2024 North Dakota State Bison softball team

American college softball season

2024 North Dakota State Bison softball

Conference	Summit League
Record	17–37 (4–14 Summit)
Head coach	Darren Mueller (23rd season)
Assistant coaches	Gerice Olson Kayti Grable
Home stadium	Tharaldson Park
Seasons ← 2023 2025 →

2024 Summit League softball standings
v t e	Conf				Overall
Team	W		L	PCT	W		L	PCT
South Dakota State ‍†‍‍	14	–	2	.875	33	–	22	.600
Omaha ‍‍‡‍^y	14	–	4	.778	43	–	15	.741
St. Thomas* ‍‍‍	8	–	9	.471	16	–	34	.320
Kansas City ‍‍‍	8	–	10	.444	23	–	32	.418
South Dakota ‍‍‍	7	–	10	.412	23	–	30	.434
North Dakota ‍‍‍	6	–	12	.333	14	–	42	.250
North Dakota State ‍‍‍	4	–	14	.222	17	–	37	.315
* Ineligible for the 2024 NCAA tournament due to transition from Division III

† – Conference champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA tournament As of May 19, 2024^[1] Rankings from NFCA/USA Today

The 2024 North Dakota State Bison softball team was an American college softball team that represented North Dakota State University during the 2024 NCAA Division I softball season. The Bison were led by Darren Mueller in his twenty-third season, and played their home games at Tharaldson Park in Fargo, North Dakota. They compete in the Summit League.
The Bison finished the season with a 17–36 record overall, and a 4–14 record in the Summit League. They made the 2024 Summit League softball tournament as the sixth seed. The Bison were eliminated in the first round by third-seeded Kansas City.^[2]

Previous season

The Bison finished the 2023 season with a 30–21 record, and a 13–8 record in Summit League play. NDSU played in the Summit League tournament as the third seed. They defeated Kansas City on day one,^[3] but lost to Omaha^[4] and South Dakota State^[5] on day two to be eliminated before the semifinals for the third year in a row.

Personnel

Roster

2024 North Dakota State Roster
	Pitchers 5 – Addie Bowers – Freshman 9 – Kaitlyn Dunford – Freshman 54 – Piper Reed – Sophomore 91 – Madison Wihlm – Freshman 99 – Savy Williams – Junior Outfielders 1 – Emilee Buringa – Senior 17 – Faith Daehlin – Junior 21 – Macy Fry – Freshman 22 – Ella Claus – Sophomore		Infielders 3 – Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage – Senior 4 – Rylee Henderson – Freshman 11 – Riley Leadstrom – Sophomore 12 – Bella Dean – Sophomore 20 – Taylinn Warren – Freshman 42 – Chloe Woldruff – Junior Utility 7 – Star Cortez (INF/OF) – Freshman 14 – Reanna Rudd (C/INF) – Senior 15 – Jasmyn Yessian (C/INF) – Freshman 35 – Zoe King (C/INF) – Sophomore 47 – Ava Chavarria (C/INF) – Sophomore
Reference:^[6]

2024 North Dakota State Roster

Pitchers

5 – Addie Bowers – Freshman
9 – Kaitlyn Dunford – Freshman
54 – Piper Reed – Sophomore
91 – Madison Wihlm – Freshman
99 – Savy Williams – Junior

Outfielders

1 – Emilee Buringa – Senior
17 – Faith Daehlin – Junior
21 – Macy Fry – Freshman
22 – Ella Claus – Sophomore

Infielders

3 – Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage – Senior
4 – Rylee Henderson – Freshman
11 – Riley Leadstrom – Sophomore
12 – Bella Dean – Sophomore
20 – Taylinn Warren – Freshman
42 – Chloe Woldruff – Junior

Utility

7 – Star Cortez (INF/OF) – Freshman
14 – Reanna Rudd (C/INF) – Senior
15 – Jasmyn Yessian (C/INF) – Freshman
35 – Zoe King (C/INF) – Sophomore
47 – Ava Chavarria (C/INF) – Sophomore

