OPENING PITCH: The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team will head on the road for its final two regular season opponents, with St. Cloud State University first on Saturday and Concordia University St. Paul on Sunday. Both doubleheaders are set to begin at 12:00 p.m.
 
FINAL REGULAR-SEASON MATCHUPS:  With four games left to play, the Bulldogs still have room to move. As it stands in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), UMD is in a three-way tie for the eighth, ninth, and tenth slots in the NSIC tournament. The Bulldogs hold an identical 14-12 conference record with Minot State University and Sioux Falls University. 
 
UMD is one game back from the next two higher slots, with Southwest Minnesota State University and Concordia University St. Paul holding 15-11 records. The Bulldogs are also only two games back from the fourth and fifth slots, with Minnesota State University Mankato and Augustana University holding 16-10 records. 
 
HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD stacks up with its conference opponents.
 
 

TEAM	2025 RECORD (CONF.)	2026 RECORD	POLL
UMD	39-17 (18-8)	29-20 (14-12)	4th (NSIC)
SCSU	41-15 (20-7)	40-12 (22-4)	5th (NSIC)
CSP	25-29 (17-11)	26-23 (15-11)	6th (NSIC)

 

SCOUTING NO. 7 SCSU: In the NCAA Central Region rankings, St. Cloud State holds the seventh spot with its 40-12 overall record. Leading the batting effort is Bethany Weiss. In 183 at-bats, she has a .366 batting average and .607 slugging percentage with 50 RBIs, 67 hits, 36 runs, 16 doubles, two triples, and eight home runs. On the mound, they are led by a NSIC Pitcher of the Week recipient, Macey Clark, who has an 18-5 record in 149.1 innings pitched. She has a 1.27 ERA with 133 strikeouts and 27 earned runs, allowing a .169 batting average. 
 
SCOUTING CSP: One of their top threats is Alexis Monty. In 154 at-bats, she has a .331 batting average and a .513 slugging percentage with 51 hits, 32 runs, 19 RBIs, 10 doubles, six triples, and two home runs. On the mound, Emmy Bowne has a 13-11 record with a 3.06 ERA in 146.1 innings pitched. She has three shutouts, one save, 70 strikeouts, allowing only a .292 batting average.
 
DAWYDUK AWARDED NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Taylor Dawyduk of the University of Minnesota Duluth softball team has earned the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Player of the Week selection after helping the team to a pair of wins in Duluth last week.
 
The sophomore infielder from Winnipeg, Manitoba, claims the honor after helping the team in a 3-1 week, including a sweep of the University of Minnesota Crookston in the team's first doubleheader at James S. Malosky Stadium.
 
In that span, she hit .600 (6 for 10), hit 1.800 in slugging percentage with four home runs, which included a grand slam. With a .636 on-base percentage, she scored five runs and hammered in nine RBIs with multiple hits in three straight games. 
 
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: UMD faced a challenging doubleheader against Winona State University at James S. Malosky Stadium, resulting in a defeat in the first game and a shutout victory in the second.
 
In the first game, UMD was defeated by Winona State, 9-0. WSU took an early lead with two unearned runs in the first inning, highlighted by a double. At the end of the inning, the Warriors led 2-0.
 
In the second inning, WSU added another run on a sacrifice groundout, making the score 3-0 in favor of Winona State. A solo home run in the third inning extended Winona State's lead to 4-0. Despite hits from Serena Timmer and Emma Ambroz, the Bulldogs were unable to score, keeping the score at 4-0. 
 
The game remained at 4-0 through the middle innings, with no runs scored in the fourth, fifth, or sixth innings. The seventh inning saw the Warriors score five runs, highlighted by a three-run homer and a single. UMD was unable to close the gap, ending the game with a final score of 9-0 in favor of Winona State.
 
Emmie Sylvia-Cochran pitched six innings, allowing seven hits and seven runs, with five of those runs earned. She recorded five strikeouts and issued four walks, while also giving up two home runs and a wild pitch. Maddy Walsh came in for relief, pitching the final inning, surrendering two hits and two earned runs, alongside three walks. 
 
Morgan McMillan collected two hits, demonstrating consistency at the plate, while Ambroz also contributed with two hits, matching McMillan's performance. Timmer added a double and earned a walk.
 
In the second game, UMD secured a decisive 5-0 victory over Winona State. The Bulldogs' pitching staff combined for a shutout, allowing just four hits and striking out four batters over seven innings. 
 
In the first inning, Daphne Evans doubled to right-center and advanced to third on a passed ball. Kendal Jenkins drove her in with a bunt single, giving the Bulldogs an early 1-0 lead. The third inning saw Evans again making an impact with a double to left field, bringing home Noelle Krumrie, who had singled and stolen second. Jenkins added another RBI single, scoring Evans and extending the lead to 3-0. 
 
In the sixth inning, Sierra Thomas walked and advanced to third on Khendal Johnson's double to center field. Morgan McMillan then singled to center, driving in both Thomas and Johnson, pushing the score to 5-0.
 
Allyssa Williams delivered a commanding performance from the mound, pitching a complete game and securing her 10th win of the season. She allowed only four hits over seven innings, maintaining a clean sheet with zero runs. Williams issued no walks and struck out four batters. 
 
Evans contributed significantly by scoring two runs and collecting two hits, including two doubles, while also stealing a base. Jenkins supported the effort with two hits and two RBIs. McMillan also drove in two runs and stole a base, adding a hit to her performance.
 
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 await the results of the final NSIC regular-season matches to see what seed they hold in the upcoming NSIC postseason.