WEEKLY PREVIEW
· The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team opens the 2024 season this weekend with three games at the Minnesota State Dome Invite in Mankato, Minn.
· SMSU begins the season on Saturday evening, taking on former-NSIC member Upper Iowa at 7:45 p.m.
· The Mustangs close the weekend on Sunday with a match-up against Emporia State (Kan.) at 11:15 a.m., followed by a non-conference game against tournament host Minnesota State at 1:30 p.m.
· SMSU is scheduled to play 51 regular season games, including its 28-game Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference slate starting on March 23.
 
GAME COVERAGE
· Live stats for all games will be available at SMSUmustangs.com
· All three games will be live streamed on the NSIC Network.
 
HEAD COACH BAILEY BOUMAN
· Bailey Bouman enters her sixth season as head coach at SMSU with an overall record of 93-116, including 54-62 in NSIC play.
· The 11th head coach in program history, Bouman was named to the position on Aug. 8, 2018.
· The Mustangs finished the 2023 season 17-32 and missed the NSIC Tournament for the first time in three seasons.
· SMSU finished 21-31 in 2022, and won its second NSIC Tournament game in consecutive seasons.
· The Mustangs finished 27-20 in 2021, their best season since 2011, while winning their first NSIC tournament game since Bouman's first season in 2019.
· 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.
 
SMSU PICKED NINTH IN NSIC PRESEASON POLL
· SMSU was chosen ninth in the 2024 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll as voted on by the leagues 15 head coaches.
· Augustana, the three-time defending NSIC regular season champions, were chosen as the preseason favorite in earning 193 points with 11 first place votes (coaches cannot rank their own team).
· SMSU junior shortstop Abby Russell and junior pitcher Karlie Miller were both named "Players to Watch" in the conference this season.
 
2024 SEASON OUTLOOK
· The 2024 Mustang roster features 16 players with nine returning letter winners, including six of its top hitters and two of its four pitchers from last season's squad that finished 11th in the NSIC. SMSU welcomes seven true freshmen to this season's squad.
· The SMSU offense brings back several starters, including its top four hitters.
· Abby Russell earned All-NSIC second team honors last season after batting a team-best .301 (47 for 156) with 10 doubles, a triple, four home runs, and 20 RBIs while scoring 24 runs and tallying five steals. Additionally, Russell finished in the top 15 of the NSIC in doubles (10), hits (34), batting average (.386), and stolen bases (5).
· Senior third baseman Jillian Noel started every game for the Mustangs last season and batted .293 (43 for 147) with eight doubles, a triple, four home runs, 26 RBIs and 29 runs scored.
· Senior catcher Molly Bull returns behind the plate after throwing out an NSIC-best 13 baserunners stealing last season. Bull batted .280 (40 for 143) with six doubles, a triple, 17 RBI, and 13 runs scored.
· Senior second baseman Makenna Waldow also returns after batting .266 (29 for 109) with a pair of doubles, 10 RBI, eight runs scored, and an NSIC leading 17 sacrifice bunts, also good enough for fifth in the nation in sacrifice bunts per game.
· Senior Paige Ahrendt returns after a breakout junior season, hitting .273 (38 for 139) with six doubles, 22 RBI, and four runs scored, while totaling a .990 fielding percentage.
· Junior Karlie Miller led the way in the circle for the Mustangs last season firing a team-best 123 2/3 innings with a 1.72 WHIP, finishing with a 7-12 record with a 3.74 ERA. Miller finished with 16 complete games and limited opposing hitters to a team-low .292 batting average last season, while recording 82 strikeouts, including striking out 10 batters in two games.
· Junior Morgyn Otte will join Miller in the circle for the Mustangs, bringing two seasons of experience. Otte is back after appearing in 15 games last season, including eight starts, striking out 40 hitters in 59 innings.
 
ABOUT UPPER IOWA
· The University of Upper Iowa, currently a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, was a member of the NSIC from 2006-23.
· The Peacocks finished 17-26 overall and 12th in the NSIC last season with a 9-16 record.
· Upper Iowa was picked to finish 12th in the GLVC preseason poll.
 
ABOUT EMPORIA STATE
· Emporia State is a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association conference.
· ESU closed the 2023 season 33-23 overall and finished seventh in the MIAA with a 13-13 record in conference play.
· The Hornets were picked to finish ninth in the MIAA preseason poll.
 
ABOUT MINNESOTA STATE
· Minnesota State was predicted to finish fourth in the NSIC in 2024 in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
· The Mavericks went 31-19 in 2023, eventually losing to Bemidji State in the NSIC Tournament.
 
UPPER IOWA SERIES HISTORY
· SMSU and UIU will meet for the 40^th time, with the Mustangs leading 21-18 in a series that began in 2005.
· The Mustangs have defeated the Peacocks in four of the previous five meetings, including splitting a doubleheader in 2023.
· SMSU is 5-2 in non-conference contests against Upper Iowa.
 
EMPORIA STATE SERIES HISTORY
· SMSU and ESU will meet for the eighth time, with the Hornets leading 5-2 in a series that started in 1992.
· ESU defeated SMSU at the Washburn Invitational last season 7-4 and has beat the Mustangs in all five previous matchups.
· The Mustangs last win over the Hornets came in the 2007 season.

MINNESOTA STATE SERIES HISTORY
· SMSU and MSU will meet for the 101st time, with the Mavericks leading 76-24 in a series that began in 1975.
· The Mustangs were swept by the Mavericks last season, and have not beat MSU since May 3, 2018.
· SMSU is 10-37 all-time in Mankato. 

SEASON OPENERS
· SMSU is 31-21 all-time in season openers and is 10-4 in openers since the 2010 season.
 
MUSTANG HISTORY
· Southwest Minnesota State is in its 53rd season of softball in 2024.
· SMSU has played in 2,009 games compiling an all-time record of 1,025-983-1.
· The Mustangs have won 10 NSIC regular season championships, two NSIC Tournament titles and has played in four NCAA Tournaments.