February 12, 2024

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Feb. 12, 2024)—The Dakota State University (S.D.) Trojan softball team (0-0 overall record) makes their 2024 season debut in the Dordt (Iowa) Dome Tournament with four games scheduled.  It will be the second straight year that the Trojans open their season with a pair of Dordt Dome tournament on back-to-back weekends. 

First year head coach Erin Skinner will be taking her squad against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference members this weekend at American State Bank Sports Complex (1080 7th Street NE) in Sioux Center, Iowa.  The Trojans open the season Friday afternoon at 12 p.m. against nationally-ranked Northwestern (Iowa) (7-0 overall record, No. 15 ranked in the NAIA Softball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 poll), followed by a contest with Briar Cliff (Iowa) (0-0 overall record) at 4 p.m. on the west field. 

DSU continues their action on Saturday afternoon against host team Dordt (Iowa) (1-6 overall record) at 2 p.m. and rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) (1-4 overall record) at 4 p.m., both games on east field.

The Trojans finished their 2023 season with an overall record of 15-34 and 12-15 record in the North Star Athletic Association.  DSU was 2-2 record in the NSAA postseason tournament, falling short to Dickinson State (N.D.) in extra innings affair. 

Next Up:  Dakota State returns to American State Bank Sports Complex for the second Dordt (Iowa) Dome Tournament.  The Trojans face four contests against members of the GPAC conference, including Morningside (Iowa), Dordt, Northwestern (Iowa), and College of Saint Mary (Neb.). 

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) plays in the Dordt (Iowa) Dome Tournament for the second straight year, including back-to-back weekends in Sioux Center, Iowa.
+ All eight games in the American State Bank Sports Complex in Sioux Center this weekend and next weekend are from the members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.
+ The Trojans open their season against Northwestern (Iowa) for the second straight season (NWIA defeated DSU 7-1 in last year Trojans' season opener in Sioux Center). 
+ The Red Raiders swept the season series with DSU last season in the Dordt Dome.  Dakota State is seeking for their first win over NWIA since April 29, 2021 (DSU won 3-2 in Orange City, Iowa).
+ Briar Cliff (Iowa) swept Dakota State in last year's meeting in Sioux City, Iowa.  The Trojans swept the Chargers during the 2022 season at Thue Field.  Both teams will be playing their neutral site contest for the first time since March 6, 2021 (Wichita, Kan., in the Friends, Kan. tournament).
+ The Trojans are seeking to halt their 14-game losing streak in the series meeting with Dordt (Iowa).  The Defenders swept DSU in last year's meetings in the dome.  The last time DSU defeated DU was on April 25, 2013, in a doubleheader sweep.
+ Dakota State and Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) had altered victories in the previous three meetings, with the Trojans winning the last meeting on March 24, 2022, at Thue Field by the score of 9-7.

Noteworthy...
TROJANS IN PRESEASON TOURNAMENT:   Dakota State (S.D.) is scheduled to play a total of 13 games in their first three preseason tournaments to kick off the 2024 season.  The Trojans play a pair of 4-game slate in the Dordt (Iowa) Dome Tournament this weekend and next weekend.  DSU then travels to Wichita, Kan., on March 1-2 to play five games in the Friends (Kan.) Tournament.  DSU plays two games on the first day on March 1, followed by a 3-game schedule on March 2.

DSU VERSUS NAIA CONFERENCE TEAMS:  Dakota State plays their first nine non-conference games against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, including three contests against NAIA's Top 25 nationally ranked teams No. 15 Northwestern (Iowa) twice and No. Midland (Neb.).  The Trojans also play teams from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and America Midwest Conference before their North Star Athletic Association conference opener.

2024 DSU SOFTBALL ROSTER OVERVIEW:  Dakota State have 23 players listed on this year softball roster on dsuathletics.com.  Erin Skinner is entering her first year as the head coach for the Trojan softball team, assisted by Corri Morgan.   DSU have four seniors listed on this year's roster, including Rosie Philop who is returning for her fifth year.  Olivia Peterson, Mackenzie Sims, and Alexus Foster are the seniors for DSU.
 
EVDOS BECOMES FIRST NAIA ALL-AMERICA HONORABLE MENTION:  Michelle Evdos became the first Trojan softball athlete to be named NAIA All-America Honorable Mention in school history in 2023.  She led the overall North Star Athletic Association in batting average of .457 (64-of-140 at the plate) in 2023.  She also had a slugging percentage of .829 (20 doubles and eight home runs) and drove in 44 runs (RBIs).

