WEEKLY PREVIEW
· The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team (1-2) returns to action this weekend with four games inside the Sioux Center Dome in Sioux City, Iowa.
· SMSU first plays on Sunday afternoon in a doubleheader versus William Jewell (Mo.) (3-3), with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.
· The Mustangs round out the trip on Monday with a doubleheader versus Truman State (Mo.) (2-3), beginning at 10 a.m.
 
GAME COVERAGE
· Live stats for all games will be available at SMSUmustangs.com
· All 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 94-118, 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.
 
QUICK HITS
· SMSU kicked off its season going 1-2 at the Minnesota State Dome Invite on Feb. 3-4. The Mustangs defeated Upper Iowa 6-4 in their season opener on Feb. 3, before suffering a pair of run-rule losses to Emporia State (Kan.) and Minnesota State the following day.
· Senior Jillian Noel finished the weekend hitting 3 for 8 at the plate, including one double and an RBI with a walk. Conference player to watch, Abby Russell, went 3 for 8 as well, hitting for a double with an RBI and a walk. In her first at bat of the season senior Paige Ahrendt notched the first SMSU score of the year to tie Upper Iowa 1-1. Ahrendt closed the weekend 2 for 7 at the plate with a walk.
· Newcomers Brynn Webber and Emma Humpal made their mark in the batter's box this weekend. Webber closed the trip going 3 for 8 at the dish with a double while scoring two runs. Humpal tallied an RBI against Upper Iowa with a single up the middle.
· Karlie Miller (1-1) picked up her first win of the season against the Peacocks, tossing a complete game and allowing four runs (three earned), and striking out six batters through seven innings. Miller finished the weekend with an ERA of 7.87 while pitching 10.2 innings. Morgyn Otte (0-1) was dealt the loss to the ESU, surrendering nine runs (seven earned) on eight hits, while walking three batters in 1 1/3 innings. In her first collegiate appearance, Jordan Bussey threw 3 2/3 innings, giving up no earned runs on four hits and a walk, while striking out four.
 
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.
· SMSU is scheduled to start its 28-game Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference slate on March 23.
· SMSU junior shortstop Abby Russell and junior pitcher Karlie Miller were both named "Players to Watch" in the conference this season.
 
ABOUT WILLIAM JEWELL
· WJC was picked to finish 14th in the Great Lakes Valley Conference this season.
· The Cardinals are 3-3 on the year after picking up a doubleheader sweep over Lincoln University of Missouri on Feb. 13.
· Sunday will be the first meeting between the Mustangs and Cardinals.
 
ABOUT TRUMAN STATE
· TSU was picked to finish 11th in the Great Lakes Valley Conference this season.
· The Bulldogs kicked off the year going 2-3 at the Alvy Early Memorial Tournament in Bentonville, Ark., on Feb. 9-10.
· SMSU and TSU will meet for the 20th time with the Bulldogs leading 13-6 in a series that started in 1990. The Mustangs have beat the Bulldogs in two of the last three meetings.
 
SEASON OPENERS
· After defeating Upper Iowa 6-4 on Feb. 3, SMSU is now 32-21 all-time in season openers and is 11-4 in openers since the 2010 season.
 
MUSTANG HISTORY
· Southwest Minnesota State is in its 53rd season of softball in 2024.
· SMSU has played in 2,012 games compiling an all-time record of 1,026-985-1.
· The Mustangs have won 10 NSIC regular season championships, two NSIC Tournament titles and has played in four NCAA Tournaments.