OPENING PITCH: The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team heads on the road in its first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) matchups of 2026. The first doubleheader is against Wayne State College tomorrow, beginning at 12:00 p.m. at the Pete Chapman Softball Complex, with Augustana University set for Saturday at 12:00 p.m. on Bowden Field.
 
HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD stacks up with their first conference opponents.
 

TEAM	2025 RECORD (CONF.)	2026 RECORD	POLL
UMD	39-17 (18-8)	15-8	4th (NSIC)
WSC	31-24 (14-13)	20-4	7th (NSIC)
AU	50-11 (25-3)	7-14	1st (NSIC)

 
SCOUTING WAYNE STATE: Leading the batting effort is a NSIC player of the week selectee, Emilee Marth, with a .478 batting average with 27 RBIs, 33 hits, and 22 runs. On the mound, Kennadi Borngrebe has a 6-3 record with a pitcher of the week selection in 67.1 innings pitched. She has a 1.46 ERA with 79 strikeouts and 14 earned runs, allowing a .159 batting average. 
 
SCOUTING AUGUSTANA: One of their top threats is Kierra Lubovich; in 66 at-bats, she has a .424 batting average and a .591 slugging percentage with 28 hits and 13 RBIs. On the mound, Helene Krage has a 2-4 record in 47.1 innings pitched with a 3.70 ERA and 25 earned runs.
 
EVANS EARNS TWO NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS: Daphne Evans of the UMD softball team has claimed two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Player of the Week selections in her first season as a Bulldog.
 
The freshman outfielder from Chanhassen, Minn., claims the honor after helping the team to a 4-1 start in their first week of competition and leads the NSIC as the top batter. In that span, she hit .556 (10 for 18), owned a .600 on-base percentage, and a 1.000 slugging percentage for an OPS of 1.600.
 
Throughout the week, she tallied a hit in all five outings, with three hits in the season opener against Eastern New Mexico University and three against Rockhurst University. At the plate, she drove in six RBIs with two doubles and two home runs. Out in the field, she tallied her first career putouts with eight total, keeping a clean 1.000 fielding percentage.
 
Evans, a freshman outfielder from Chanhassen, Minn., claims her second NSIC Player of the Week honor as one of the top batters for UMD this week. Throughout the week, she hit .643 (9-for-14), owned a .750 on-base percentage, and a 1.000 slugging percentage. She drove in six RBIs off three doubles and one triple while recording seven putouts in the field. In the Bulldogs' 5-1 week, she tallied a hit or more in all six outings, including a season high of four hits against Truman State University.
 
SYLVIA-COCHRAN EARNS NSIC PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Emmie Sylvia-Cochran claimed the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Pitcher of the Week selection this week after helping the Bulldogs to a 5-1 record in the Lewis Dome Invitational.
 
Sylvia-Cochran, a freshman pitcher from Ham Lake, Minn., earns her first career NSIC Pitcher of the Week honor after going 3-0 this week on the mound. One of those wins marked UMD's first shutout of the season (Roosevelt University, 7-0). Throughout 16 innings pitched, she allowed only nine hits with no errors, struck out 28 batters, and allowed a .161 batting average.
 
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 softball team won one of four in the final two days of the Branson Spring Games, facing William Jewell College on Wednesday and Missouri University of Science and Technology on Thursday.
 
Wednesday, Game 1, UMD 12, WJ 4
 
On Wednesday, UMD secured a decisive 12-4 victory over William Jewell College, highlighted by a six-run third inning that set the tone for the game.
 
In the first inning, UMD took an early lead as Daphne Evans walked and stole second, followed by a single from Morgan McMillan. Sierra Thomas then doubled, driving in Evans and McMillan, ending the inning with a 3-0 lead for UMD.
 
The third inning saw a significant offensive push from the Bulldogs, with Kendal Jenkins hitting a triple to bring in McMillan, Evans, and Emma Ambroz. Thomas added to the tally with a single, scoring Jenkins and concluding the inning with a 9-1 lead for UMD.
 
In the fifth inning, Jenkins walked and later scored on a single by Khendal Johnson, with Thomas and Ava Johnson also contributing with RBI singles, pushing the final lead to 12-4.
 
Allyssa Williams pitched a complete game for Minnesota Duluth, recording five strikeouts over five innings. She allowed eight hits and four earned runs, with no walks issued to opposing batters.
 
Wednesday, Game 2, UMD 2, WJ 3
 
In a close contest, UMD narrowly fell to William Jewell College with a final score of 3-2.
 
Ava Johnson opened the scoring in the second inning with a solo home run. Paige Johnson doubled and was brought home by a single from Serena Timmer, giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead. The Cardinals responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring off a passed ball to make it 2-1.
 
William Jewell tied the game in the third inning with a sacrifice fly, and the score remained unchanged through the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, keeping the tie at 2-2.
 
In the seventh inning, the Cardinals took the lead on a single, and UMD could not respond in their half of the inning, resulting in a final score of 3-2.
 
Thursday, Game 1, UMD 4, Missouri S&T 5
 
UMD narrowly fell to the Missouri University of Science and Technology with a final score of 5-4.
 
By the second inning, Missouri S&T took an early lead with a two-run homer, ending the second inning at 2-0.
 
The fourth inning saw more action as the Miners extended their lead with a three-run home run, making it 5-0. UMD responded in the bottom of the inning with Morgan McMillan scoring on a single by Ava Johnson, closing the gap to 5-1.
 
In the sixth inning, Kendal Jenkins and Sierra Thomas both scored on an error, narrowing the score to 5-3. Serena Timmer homered in the seventh inning, adding a run for the Bulldogs, but they could not push across any more runs, resulting in the final score of 5-4 in favor of the Miners.
 
Allyssa Williams pitched a complete game, throwing seven innings for the Bulldogs against the Miners. She allowed six hits and five earned runs while striking out four batters and walking three. Despite giving up two home runs, she induced 11 groundouts and six flyouts.
 
Sylvia pitched 2.2 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit while striking out two and walking four. Ashley Mandell took over for four innings, surrendering one earned run on three hits and walking four, as the pitching staff combined for a total of four strikeouts and eight walks throughout the game.
 
Thursday, Game 2, UMD 2, Missouri S&T 7
 
In the final match of the Branson Spring Games, UMD fell again to Missouri S&T, this time with a score of 7-2.
 
By the second inning, Missouri S&T capitalized on a fielding error to load the bases and scored on a home run to right field, driving in four runs and ending the inning with a 5-0 lead.
 
The Miners extended their lead in the fifth inning with their second home run of the day to left field, making it 6-0.
 
UMD got on the scoreboard in the sixth inning when Sierra Thomas reached on a fielder's choice and advanced on an error, allowing Ava Johnson to bring her home with a single to right field.
 
However, the Miners answered with a triple and a groundout RBI, maintaining a 7-1 lead. UMD added another run in the seventh inning with Morgan McMillan's single, but ultimately fell 7-2.
 
Sylvia pitched four innings for UMD, allowing five runs on three hits, including one home run, while striking out five and walking five batters. Ashley Mandell entered in relief, pitching two innings and conceding two runs on three hits, with a home run and a triple among them.

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 will face the University of Sioux Falls next Saturday for a doubleheader in Sioux Falls.