Reference:^[6]

Coaching staff

2024 North Dakota State Coaching Staff
Name	Position
Darren Mueller	Head coach
Gerice Olson	Associate head coach
Kayti Grable	Assistant coach
Reference:^[7]

Schedule

2024 North Dakota State Bison softball game log

Regular Season (17–37)

February (6–11)
Date Time	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Win	Loss	Save	Attendance	Overall Record	Summit League Record
February 9 1:30 PM	vs. Furman		Boseman Field Wilmington, NC	1–4	Tufts (1–0)	Williams (0–1)	Buzhardt (1)	115	0–1	–
February 10 8:30 AM	vs. Queens		Boseman Field	0–3	Courtney (1–1)	Reed (0–1)	Dunn (1)	85	0–2	–
February 10 1:30 PM	vs. Northern Kentucky		Boseman Field	5–2	Dunford (1–0)	Hicks (0–2)	None	156	1–2	–
February 11 9:50 AM	vs. DePaul		Boseman Field	3–2	Williams (1–1)	Nigey (0–2)	None	137	2–2	–
February 11 12:10 PM	at UNC Wilmington		Boseman Field	5–1	Bowers (1–0)	Eckert (0–1)	None	218	3–2	–
February 13 3 PM	at East Carolina		Max R. Joyner Family Stadium Greenville, NC	4–5	Hatch (4–0)	Williams (1–2)	None	247	3–3	–
February 14 4 PM	at No. 11 Duke		Duke Softball Stadium Durham, NC	0–18⁽⁵⁾	Drogemuller (1–0)	Dunford (1–1)	None	185	3–4	–
February 16 8:30 AM	vs. Elon		Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium Raleigh, NC	8–7⁽⁸⁾	Dunford (2–1)	Dew (0–2)	Reed (1)	50	4–4	–
February 16 1:30 PM	at NC State		Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium	4–6	Wyman (1–0)	Reed (0–2)	Weixlmann (1)	98	4–5	–
February 17 8:30 AM	vs. Elon		Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium	5–7⁽⁸⁾	Cherry (2–0)	Bowers (1–1)	None	47	4–6	–
February 17 4 PM	vs. Campbell		Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium	7–2	Dunford (3–1)	Gregory (0–3)	None	32	5–6	–
February 18 8:30 AM	vs. UConn		Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium	3–1	Reed (1–2)	Jenkins (0–1)	Williams (1)	32	6–6	–
February 23 2 PM	vs. Southeastern Louisiana		Davis Diamond College Station, TX	1–5	Blanchard (4–0)	Williams (1–3)	None		6–7	–
February 23 7 PM	at No. 18 Texas A&M		Davis Diamond	0–10⁽⁵⁾	Kennedy	Williams (1–4)	None	1,877	6–8	–
February 24 2 PM	vs. Kansas		Davis Diamond	3–8	DesRochers (1–0)	Reed (1–3)	None		6–9	–
February 24 7 PM	at No. 18 Texas A&M		Davis Diamond	0–10⁽⁵⁾	Kennedy (6–0)	Bowers (1–2)	None	2,331	6–10	–
February 25 11:30 AM	vs. Kansas		Davis Diamond	6–15⁽⁶⁾	Bruno (1–1)	Williams (1–4)	None		6–11	–

