WEEKEND INFORMATION
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARKANSAS TECH
GOLDEN SUNS
2025 Record: 27-28 (16-17 GAC) |
SIOUX FALLS
COUGARS
2025 Record: 21-29 (9-19 NSIC) |
#11 CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
BRONCHOS
2025 Record: 52-11 (20-4 MIAA) |
UPPER IOWA
PEACOCKS
2025 Record: 12-35 (8-20 GLVC) |
MCKENDREE
BEARCATS
2025 Record: 33-21 (18-10 GLVC) |
|
Sunday, February 1 | 11:30 a.m.
Track Field | Branson, Mo.
LIVE STATS |
Sunday, February 1 | 3:30 p.m.
Track Field | Branson, Mo.
LIVE STATS |
Monday, February 2 | 11:30 a.m.
Tanger Field | Branson, Mo.
LIVE STATS |
Monday, February 2 | 3 p.m.
Track Field | Branson, Mo.
LIVE STATS |
FIRST PITCH
The Arkansas Tech softball team is set to open their season over the next two days in Branson, Missouri for the Branson Leadoff Classic. This will be the second-straight year that the Golden Suns have begun their season at this classic.
Over the course of their time in Branson, the Golden Suns will take on Sioux Falls and No. 11-ranked Central Oklahoma on Sunday and then Upper Iowa and McKendree on Monday.
TECH(NICALLY) SPEAKING
The Golden Suns enter the 2026 season looking to take the next step under fourth-year head coach
Jordon Jones. Last season, the Golden Suns finished the year 27-28 overall and narrowly lost to No. 3-seed Southern Nazarene in nine innings in the opening round of the GAC Tournament.
This year, the Golden Suns are picked to finish in a tie for fifth-place with Southeastern Oklahoma in the GAC Preseason Coaches Poll.
Offensively, the Golden Suns return a pair of hitters that registered at least 150 at-bats last season in
Anna Winkfield and
Caroline Wilhelm. Both hit just under .290 last season and combined for 63 RBIs.
In the circle, the Golden Suns have the most to replace as they lost three pitchers to graduation. The most experience coming back is sophomore
Aly White. In her freshman season, White appeared in 25 games and made 11 starts. She would post a team-best 2.54 ERA and held opponents to a .224 batting average against in 110.1 innings of work.
Expected to bolster the pitching staff are three new arms in
Emily Richarde,
Jenny Shank and
Klaire Womack and an anticipated healthy return of
Ainslee Moore, who was injured much of her freshman year last season.
SCOUTING SIOUX FALLS
Sioux Falls ended the 2025 season with a 21-29 overall record and were 9-19 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
Ahead of this season, the Cougars are picked to finish 10th in the NSIC according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
Also listed in that preseason poll were a pair of players on the NSIC Players to Watch list. Representing the Cougars on that list were senior outfielder Meghan Jochimsen and senior pitcher Maddi Duncan.
The Cougars are led by
Tommy Downs, who in his first season as head coach at Sioux Falls and his fifth overall. In his previous four seasons as a head coach at the NAIA level, Downs was 102-81.
SCOUTING CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
Last season, Central Oklahoma went 52-11 overall and were 20-4 in the Mid-America Athletic Association (MIAA) during the regular season. After capturing the MIAA Regular Season Championship, UCO went on to win the MIAA conference tournament, the Central Region Tournament and the Central Region Super Regional for a trip to the DII Women's College World Series.
Ahead of this season, the Bronchos are picked to finish second in the MIAA according to the league's preseason coaches poll and are preseason ranked No. 11 by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
Under the direction of first-year head coach
Sam Maples, who spent six successful years at nearby Oklahoma Baptist, the Bronchos return of 10 players from last year's team and added 11 newcomers, with several of those expected to play important roles this season.
The Bronchos are led by senior returning All-American
Rylee Lemos, who spearheads UCO's offensive attack. UCO also has back three other full-time position starters in senior catcher/first baseman
Kennedy Clark, senior second baseman
Rylee Anglen and junior outfielder
Brooklyn Ryan, with each of them expected to play key offensive roles for the Bronchos.
Junior pitcher
Shelby Beard has seen extensive starting time in the circle the past two years and is the ringleader of what will be a young pitching staff as four freshmen are slated to complete the pitching staff and compete for innings.
SCOUTING UPPER IOWA
Last season, Upper Iowa went 12-35 overall and were 8-20 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) during the regular season. Ahead of this season, Upper Iowa is picked to finish 14th in the GLVC according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
Dorothy Ziebell returns as the Peacocks' top batter, slashing .280/.306/.373 last season. She had 16 runs batted in, eight doubles and one home run last season.
Addyson Alber also returns and slashed .254/.293/.326. The junior had a team-high 10 doubles and 11 RBIs.
Sara Reid returns for her senior campaign. She had eight wins in the circle last season. She also pitched 142.1 innings and recorded a team-best 107 strikeouts.
The Peacocks are led by
Rachel Rhode, who in her first season as head coach at Upper Iowa and her third overall. Prior to coming to Upper Iowa,
Rhode spent two seasons as the head coach at Northeastern State where she went 25-68.
SCOUTING MCKENDREE
Last season, McKendree went 33-21 overall and were 18-10 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) during the regular season. Ahead of this season, McKendree is picked to finish third in the GLVC according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
McKendree returns four All-GLVC selections in
Lauren Harris (First Team),
Sami Huck (Second Team),
Ellie Vetter (Second Team), and
Laynee Tapp (Honorable Mention).
The Bearcats are led by
Heather Tarter, who in her fifth season as head coach at McKendree and her sixth overall. At McKendree,
Tarter is 118-83 and is 141-114 overal
