December 11, 2023

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) released their 2024 softball schedule, with three preseason tournaments to kick off the season followed by a 24–game North Star Athletic Association slate.  The Trojans are scheduled to play a total of 16 home games at Thue Field in downtown Madison, including a season-high 10-game home stand from mid-March to the end of March.

First year head coach Erin Skinner and her squad begin the 2024 season in back-to-back weekends in the American State Bank Sports Complex Softball Classic, hosted by Dordt (Iowa) in Sioux Center.  The Trojans will face all opponents from the Great Plains Athletic Conference in both tournaments.

DSU begins their season against Northwestern (Iowa) and Briar Cliff (Iowa) on Feb. 17, followed by a pair of contests against host-team Dordt (Iowa) and Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Feb. 18.  The Trojans continue their action in the second tournament in Sioux Center, facing Morningside (Iowa) and Dordt on Feb. 23.  DSU wraps up Dordt tournament on Feb. 24 versus Northwestern and College of Saint Mary (Neb.).

Dakota State plays their final preseason tournament on March 1-2, competing in the Friends (Kan.) Tournament in Wichita, Kan.  The opponents and game times will be determined later.

DSU is scheduled to play their season home opener on March 10 versus in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.) at Thue Field.  The Trojans then travel to Mitchell two days later for a doubleheader with Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) in Mitchell.

Dakota State officially opens their North Star softball schedule with a four-game series at home versus Mayville State (N.D.) on March 16-17.  The Trojans continue their North Star conference home stand on March 23-24 as they host Dickinson State (N.D.) and concludes their eight-game home stand in a non-conference doubleheader with Morningside (Iowa) on March 30.

DSU plays their first road North Star contests at Valley City State (N.D.) on April 6-7.  The Trojans stay on the road at Mount Marty on April 10.  Dakota State resumes to the conference play at Viterbo (Wis.) on April 13-14 before playing their final North Star home contests with Waldorf (Iowa) on April 20-21. 

The Trojans wrap up their regular-season schedule with a league four-game series at Bellevue (Neb.) on April 27-28.

Stay tuned to the DSU Athletics website on dsuathletics.com for future updates on schedule changes, games times, or games addition.

The North Star Athletic Association softball postseason tournament returns to Dickinson, N.D., at Bravera Field on May 3 through May 6.  The winner of the conference postseason tournament receives an automatic bid to the NAIA Softball National Tournament Opening Round on May 13-16, 2024, at campus sites.

The 43^rd annual NAIA Softball World Series will be held on May 23-29, 2024, in Columbus, Ga.