March (9–12)
Date Time	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Win	Loss	Save	Attendance	Overall Record	Summit League Record
March 1 12 PM	vs. Georgetown		Draper Diamond Nashville, TN	9–2	Bowers (2–2)	Parker (3–4)	None	43	7–11	–
March 1 5 PM	at Lipscomb		Draper Diamond	8–1	Wihlm (1–1)	Laine (2–4)	None	58	8–11	–
March 2 10 AM	vs. Murray State		Draper Diamond	0–2	Veber (7–3)	Bowers (2–3)	None	78	8–12	–
March 2 12:30 PM	at Lipscomb		Draper Diamond	5–1	Williams (2–4)	Sapp (4–4)	None	97	9–12	–
March 3 10 AM	vs. Georgetown		Draper Diamond	4–3⁽⁸⁾	Wihlm (2–1)	Dunn (4–4)	None	127	10–12	–
March 8 5 PM	at Santa Clara		Santa Clara Softball Stadium Santa Clara, CA	2–3	Valdez (2–0)	Bowers (2–4)	None	174	10–13	–
March 8 7:30 PM	at Santa Clara		Santa Clara Softball Stadium	3–4	Seva (3–4)	Wihlm (2–2)	None	174	10–14	–
March 9 12 PM	vs. Loyola Marymount		Spartan Softball Stadium San Jose, CA	5–6⁽⁸⁾	Hooks (2–0)	Reed (1–4)	None	111	10–14	–
March 9 2:30 PM	at San Jose State		Spartan Softball Stadium	3–4	Toner (2–2)	Dunford (3–2)	None	384	10–16	–
March 10 12 PM	at San Jose State		Spartan Softball Stadium	1–2	Toner (3–2)	Reed (1–5)	None	118	10–17	–
March 12 4 PM	at Pacific		Bill Simoni Field Stockton, CA	2–1⁽⁸⁾	Dunford (4–2)	Smith (1–4)	None	66	11–17	–
March 15 12 PM	vs. Marist		Cottrell Field Moraga, CA	3–8	Myers (7–2)	Dunford (4–3)	None	52	11–18	–
March 15 5 PM	at Saint Mary's		Cottrell Field	0–1	Nishikawa (6–3)	Bowers (2–5)	None	91	11–19	–
March 16 12 PM	vs. Marist		Cottrell Field	2–0	Williams (3–4)	Pleasants (3–3)	None	49	12–19	–
March 16 2:30 PM	at Saint Mary's		Cottrell Field	2–12⁽⁵⁾	Bennett (2–1)	Reed (1–6)	None	67	12–20	–
March 22 1 PM	at Omaha		Connie Claussen Field Omaha, NE	3–11⁽⁵⁾	Meyer (1–0)	Williams (3–5)	None	53	12–21	0–1
March 22 3 PM	at Omaha		Connie Claussen Field	1–2	Nuismer (8–3)	Bowers (2–6)	Meyer (3)	69	12–22	0–2
March 23 11 AM	at Omaha		Connie Claussen Field	0–7	Meyer (14–3)	Bowers (2–7)	None	109	12–23	0–3
March 29 3 PM	St. Thomas		Tharaldson Park Fargo, ND	4–0	Bowers (3–7)	Cook (5–7)	None	164	13–23	1–3
March 30 12 PM	St. Thomas		Tharaldson Park	13–4⁽⁵⁾	Dunford (5–3)	Cook (5–8)	None	125	14–23	2–3
March 30 2 PM	St. Thomas		Tharaldson Park	12–9	Williams (4–5)	Klein (0–4)	None	125	15–23	3–3

