OPENING PITCH: The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team heads on the road for its second set of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) doubleheaders of 2026. The first doubleheader is against the University of Sioux Falls tomorrow beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Sanford Diamonds with Southwest Minnesota State University set for Saturday at noon on Mustang Field.
 
HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD stacks up with their conference opponents.
 


SCOUTING SIOUX FALLS: Leading the batting effort is Kyra Knudtson with a .370 batting average with 14 RBIs, 30 hits, and 15 runs. On the mound they are lead by two time NSIC Pitcher of the Week selectee, Maddi Duncan who has a 9-5 record in 94.1 innings pitched. She has  a 1.48 ERA with 136 strikeouts and 20 earned runs allowing a .158 batting average. 

SCOUTING SMSU: One of their top threats is Emma Humpal who earned the NSIC Player of the Week selection a few weeks ago. In 78 at-bats, she has a .258 batting average and a .427 slugging percentage with 23 hits and 18 RBIs. On the mound, Jordyn Marsh has a 11-4 record in 106 innings pitched with a 1.39 ERA and 89 strikeouts while allowing 21 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.
 
 

    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 faced off against Augustana University in a doubleheader on Saturday at Bowden Field, resulting in a 10-1 loss and a hard-fought 6-5 victory.
 
In the first game, the Bulldogs fell to the Vikings with a final score of 10–1. Augustana took an early lead in the third inning off a fielder's choice and an unearned sacrifice fly, leading 2–0 after three innings.
 
The Vikings extended their lead in the fifth with two additional runs from a single up the middle. UMD responded with Ava Johnson doubling to right field and later scoring on a single by Emma Ambroz, making it 4–1 after the fifth inning.
 
However, the Vikings broke the game open in the sixth, scoring six runs, highlighted by a three-run homer, with all runs unearned due to earlier fielding errors. UMD's attempt to rally in the bottom of the inning included singles from Morgan McMillan and Khendal Johnson, but ended scoreless.
 
Allyssa Williams pitched three innings, allowing six hits, six runs (one earned), striking out one, and walking one. Ashley Mandell relieved Williams, pitching two innings and conceding four hits and two earned runs with one strikeout. Maddy Walsh closed the game, pitching less than an inning, giving up one hit and two runs (none earned), with a home run and a wild pitch.
 
In the second game, the Bulldogs secured a narrow 6–5 victory over Augustana. The Vikings took an early lead in the first inning, scoring four runs due to a series of hits and an error. UMD's efforts in the bottom of the inning were halted with three consecutive outs, leaving the score at 4–0 after one inning.
 
The Bulldogs got on the board in the third when Serena Timmer hit a home run down the left field line, closing the gap to 4–1.
 
The sixth inning saw a significant comeback from UMD. Kendal Jenkins singled, followed by a series of hits, including an RBI single by Paige Johnson, scoring Jenkins. A wild pitch allowed Ava Johnson to score, and Timmer's single tied the game at 4–4.
 
Both teams scored in the eighth, with Augustana taking a slight lead on a sacrifice fly. However, UMD responded when Ava Johnson drew a walk and later scored on a hit by pitch, tying the game again at 5–5.
 
In the ninth inning, Khendal Johnson doubled, and Paige Johnson's RBI single brought in the winning run for the Bulldogs, completing the comeback with a final score of 6–5.
 
Emmie Sylvia-Cochran pitched a complete game for Minnesota Duluth, allowing eight hits and five runs over nine innings. She recorded four strikeouts and issued four walks while maintaining composure after a challenging start in the first inning. Sylvia-Cochran forced 11 flyouts and nine groundouts, contributing to the team's defensive efforts.

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 host the University of Mary next Friday for a doubleheader with Minot State University to follow on Saturday.