BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team was picked ninth in the 2026 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll as voted on by the leagues 16 head coaches. The announcement came Friday morning from the NSIC office.
 
Augustana was picked to finish first for the seventh consecutive season, earning 221 points and 12 first-place votes. Winona State was second with 202 points and received the other four first place votes. Minnesota State was selected in third with 197 points, Minnesota Duluth in fourth with 183 points, and St. Cloud State rounds out the top five with 175 points.
 
Concordia-St. Paul was picked sixth with 148 points, followed by Wayne State (138), Minot State (133), SMSU (111), and Sioux Falls (96) to close out the top 10. MSU Moorhead was selected 11^th with 80 points, followed by Bemidji State (68), Northern State (56), Minnesota Crookston (43), Jamestown (42) and UMary (27).
 
Augustana's junior outfielder/pitcher Desi Cuevas was named the preseason Player of the Year, with Winona State junior Izzy Howe named preseason Pitcher of the Year.
 
SMSU is coming off a 29-26 record in 2025, with an NSIC record of 11-17 and finishing tied for ninth in the conference. Eighth-year head coach Bailey Bouman, coming off her second winning season at SMSU, returns 10 letter winners from last year's squad.
 
"This group is somewhat young but mixed with experience. There are a few new faces, but this team has embraced the process from day one," said Bouman. "Their willingness to work, learn, and push each other has made preseason incredibly productive. They show up with purpose, and that mindset is setting the tone for what we believe will be an exciting season of growth."
 
SMSU's lone senior on the team, outfielder Riley Kramolisch, and sophomore pitcher Jordyn Marsh were selected as 'Players to Watch' for this season.
 
Kramolisch, a native of Omaha, Neb., earned All-NSIC second team honors last season leading the Mustangs in batting average, hitting .347. Her 67 total hits ranked third in a single season in team history, recording three doubles, a triple, and 21 RBIs. Kramolisch led the squad with 21 multi-hit games and finished third in NSIC play with 37 hits.

"Riley has been a consistent piece in our program since she got to campus," Bouman said. "She is a true Mustang, excellent in the classroom, active in the community and on campus, does the little things, works hard, and really sets the tone of our offense at the top of the order. We're excited to see where this year takes her!"
 
Marsh, a native of New Prague, Minn., acted as the Mustangs primary reliever and closer as a true freshman in 2025, making 35 appearances and one start. In 88 1/3 innings, Marsh had the lowest ERA (2.22) on the team, with 92 strikeouts, and allowing batters to hit just .230 against her.
 
"Jordyn had a great freshman year in a closing role," said Bouman. "We are looking forward to seeing her step into a new role with most of our innings thrown last year graduating it is going to be fun to see where the year takes her. She is driven, hardworking, and a true competitor who wants to be the best version of herself."
 
The Mustangs are currently conducting practice from inside the PE Gym and R/A Facility. SMSU opens its 2026 regular season on Feb. 6-7 with a four-game stretch inside the Husky Dome in St. Cloud, Minn., with two games against Concordia-St. Paul, and one game against Bemidji State and St. Cloud State.
 
The Mustangs have four sets of doubleheaders scheduled in the month of February, first against Minnesota State in the Maverick All-Sports Dome on Feb. 13 in Mankato, Minn. SMSU will then play Upper Iowa on Feb. 15, Sioux Falls on Feb. 18, and Nebraska-Kearney on Feb. 23, all in the American State Bank Sports Complex in Sioux Center, Iowa.
 
SMSU will once again compete in the Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., competing in several games from March 2-11, including a pair of doubleheaders against Tampa on March 7, and Florida Southern on March 10.
 
The Mustangs begin the 28-game conference schedule at MSU Moorhead on March 21 before making its home debut at Mustang Field on March 28 against Bemidji State.
 
The NSIC Softball Tournament will have a 10-team single elimination format over four days played at Bowden Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., on May 6-9.