PREVIEWING THE TRIP
•The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team (5-7) head to Winter Haven, Fla., for eight games in five days before doubleheaders against a pair of teams in Florida. 
•SMSU will open play on Saturday morning, playing Lewis (Ill.) at 9 a.m. and West Virginia Wesleyan College at 1:30 p.m.
•SMSU continues action on Sunday with a 9 a.m., first pitch against University of the Sciences before taking on Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) at 11:15 a.m.
•The Mustangs continue action Monday, Mar. 7 with games against Bloomfield (N.J.) and Grand Valley State (Mich.)
•SMSU will close out action at The Spring Games on Wednesday, Mar. 9, taking on Palm Beach Atlantic at 2:30 p.m. and American International (Mass.) at 4:45 p.m.
•The Mustangs head to Tampa, Fla., on Thursday, Mar. 10 to take on the University of Tampa in a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
•SMSU concludes their trip to Florida on Friday, Mar. 11, playing the Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., for a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m.

GAME COVERAGE
•Live stats for all games will be available at SMSUmustangs.com.
•Live video for The Spring Games can be found at FloSoftball.com
 
TICKET POLICY
• Tickets are available at the gate for the duration of the event for $10 per person, per day, cash only. If you wish to purchase tickets for a lesser rate, in advance, or with a credit card, you may do so using HERE.
 
BOUMAN BALL
•Bailey Bouman is in her fourth season as head coach with an overall record of 60-60, including 30-30 in NSIC play.
•The Mustangs finished 27-20 last season, their best season since 2011, while winning their first NSIC tournament game since Bouman's first season in 2019
•The 11th head coach in program history, Bouman was named to the position on Aug. 8, 2019.
•SMSU finished 19-26 during her first season in 2019 and qualified for the NSIC Tournament.
•Bouman was an assistant coach with the SMSU women's basketball program from 2015-17 and was also an assistant women's basketball coach at Dordt College (Iowa) before returning to SMSU.
•Bouman is a 2014 graduate of the University of Sioux Falls where she played both basketball and softball for the Cougars.
 
YOUTH MOVEMENT
•The Mustangs have seen the debut of six freshmen and two transfers in the first 12 games of the season
•Freshman Abby Russell has played all 12 games at shortstop, hitting .333 (14 for 42) with four doubles, eight runs scored, a team-high 12 RBIs, and an OPS of .932. 
•Sophomore transfer Paige Shwaluk has also played in all 12 games, going .324 (11 for 34) with a team-high nine runs scored. 
•Emily Tatur has started each game in centerfield, batting .257 (9 for 35) with six runs scored and a pair of multi-hit games. 
•Karlie Miller has started five games in the circle for SMSU, notching a 5.73 ERA and 2-4 record in 33 innings while also hitting 4 for 9 at the plate with a double and a triple. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
•SMSU went 2-4 in the Washburn Invitational in Topeka, Kan., from Feb. 26-28. 
•The Mustangs dropped a pair of games to open the Washburn Invitational on Saturday, dropping a 9-7 game against Central Missouri before losing to Pittsburg State 12-0 in five innings.
• SMSU collected nine hits in the first game, with Lileya Kebos and Paige Shwaluk each picking up a pair of hits to lead the way in game one.
• PSU would hit five home runs in game two, while the Mustangs would go hitless.
• The Mustangs split a pair of games on day two of the Washburn Invitational on Sunday, defeating Fort Hays State 4-1 in the afternoon before losing to Emporia State 8-0 in six innings at night.
• Shelby Bloemendaal would go the distance in game one, scattering ten hits across seven innings of work, giving up an earned run and striking out a pair in just 93 pitches.
 
•Johnson would finish 2-2 with a single, double and walk, recording two of the four Mustang hits against ESU.
• The Mustangs would use a third inning boost and clutch pitching from Karlie Miller to defeat the University of Nebraska-Kearney 6-5 on Monday morning in to open the final day of the Washburn Invitational
• Johnson would finish 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI to lead the team offensively, while Jillian Noel would finish 1 for 3 with a home run, and Karlie Miller would settle in after a shaky first inning to go the distance, giving up five runs (all earned) on nine hits and four walks while striking out a career-high 10 batters.
• SMSU finished out the Washburn Invitational with a 11-2 loss at the hands of Washburn on the campus of Washburn University on Sunday afternoon.
 
