WEEKEND PREVIEW
The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team continues the 2026 campaign with four non-conference games against Minnesota State on Friday, Feb. 13, and Upper Iowa on Sunday, Feb. 15.
Friday's doubleheader will be held in the Maverick All Sport Dome in Mankato, Minn., beginning at 5 p.m.
Sunday's doubleheader against the Peacocks will be held in Sioux Center, Iowa, at the American State Bank Sports Complex.
 
GAME COVERAGE
Live stats for the tournament will be available at SMSUmustangs.com
The tournament will be live streamed on the NSIC Network.

RECAP OF KELLY LAAS INVITATIONAL
SMSU finished last weekend with a 2-2 record in the Kelly Laas Invitational, hosted in the Husky Dome, on the campus of St. Cloud State.
The Mustangs began the 2026 campaign with a 10-4 win over Concordia-St. Paul Friday afternoon. Jordyn Marsh was credited with a win, pitching all seven innings, and striking out five batters. Grace Anderson had three hits in the game including a triple, and an RBI single in the fourth inning. Freshmen Kennah Bretschneider and Carley Stych both had two hits, and Stych and Emma Humpal both had a pair of RBIs.
SMSU were however defeated by tournament hosts St. Cloud State 3-2 in eight innings on Friday evening. Freshman pitcher Ramsey Hopp was credited with the loss, going 7 1/3 innings, while also getting two hits in the game, and scoring one run. Ava Rud provided the only RBI of the game in the sixth inning.
On Saturday morning, the Mustangs defeated the Bemidji State Beavers 7-1. SMSU exploded in the first inning, with Emma Humpal putting the Mustangs on the board with a 2-RBI triple, before Jordyn Marsh hit the first home run of the season for the team. Kennah Bretschneider and Grace Anderson provided SMSU with three more runs in the game. Jordyn Marsh went all seven innings on the mound, striking out nine batters, and allowing one run (none earned).
The Mustangs dropped the final game of the weekend in a rematch against Concordia-St. Paul 11-3 in six innings. Jordan Bussey started the game for SMSU, earning the loss, while Ramsey Hopp came in to pitch in the second inning. Carley Stych provided the team with 2 RBIs and was one of four Mustangs with two hits in the game.
 
HEAD COACH BAILEY BOUMAN
Bailey Bouman is in her seventh season as head coach at SMSU with an overall record of 143-176, including 75-97 in NSIC play.
The 11th head coach in program history, Bouman was named to the position on Aug. 8, 2018.
The Mustangs finished the 2025 campaign with a 29-26 record, the second winning record for Bouman as head coach, with a 11-17 NSIC record and a ninth-place finish in the conference.
SMSU finished with a 19-32 overall mark in 2024. Abby Boxrud and Paris Van Dyke became the first Mustangs to earn All-NSIC Defensive honors in the Bouman era.
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.
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.
 
MINNESOTA STATE SERIES HISTORY
SMSU and MSU will meet for the 106^th and 107^th time with the Mavericks leading 81-24 in a series that began in 1975.
The Mavericks were picked to finish second in the NSIC preseason poll.
SMSU has not won in this series since 2018 and have not won a game against MSU in Mankato since 2010.
The Mustangs are 20-55 in non-conference play against the Mavericks.
 
UPPER IOWA SERIES HISTORY
SMSU and BSU will meet for the 41^st and 42^nd time with the Mustangs leading 22-18 in a series that began in 2005.
The Peacocks were picked to finish 14^th in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).
SMSU has won seven of the last eight meetings against UIU while also holding a 4-1 record on a neutral site. Coach Bouman has a 7-3 record against Upper Iowa as coach of the Mustangs.
The Mustangs are 6-2 all-time in non-conference contests against the Peacocks.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE MUSTANGS
SMSU hosts Nebraska-Kearney again in Sioux Center on Monday, Feb. 23, beginning at 11 a.m.
The Mustangs next play in THE Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., beginning on March 2. All game times are listed online at smsumustangs.com/sports/softball.
 
MUSTANG HISTORY
Southwest Minnesota State is in its 55th season of softball in 2026.
SMSU has played in 2,119 games compiling an all-time record of 1,075-1,043-1.
The Mustangs have won 10 NSIC regular season championships, two NSIC Tournament titles and has played in four NCAA Tournaments.