April (2–10)
Date Time	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Win	Loss	Save	Attendance	Overall Record	Summit League Record
April 6 4 PM	at UNLV		Eller Media Stadium Paradise, NV	2–1⁽⁹⁾	Williams (5–5)	Fontes (3–2)	None	313	16–23	–
April 6 6 PM	at UNLV		Eller Media Stadium	5–8	Thiede (14–3)	Bowers (3–8)	None	313	16–24	–
April 7 2 PM	at UNLV		Eller Media Stadium	7–16	Zellien (6–5)	Williams (5–6)	None	307	16–25	–
April 13 12 PM	South Dakota State		Tharaldson Park	0–1	Kniesche (13–5)	Williams (5–6)	None	355	16–26	3–4
April 13 2 PM	South Dakota State		Tharaldson Park	1–7	Lasey (8–8)	Bowers (3–9)	None	355	16–27	3–5
April 14 11 AM	South Dakota State		Tharaldson Park	0–3	Kniesche (14–5)	Williams (5–7)	None	289	16–28	3–6
April 20 1 PM	at North Dakota		Apollo Park Grand Forks, ND	4–5	Albrecht (4–11)	Bowers (3–10)	None	144	16–29	3–7
April 20 3:30 PM	at North Dakota		Apollo Park	0–1	Carr (5–10)	Dunford (5–4)	None	134	16–30	3–8
April 21 11 AM	at North Dakota		Apollo Park	0–4	Albrecht (5–11)	Williams (5–8)	None	111	16–31	3–9
April 27 12 PM	Kansas City		Tharaldson Park	0–4	Stickel (9–14)	Williams (5–9)	None	211	16–32	3–10
April 27 2 PM	Kansas City		Tharaldson Park	11–3⁽⁵⁾	Dunford (6–4)	Noble (7–6)	None	211	17–32	4–10
April 28 11 AM	Kansas City		Tharaldson Park	5–10	Stickel (10–14)	Bowers (3–11)	None	150	17–33	4–11

May (0–3)
Date Time	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Win	Loss	Save	Attendance	Overall Record	Summit League Record
May 3 12 PM	at South Dakota		Nygaard Field Vermillion, SD	0–4	Edwards (8–12)	Wihlm (2–3)	None	95	17–34	4–12
May 3 2 PM	at South Dakota		Nygaard Field	1–5	Young (5–7)	Dunford (6–5)	None	95	17–35	4–13
May 4 11 AM	at South Dakota		Nygaard Field	3–9	Wedeking (8–8)	Williams (5–10)	Young (1)	97	17–36	4–14

Post-Season (0–1)

Summit League Tournament (0–1)
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Win	Loss	Save	Attendance	Overall Record	Summit League Tournament record
May 8 3:30 PM	vs. (3) Kansas City	(6)	Jackrabbit Softball Stadium Brookings, SD	2–5	Stickel (12–15)	Williams (5–12)	None	179	17–37	0–1

Win
Loss
Postponement
Bold: Bison team member
Reference:^[8]

Rankings from NFCA:^[9]
(#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times in Central Time Zone

References

^ "The Summit League Softball Standings". TheSummitLeague.org. The Summit League. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
^ "Bison softball seasons ends at Summit tournament". inforum.com. Forum of Fargo/Moorhead. May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
^ "No. 3 North Dakota State blanks No. 6 Kansas City 3-0". thesummitleague.org. The Summit League. May 11, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
^ "No. 2 Omaha outlasts No. 3 North Dakota State 5-1". thesummitleague.org. The Summit League. May 11, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
^ "Top-seeded SDSU stays alive with a 10-2 triumph over No. 3 NDSU". thesummitleague.org. The Summit League. May 11, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
^ "2024 Softball Roster". gobison.com. North Dakota State Bison. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
^ "2024 Softball Coaching Staff". gobison.com. North Dakota State Bison. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
^ "2024 Softball Schedule". North Dakota State Bison. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
^ "2024 USA/NFCA Division I Poll". nfca.com. NFCA. Retrieved February 2, 2024.

v t e North Dakota State Bison softball
Venues	Ellig Sports Complex (1976–2017) Fargodome (1999,2002,2008,2013) Tharaldson Park (2018–present)
Coaches	Judy Strachan (1976–77) Pam Larson (1978) Donna Palivec (1979–81) Kathy Frederickson (1982–84) Sue Collins (1985) Pam Hehrens (1986–87) Michelle Woodward (1988–90) Nadine Roth (1991) Karla McCrory (1992) Greg Crowley (1993–94) Mitch Hanson (1995–01) Jamie Trachsel (co-HC, 2011–16) Darren Mueller (2002–present)
Seasons	1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National Championships in bold; College World Series appearances in italics