slash line of .354/.418/.560 as she maintained a consistent cog in the heart of the lineup.  The two-time All-NSIC First Team selection enters her season finale with career marks of a .324 batting average, a .403 on-base and a .502 slugging percentage.

Walsh, the local hometown product, flashed immediately her freshman season going 8-1 on the rubber in 11 starts and 23 total appearances. The Duluth, Minn., native held a 2.53 ERA in 78.1 innings while combining for a pair of shutouts and even locked down games with a team-high two saves last season en route to being named to the NSIC All-Conference second team. Walsh held the opposition to a .254 batting average and struck out 54 batters while walking only 20.

LAST PLATE APPEARANCE: The Bulldogs ended the 2024 season in the NSIC Championship game, losing to Augustana University for the postseason tournament crown. It was a rematch of the 2023 Championship game, which saw UMD win its first postseason conference championship since 2002. The Bulldogs finished 41-15 overall and third in the NSIC with a 20-8 record.

2024 ACCOLADES: Pitcher Lauren Dixon, outfielder Kat Burkhardt and infielder Nicole Schmitt earned NSIC All-Conference First Team, while pitcher Maddy Walsh garnered a spot on the NSIC All-Conference Second Team. 

Dixon, the 2024 NSIC's Preseason Player of the Year, was named to the 2024 D2 Conference Commissioner's Association Second Team. Dixon capped her Bulldog career strikeout record at 821 with the addition of 236 – an NSIC-high – this season and owned a record of 23-6. Dixon, a two-time NSIC Pitcher of the Week and named to the NFCA D2 Pitcher of the Year Watchlist, also took over UMD career marks for wins (74), games completed (81), starts by a pitcher (105), and the innings pitched record at 659.1.

HEAVY BATS TO FILL: Four starters return to the 2025 lineup, leaving much of the production behind from last year. Senior infielder Nicole Schmitt, junior outfielder Morgan McMillan, sophomore infielder Khendal Johnson, and sophomore infielder Kendal Jenkins return as the starters that accumulated 35.8 percent of the team's hits last season, 38.9 percent of the club's RBIs, and 34.0 percent of the team's runs. Those four returnees combined to hit at a .315 average, 15 points higher than the Bulldogs' .300 team average from last year. 

GETTING THE CALL UP: The Bulldogs feature seven new players to the 2025 roster which includes six freshmen. That list comprise of infielder Taryn Christopher (Kaukauna, Wis.), infielder Taylor Dawyduk (Winnipeg, Manitoba), utility player Kaylie Frydenlund (Sun Prairie, Wis.), pitcher Taylor Gallahue (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.), outfielder Lauren Jenkins (Hastings, Minn.), and infielder Taylor Tschida (St. Michael, Minn.). The other lone newcomer is sophomore outfielder Billi Connell (Luverne, Minn.), who transfers in after one season at the University of Minnesota.

HOW THE BULLDOGS ARE COMPILED:
 

By Class	By Position
Freshman: 6	Catcher: 1
Sophomore: 7	Infielder: 7
Junior: 5	Outfielder: 6
Senior: 2	Pitcher: 4
	Utility: 2

THE WAGNER FILES: A new era of Bulldog softball commences this season with the addition of head coach Nat Wagner. The newest manager of the maroon and gold becomes just the fifth head coach in the program's 44-year history after serving as an assistant coach for the University of Saint Thomas the past two seasons. Prior, Wagner was at the helm of the Minot State University program for three years, leading the Beavers to a 60-48 record and one NSIC Postseason appearance.

ON DECK: The Bulldogs compete in the MSU Invitational Softball Tournament on Friday and Saturday Feb. 7-8 in Mankato, Minn. UMD will play Minnesota State University, Mankato and Concordia University, St. Paul each day in non-conference action.