FIRST PITCH: The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team takes the field in the first non-conference matchups of the 2026 season. First up is heading down to Texas to compete in the Lone Star Division II College Classic starting tomorrow. On the first day of competition, the Bulldogs are set to face Eastern New Mexico University at 10 a.m., with a match against Lubbock Christian University following at 12:15 p.m. Saturday times are subject to change with the possibility of inclement weather, but UMD will face Lewis University. Sunday will see the Bulldogs face Rockhurst University at 9 a.m., with Harding University following at 11:15 a.m.
 
SCOUTING REPORT ON EASTERN NEW MEXICO: The Greyhounds ended last season with a 30-25 record and are picked this season to finish seventh in the Lone Star Conference (LSC). Christina Meneses is the player to watch after making All-LSC Second Team and LSC All-Freshman Team in her first collegiate season. She completed the season with a .358 batting average and a 1.000 fielding percentage. Miranda Guillen is their pitcher to watch after compiling a 15-5 record with 132 total strikeouts in the 2025 season.
 
SCOUTING REPORT ON LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN: The Lady Chaps are picked to finish fifth in the LSC after completing last season with a 36-22 record. Kadin Vire is their preseason player to watch after leading the team with 14 stolen bases and finishing second in runs scored with 64 hits. Ashlinn Hamilton is their top threat on the mound after pitching in nine games for a 3.40 ERA while also hitting seven home runs and 26 RBIs.
 
SCOUTING REPORT ON LEWIS: The Flyers completed the last season with a 37-20 record while earning an appearance in the NCAA Midwest Regional for the third consecutive season. In the preseason poll, they have been selected to finish fourth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). The top returners include Kristen Graham, who earned an All-GLVC First Team selection after hitting .323 from the plate with 50 total hits. Allie Wondrasek is their leader in the circle with 18 wins after earning a 2.26 ERA.
 
SCOUTING REPORT ON ROCKHURST: The Hawks completed last season with an 18-26 overall record and are picked to finish ninth in the GLVC. Claire Tipton is one of their top returners after starting in all 44 games with a .568 slugging percentage, 23 RBIs, and six home runs. Madeline McCall is one of the top returners on the mound with a 6-7 record with a 3.95 ERA.
 
SCOUTING REPORT ON HARDING: The Lady Bisons finished last season 39-18 overall with a bid to the NCAA Central Region Tournament and are selected to finish third in the Great American Conference (GAC). They return with 2025 GAC Newcomer of the Year Zoey Neal and GAC Freshman of the Year Brooklyn Gobble. Neal hit .408 and drove in a league-leading 62 runs. Gobble went 17-8 with 175 strikeouts in 170.0 innings. She added four saves. 
 
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 placement in their preseason conference rankings.
 

TEAM |	RECORD  |	CONFERENCE |	POLL
UMD	39-17	18-8	4th (NSIC)
ENMU	30-25	23-21	7th (LSC)
LCU	36-22	26-18	5th (LSC)
LU	37-20	22-6	4th (GLVC)
RU	18-26	14-14	9th (GLVC)
HU	39-18	21-12	3rd (GAC)

WELCOME TO OPENING DAY: The Bulldogs are 13-8 on opening day over the past decade. However, UMD is undefeated in the last four seasons, winning all eight of its opening contests. Last season, Southwest Minnesota State (W, 7-0) and St. Cloud State (W, 10-3) fell victim to the Bulldogs at the St. Cloud State Dome Invite in St. Cloud, Minn.
 
SURVEY SAYS: The UMD softball team has been picked to finish fourth in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) competition by the annual preseason coaches' poll. This comes after completing the 2025 season with an overall record of 39-17 and an 18-8 record in NSIC action.
 
 

2026 NSIC Softball Preseason Poll	Points
1. Augustana (12)	221
2. Winona State (4)	202
3. Minnesota State	197
4. Minnesota Duluth	183
5. St. Cloud State	175
6. Concordia-St. Paul	148
7. Wayne State	138
8. Minot State	133
9. Southwest Minnesota State	111
10. Sioux Falls	96
11. MSU Moorhead	80
12. Bemidji State	68
13. Northern State	56
14. Minnesota Crookston	43
15. Jamestown	42
16. University of Mary	27

    first place votes in ( )
 
ALL EYES ON ME: Senior Kendal Jenkins was named as UMD's NSIC Player to Watch, along with senior pitcher Allyssa Williams being named as the UMD NSIC Pitcher to Watch.
 
A native of Hastings, Minn., Jenkins posted a .335 batting average and .561 slugging percentage last season. By the end of the season, she earned a NSIC First Team All-Conference selection after tallying 58 hits, 19 doubles, a triple, and six home runs.
 
Williams, a product of Yuba City, Calif., went 17-8 in 29 appearances, earning a 2.91 ERA in 137 innings. In a career high season who earned a selection to the NSIC All-Defensive Team while tossing 112 strikeouts and earning a .249 bats against average.
 
LAST PLATE APPEARANCE: The University of Minnesota Duluth came up short (2-8), falling to No. 8 Augustana University in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Semifinals. The Bulldogs (39-17) were in search of their third straight NSIC Championship game appearance and their third straight win over Augustana after sweeping the Vikings on their home turf in the regular season. 
 
2025 ACCOLADES: Senior infielder Nicole Schmitt and junior catcher Kendal Jenkins earned Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference First Team All-Conference recognition, and junior pitcher Allyssa Williams attained NSIC All-Defensive Team honors. 
 
Named to both the NFCA and the D2CCA All-Central Region clubs, Schmitt became the eighth player in program history to earn the title of All-American, the ninth overall, with Patty Becker earning NAIA All-American status in 1990 and 1991, including the other First Team accolade. She is now the program's fifth NFCA All-American and the program's lone NFCA First Team honoree.

GETTING THE CALL UP: The Bulldogs feature six new freshmen on the 2026 roster. That list comprises outfielder Marissa Tomashek (Shawano, Wis.), utility player Maya Miller (Eden Prairie, Minn.), utility player Paige Johnson (Superior, Wis.), outfielder Daphne Evans (Chanhassen, Minn.), catcher Kaylin Yenter (Stevens Point, Wis.), and pitcher Emmie Sylvia-Cochran (Ham Lake, Minn.). 
 
THE WAGNER FILES: A new era of Bulldog softball continues this season under head coach Nat Wagner. Under Wagner's first season of leadership, the Bulldogs posted 39 wins with a sweep of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate regular season competition. In his first year, he coached two NSIC First Team selections and a NSIC All-Defensive Team standout with four single-season records broken. The newest manager of the maroon and gold is the fifth head coach in the program's 44-year history after serving as an assistant coach for the University of Saint Thomas for 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 a double header in the Mankato Dome Invite next week on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7th in Mankato, Minn. UMD will play Minnesota State University Mankato for both matches.