What's Lies Ahead: Thirteenth-ranked Minnesota State (43-10, 20-6 NSIC)  opens action in the 2011 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament Thursday.  Minnesota State, which is the fourth-seed, plays fifth-seeded Winona State at Bowden Field on the campus of Augustana College beginning at 10 a.m.

The Rest of the Field: Augustana is the #1 seed in the event and the host and plays eighth-seeded U-Mary at Noon (Bowden Field).  Minnesota Duluth, the #3 seed, plays sixth-seeded Southwest Minnesota State at Sherman Field at 10 a.m., while second-seeded Wayne State plays the #7 seed, Concordia at Noon at Sherman Field.  To view the complete bracket, click HERE

Against the Field:  Minnesota State is 14-6 in 20 games against the teams in the NSIC tournament.  Senior third baseman Julie O'Neal leads the team in batting against the field with .500 average, going 32-of-64 with three home runs and a team-high 19 RBI.  Freshman catcher Kelly Wood and senior first baseman Natalie Spicer each have a team-high four home runs against the teams in the NSIC tournament.  Junior pitcher Kendra Huettlis 9-4 with a 2.22 ERA in 78.2 innings against the field with a team-best 91 punchouts.  
    As a team, MSU is hitting .314 against the field with 99 runs scored, 30 doubles and 21 RBI.  The pitching staff owns a 2.91 earned run record average while striking out 157 batters and limiting the opponents to a .214 batting average.  

Head Coach Lori Meyer:  One of the most respected coaches in all of NCAA  Division II softball, Lori Meyer  is in her 26th year as the head coach of the Minnesota State softball team.  Meyer owns a career record of 867-561-3 (.607) in 1,431 games.  A seven-time NCC Coach of the Year, Meyer has guided the Mavericks to three North Central Conference titles (1987, 1989 and 2007), and guided the ‘87 Mavericks to a third-place finish at the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

Minnesota State History:  The 2011 season is the 37th for Maverick softball.  MSU owns an all-time record of 992-658-7 (.601) in 1,657 games, and have four North Central Conference titles (1984, 1987, 1989, 2007) and nine appearances in the NCAA Division II National Tournament (1984, 1987, 1989, 1995, 1997, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010) to its credit.

In the Ranks: The Mavericks are ranked #2 in the latest NCAA Central Region rankings which were released today. In the latest NFCA/NCAA Division II Coaches Poll, which was released Wednesday, the Mavericks were ranked #13.  To view the NCAA rankings, click HERE and to view the NFCA rankings, click HERE

Up Until Now:  Minnesota State played to a 43-10 record during the regular season, marking the fourth 40-win season in program history.  In NSIC play, MSU was 20-6.

Scouting the Warriors: Winona State enters the NSIC tournament with a 34-9 record.  During the regular season, MSU went 3-1 against the Warriors, including a league-sweep in late April.  
    
Junior outfielder Kathy Crudo leads WSU at the plate with a .442 average with 36 runs scored, 13 doubles, ten home runs and 49 runs batted in.  Junior first baseman  Molly Link is hitting .433 with a team-high 55 runs scored  to go with 19 doubles, ten home runs and 43 RBI.  In the circle, Senior pitcher Courtney Strang leads the team with a 17-6 record to go with a 3.22 earned run average in 24 appearances.  Senior hurler Stacey Struzynski leads the team with a 1.75 ERA and a 10-3 record in 14 appearances.  
    
The Warriors are coached by Greg Jones.

Against the Warriors:  Minnesota State senior first baseman Natalie Spicer led MSU in hitting .600 in ten trips to the plate.  Three of Spicer's six hits where home runs while one was a double en route to driving in eight runs.  Freshman catcher Kelly Wood is batting .583 with seven hits in 12 trips and a home runs.  In the circle, sophomore Courtney McKelvogue is 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA against WSU while junior Kendra Huettl s 2-1 with a 3.82 ERA in 18-and-a-third innings against the Warriors.  During that span, Huettl has struck out 17.

To view the complete release, click HERE