January 29, 2025

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Jan. 29, 2025)—The Dakota State University (S.D.) Trojan softball team (0-0 overall record) makes their 2025 season debut this weekend as they play their first of the three tournaments held at American State Bank Sports Complex (1080 7th Street NE) in Sioux Center, Iowa.  The Trojans face four teams from the Great Plains Athletic Conference in this weekend's two-day tournament, hosted by Dordt (Iowa).

The Trojans kick off the tournament on Friday evening, facing Doane (Neb.) (0-0 overall record) at 6 p.m.  DSU then take on Dordt in the nightcap at 8 p.m.  On Saturday, Dakota State takes on NAIA's No. 11 ranked Northwestern (Iowa) (0-0 overall record) at 2 p.m. and close the tournament at 6 p.m. against long time rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) (0-0 overall record).

The first tournament hosted by Dordt featured 10 teams from the GPAC (Concordia, Neb.; Dakota Wesleyan, Doane, Dordt, and Northwestern), North Star Athletic Association (Mayville State, N.D., and Dakota State), America Midwest Conference (Culver-Stockton), Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (York), and NCAA Division II Sioux Falls (S.D.).  The tournament games begin at 12 noon Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Dakota State will be playing their first 12 games of the 2025 season at the American State Bank Sports Complex in Sioux Center.  After this weekend, the Trojans return for another four-game slate on Feb. 14-15 and Feb. 21-22, all against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.

Next Up:  Dakota State plays Briar Cliff (Iowa), Mount Marty (S.D.), Northwestern, and Dakota Wesleyan in the second ASBSC Tournament on Feb. 14-15 in Sioux Center, Iowa.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) is competing in the North Star Athletic Association for the final year, before making transition to the Frontier Conference in the 2025-26 season.
+ The first 12 games of the 2025 season will be played at the American State Bank Sports Complex in Sioux Center, Iowa, before playing their first road doubleheader at Sterling (Kan.) on Feb. 28.
+ Dakota State won the last meeting with Doane (Neb.) 7-2 in the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational on March 9, 2020.
+ The Trojans are seeking for their first win over Dordt (Iowa) since April 25, 2013, where DSU swept DU in Sioux Center by the scores of 9-7 and 5-3.  The Defenders won both meetings last season at American State Bank Sports Complex, defeating DSU 8-7 in eight innings on Feb. 17, 2024, and 9-1 on Feb. 23, 2024.
+ Dakota State was swept by Northwestern (Iowa) in last year's meetings in Sioux Center, Iowa.  The Trojans' last win over the Red Raiders was on April 29, 2021, winning by the score of 3-2 in Orange City, Iowa.
+ Dakota Wesleyan swept Dakota State in last year's three meetings, including a meeting at ABSBC on Feb. 17, 2024.  The Tigers edged the Trojans 8-7 and 8-0 in Mitchell, S.D., on April 24, 2024.
+ DSU is seeking for their first win over DWU since March 24, 2022, held at Thue Field by the score of 9-7.
+ DSU have 22 athletes listed on their 2025 roster, with seniors Torrence Clelland, Michelle Evdos, and Hannah Feser.  Erin Skinner is in her second year as the head coach, assisted by Jade Laviolette and graduate assistant Carrington Entringer.

Noteworthy...
TROJANS IN THE CLASSROOM:   Dakota State (S.D.) tied for the most North Star Athletic Association softball scholar athletes in program history with 12 athletes last season.  Four Trojans also received the 2024 Daktronics-NAIA Softball Scholar-Athletes (Hannah Feser, Alexus Foster, Rosie Philop, and Mackenzie Sims).  As a team, the Trojan softball received the NAIA Scholar Team award.

DSU VS. GPAC:  Dakota State will be facing nine different opponents from the Great Plains Athletic Conference on their 2025 schedule.  The Trojans will play six games with Mount Marty (S.D.), four games with Waldorf (Iowa), and two games each against Northwestern (Iowa), Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), and College of Saint Mary (Neb.).

TROJANS IN THE RECORD BOOK:  Dakota State had set three new career records last season, led by Michelle Evdos.  She holds the all time in walks with 55 walks and batting average of .435 since the 2022 season.  Mackenzie Sims established a career record of 99 runs scored, while Evdos is fifth all-time with 85 runs scored.  Hannah McFarland is 10th with 80 runs scored since the 2023 season.  Evdos is two double shy of setting the all-time doubles (Nicole Stewart with 51 doubles from 2017-20 seasons).  She is also 15 runs batted ins for establishing a new all-time record (Brittany Hill—128 RBIs from 2012-15 seasons). 
 
