The Wayne State Softball team was selected 13^th in the 2025 Northern Sun Conference Softball Preseason Coaches Poll announced Thursday morning by the league office in Burnsville, Minnesota. The Wildcats received 43 points in voting after placing 14^th in the league last year with records of 8-40 overall and 4-20 in NSIC games. Senior pitcher Samantha Felt and sophomore outfielder Jordyn Klein were listed as Wildcats to Watch in the NSIC this season.
            Augustana, who won last year's regular-season and NSIC Tournament titles, was the unanimous selection to win the NSIC this season receiving 14 first-place votes and 196 points followed by Concordia-St. Paul in second at 174 points. Minnesota State was third receiving the remaining first-place ballot (cannot vote for own team) and 163 points with Minnesota Duluth (157) and Winona State (155) rounding out the top five teams.
            Felt, a 5-8 right-handed pitcher from Waukee, Iowa (Waukee HS) was listed as the Wildcat Pitcher to Watch after leading the Wildcats' staff last season in innings pitched (112.1) and earned run average (4.86). She had a team-high 24 starts and fired three complete games.
            Klein, a 5-8 sophomore outfielder from Omaha (Millard West HS) was listed as the Wildcat Player to Watch after leading the Wildcats last season in hits (46) and doubles (10). She also led the team in batting average (.299) and total bases (58) while starting 46 of 48 games in the outfield.
            Wayne State is scheduled to open the 2025 softball season on Wednesday, February 5^th at Dordt University in a doubleheader starting at 5:30 p.m. in the Dordt Dome at Sioux Center, Iowa.
 
 
2025 NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll
1.         Augustana (14)              196 pts.
2.         Concordia-St. Paul         174 pts.
3.         Minnesota State (1)        163 pts.
4.         Minnesota Duluth           157 pts.
5.         Winona State                 155 pts.
6.         Minot State                    125 pts.
7.         St. Cloud State               116 pts.
8.         MSU Moorhead               100 pts.
9.         Sioux Falls                       86 pts.
10.        Southwest Minn. State     81 pts.
11.        Northern State                  70 pts.
12.        Bemidji State                   54 pts.
13.        Wayne State                  43 pts.
14.        Minnesota Crookston       38 pts.
15.        University of Mary            17 pts