2022 SMSU TEAM PREVIEW
•The 2022 Mustangs softball team mixes a strong group of veterans and newcomers, attempting build off a 2021 season that saw the programs first winning record in conference play since 2011, finishing 27-20 overall and 17-13 in NSIC action. 
•The team is one of the youngest in the conference, with just one senior and two juniors mixed in with nine sophomores and seven freshmen.  
•The SMSU offense returns four starters, including an all-NSIC second teamer in Bailey Johnson. Johnson hit .344 with a team-high .441 on-base percentage and 19 walks while adding 16 doubles, five home runs, 28 RBI and a 1.004 OPS. 
•Sophomore infielder Jillian Noel returns after a breakout first full season, hitting .311 with 14 doubles and 27 RBI. 
•Junior Lileya Kebos also returns after hitting .303 and leading the team with five triples and eight stolen bases a season ago. 
•Sophomore Molly Bull will lead the team behind the plate after starting 30 games and hitting .253 a season ago.  
•Shelby Bloemendaal and sophomore Allison Christians will lead the way for the Mustangs in the circle, bringing experience and prior success. 
•Bloemendaal has led the staff in innings pitched in each of the last two seasons, finishing with 124 2/3 last year while going 9-8 with a 3.87 ERA, adding 11 complete games and 69 strikeouts in 23 appearances. 
•Christians is back after appearing in 21 games last season, striking out 58 hitters in 58 1/3 innings of work and finishing with a 3.48 ERA. 
 
SMSU PICKED EIGHTH IN NSIC POLL
•Southwest Minnesota State University was picked to finish eighth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
•SMSU junior pitcher Shelby Bloemendaal and senior outfielder Bailey Johnson were both named "Players to Watch" in the conference this season. 
•Bloemendaal led the way in the circle for the Mustang last season firing a team-high 124 2/3 innings and 11 complete games, finishing with a 9-8 record with a 3.87 ERA.
• Johnson was a 2021 All-NSIC Second Team member after batting .344 with a team-high .441 on-base percentage. She hit 16 doubles, five home runs, 28 RBI and a 1.004 
 
ABOUT LEWIS (ILL.)
•Central Missouri is a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) where they were picked to finish eighth.
•The Flyers are 5-4 thus far, and 1-3 against NSIC opponents. 
 
ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
•West Virginia Wesleyan College is a member of the Mountain East Conference (MEC), where they were picked to finish fourth in the South Division.  
•The Bobcats are 2-2 on the season. 
 
ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF THE SCIENCES
•University of the Sciences is a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC), where they were picked to finish 10th.  
•The Devils will kick their season off at The Spring Games, where they are set to play 12 games in seven days. 
 
ABOUT TREVECCA NAZARENE
•Trevecca Nazarene is a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC), where they were picked to win the conference, receiving six of 12 votes. 
•The Trojans are 8-5 on the season thus far, and went 3-1 last weekend. 
 
ABOUT BLOOMFIELD (N.J.) 
•Bloomfield is a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC), where they were picked to finish sixth.  
•The Bears will open their season in Florida, playing 16 games from Mar. 6-Mar. 12.
 
ABOUT GRAND VALLEY STATE (MICH.)
•Grand Valley State is a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), where they were picked to win the conference while receiving the maximum amount of first place votes.  
•The Lakers are 5-0 to start the year and 2-0 against the NSIC thus far. 
 
ABOUT PALM BEACH ATLANTIC 
•Palm Beach Atlantic is a member of the Sunshine State Conference (SSC), where they were picked to finish fifth.  
•The Sailfish are 5-5 on the season. 
 
ABOUT AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE
•American International College (AIC) is a member of the Northeast-10 (NE10), where they were picked to finish 10th.  
•The Yellow Jackets open the season in Florida, with 12 games from Mar. 5-Mar. 12. 
 
ABOUT TAMPA
•The University of Tampa is a member of the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) where they were picked to win the conference with six of 11 first place votes.  
•The Spartans are 11-5 with a 3-2 record against ranked opponents and rank 11th in the latest NFCA DII Coaches Poll. 
 
 
ABOUT ECKERD
•Eckerd College is a member of the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) where they were picked to finish 10^th. 
•The Tritons are 6-6 on the season and 2-3 against ranked opponents 
 
 SERIES HISTORIES
•The Florida trip will mark the first time SMSU will match-up with West Virginia Wesleyan College, Grand Valley State and Palm Beach Atlantic. 
•SMSU and Lewis University will meet for the fifth time and first time since 2000, with each team winning a pair.
•The Mustangs will play the University of the Sciences for the third time and first time since 2012, with SMSU winning both previous meetings. 
•SMSU and Trevecca Nazarene will meet for the second time, as the Mustangs defeated the then nationally-ranked Trojans 8-4 in 2020. 
•The Mustangs will also face Bloomfield for the second time after defeating them 14-0 in 2004. 
•SMSU is 3-1 all-time against American International College (AIC), and defeated them 8-0 in their last meeting on Mar. 12, 2020. 
•The Mustangs will play at the University of Tampa for the ninth and 10^th times in their program history, going in with a 1-7 record. Their lone win came in their last meeting, when they split a pair of games in 2020. 
•SMSU is 2-3 all time against Eckerd College, and split their last meetings in 2019.  
 
 SEASON OPENERS
•SMSU is 31-20 all-time in season openers and is 10-3 in openers since the 2010 season after a dominant 8-0 win over Northwest Missouri State on Friday.
 
MUSTANG HISTORY
•Southwest Minnesota State is in its 51st season of softball in 2022.
•SMSU has played 1,920 games compiling an all-time record of 992-927-1.
•SMSU has won 10 NSIC regular season championships, two NSIC Tournament titles and has played in four NCAA Tournaments.