A look at 2024 Dakota State softball schedule
Madison, S.D. (Dec. 11, 2023)—Dakota State (S.D.) is scheduled to play in three straight preseason tournaments to kick off their 2024 season, under the first-year head coach Erin Skinner.  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.

After playing a pair of tournaments in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dakota State is slated to play five games in the Friends (Kan.) tournament in Wichita, Kan., on March 1-2. 

The Trojans are tentatively scheduled to play their home open on March 10 versus Mount Marty (S.D.) followed by road doubleheader at Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on March 12.  DSU opens their 24-game North Star Athletic Association schedule at home versus Mayville State (N.D.) on March 16-17 and Dickinson State (N.D.) on March 23-24.  DSU plays a pair of non-conference doubleheaders during the NSAA season.

The North Star Athletic Association postseason tournament returns to Bravera Field in Dickinson, N.D., from May 3-6.  The winner of the conference tournament receives an automatic bid to the NAIA Softball National Tournament Opening Round on May 13-16 at campus sites.  The winners of the national tournament opening round move to the NAIA World Series in Columbus, Ga., on May 23-29.

2023 Trojan softball season in review
Madison, S.D. (Feb. 14, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) finished their 2023 season with an overall record of 15-34 and 12-15 record in the North Star Athletic Association contests.  The Trojans finished fourth in the standings and went 2-2 record in the postseason tournament, despite dropping a pair of one-run contests including against top-seeded Bellevue (Neb.) and third-seeded Dickinson State (N.D.)

Five Trojans were named to 2023 NSAA All-Conference teams, led by Michelle Evdos as a two-time First Team selection.  She also became the first DSU softball in program history to be named to NAIA All-America Honorable Mention Team.   She holds numerous school records in the DSU softball 'Top 10'.

Mackenzie Sims and Carrington Entringer were also selected to the NSAA Softball All-Conference First Team.  Hannah McFarland and Rosie Philop were named to the conference's Second Team All-Conference.  Philop was named to the NSAA Softball Champions of Character recipient.

Dakota State also produced the most single-season Daktronics-NAIA Softball Scholar-Athletes in school program history, with six student-athletes receiving the prestigious national academic award.

DSU tabs to finish fourth in NSAA preseason poll
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 18, 2023)—Dakota State (S.D.) collected 26 points to place fourth in the 2024 North Star Athletic Association Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll.  Points were awarded on a 7-1 basis in the conference preseason poll.

Bellevue (Neb.) was the league favorite to win the conference title for the third straight year.  BU picked up six first-place votes and 48 points to claim the top spot.  Valley City State (N.D.) earned the final first place vote and 37 points to finish second.  The Vikings edged Dickinson State (N.D.) by one point (36 points). 

Viterbo (Wis.) was fifth with 19 points, followed by Mayville State (N.D.) sixth with 15 points, and Waldorf seventh with 10 points.

Each North Star softball members are scheduled to play a 24-game conference schedule.

2024 Dakota State Softball Returning Team Leaders

· Hits:  Michelle Evdos—64 hits

· Batting Average:  Michelle Evdos—.457 batting average (64-of-140 at-bats)

· Slugging Percentage:  Michelle Evdos—.829 slugging percentage (32 singles, 20 doubles, 4 triples, 8 home runs)

· Runs Batted In (RBIs):  Michelle Evdos—44 runs batted in (RBIs)

· Doubles:  Michelle Evdos—20 doubles

· Triples:  Mackenzie Sims, Michelle Evdos—4 triples

· Home Runs:  Michelle Evdos—8 home runs

· Total Bases:  Michelle Evdos—116 total bases

· Runs Scored:  Hannah McFarland—45 runs

· Walks:  Michelle Evdos—23 walks

· Hit-by-Pitch:  Alexus Foster—3 hit-by-pitches

· Stolen Bases: Hannah McFarland—14 stolen bases

· On-base percentage:  Michelle Evdos—.530 on-base percentage

· Innings Pitched:  Maycee Bricker—120 1/3 innings

· Earned Runs Average (ERA):  Maycee Bricker—6.17 ERA (106 earned runs in 120 1/3 innings)

· Strikeouts (Pitching):  Maycee Bricker—71 strikeouts

· Complete Games (Pitching):  Maycee Bricker—10 complete games

· Wins:  Maycee Bricker—8 wins

· Saves:  Maycee Bricker—1 save

Follow Trojan Softball

· Twitter:  @DSU_Trojans

· Facebook:  DSUTrojans

· Instagram:  trojans.athletics

· Dakota State Softball Twitter:  @DSUSoftball

· Dakota State Softball Facebook:  @Dakota-State-University-Softball

· Dakota State Softball Instagram:  dsu_softball