2025 DSU SOFTBALL HOME SCHEDULE:  Dakota State has scheduled a total of 14 games on their 2025 home schedule at Thue Field.  The Trojans open their home schedule with a 10-game home stand on March 25 versus Waldorf (Iowa), followed by an eight-game home stand in the North Star Athletic Association.  DSU closes their home schedule on April 27 versus Bellevue (Neb.) in the regular-season finale.

A look at 2025 Dakota State softball schedule
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 7, 2025)—Dakota State (S.D.) plays their first three preseason tournament at America State Bank Sports Complex in Sioux Center, Iowa, this weekend, Feb. 14-15, and Feb. 21-22.  The Trojans will be facing all opponents from the Great Plains Athletic Conference during their first 12 games of the 2025 season.

Dakota State plays their first doubleheader of the season on Feb. 28 as they visit Sterling (Kan.) before their four-game slate in the Friends (Kan.) tournament on March 1-2 in Wichita, Kan.

DSU stays on the road on March 11 as they visit in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.) in a doubleheader.  The Trojans then play a home-and-away with former North Star Athletic Association foe Waldorf (Iowa), starting in Forest City on March 18 and in Madison for DSU's home opener on March 25 at Thue Field.

Dakota State then play 20-game North Star conference schedule on March 29-30, starting their eight-game conference home stand with Valley City State ((N.D.) and Jamestown (N.D.). 

The NSAA postseason tournament will be held at Bravera Field in Dickinson, N.D., on May 1-5.  The winner of the conference tournament receives the league's automatic bid to the national tournament.

2024 Dakota State softball season in review
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 29, 2025)—Dakota State (S.D.) finished their 2024 season with an overall record of 11-30 and 8-14 record in the North Star Athletic Association. 

The Trojans won four times in the last five North Star conference contests to close the regular-season, including a victory over the conference's leader Bellevue (Neb.) on April 27, 2024.  DSU, however, fell 0-2 record in the NSAA postseason conference tournament in Dickinson, N.D.

Two Trojans were named to the NSAA Softball All-Conference First Team, outfielder Hannah McFarland and Michelle Evdos at the at-large position.  McFarland also received the NSAA Gold Glove award for her defensive accomplishments on the field.

Dakota State had set numerous top 10 school records last season, most notably, Evdos with all-time records in batting average (.435) and walks (55).  She is also second all-time in doubles (50) and runs batted in (114).

Trojans in the 2025 NSAA softball preseason poll
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 21, 2025)—Dakota State (S.D.) was picked to finish sixth in the final year with the North Star Athletic Association softball, the coaches' preseason poll was announced. 

Bellevue (Neb.) was the coaches' favorite to win the North Star softball conference title after registering four first place votes and 33 points.  Valley City State (N.D.) earned the final two first place votes with 28 points, followed by Jamestown (N.D.) third with 25 points.  Dickinson State (N.D.) was fourth with 21 points and Mayville State (N.D.) fifth with 12 points.

The NSAA softball conference season gets underway on the weekend of March 29-30, with DSU hosting Valley City State in a four-game series at Thue Complex in Madison.  Each NSAA member will be playing a 20-game conference schedule, with four-game series against each team.  The conference postseason tournament returns to Bravera Field in Dickinson, N.D., on May 1-5.
 
2025 Dakota State Softball Returning Team Leaders

· Hits:  Hannah McFarland—46 hits

· Batting Average:  Hannah McFarland—.387 batting average (46-of-119 at-bats)

· Slugging Percentage:  Michelle Evdos—.495 slugging percentage (25 singles, 10 doubles, 1 home run)

· Runs Batted In (RBIs):  Michelle Evdos—27 runs batted in (RBIs)

· Doubles:  Michelle Evdos—10 doubles

· Triples:  Jordyn Jeffries—2 triples

· Home Runs:  Michelle Evdos, Quincy Hartley—1 home run

· Total Bases:  Hannah McFarland—55 total bases

· Runs Scored:  Hannah McFarland—35 runs

· Walks:  Hannah McFarland—23 walks

· Hit-by-Pitch:  Hannah McFarland, Michelle Evdos—3 hit-by-pitches

· Stolen Bases: Hannah McFarland—26 stolen bases

· On-base percentage:  Hannah McFarland—.497 on-base percentage

· Innings Pitched:  Maycee Bricker—90 1/3 innings

· Earned Runs Average (ERA):  Maycee Bricker—5.73 ERA

· Strikeouts (Pitching):  Maycee Bricker—35 strikeouts

· Complete Games (Pitching):  Maycee Bricker—4 complete games

· Wins:  Maycee Bricker—3 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