The St. Cloud State softball team is back on the national stage, earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II tournament for the first time since 2019. The Huskies, who have been building momentum under fifth-year head coach Mitch Roberts, will open play this Thursday and Friday in Joplin, Missouri, as the No. 5 seed in the Central Region.
In their tournament opener on Thursday, St. Cloud State faced No. 4 seed Southern Arkansas but fell 9-2. The loss puts the Huskies in a must-win situation as they prepare to take on No. 8 seed Augustana at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 15. With a double-elimination format at the regional site, every game from here on out is do-or-die.
This season has been one for the history books in St. Cloud. The Huskies finished the regular season with an impressive 46-13 overall record and a dominant 26-4 mark in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). That 46-win total ties the program record for wins in a season, and it marks the ninth time in the program's 57-year history that they've reached the 40-win milestone.
St. Cloud State's 2023 campaign has been defined by resilience and record-breaking performances. The team secured its first share of the NSIC Regular Season Championship and received its first national ranking since 2004. They also set program records for all-conference and all-defensive team selections, a testament to the depth and talent on this roster.
Under Roberts, who is in his fifth season, the Huskies have achieved over 30 wins every year, including back-to-back 40-win seasons. This year's tournament appearance is the 11th in program history, with previous bids in 1989, 1991, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2019.
Three Huskies earned spots on the NSIC All-Tournament Team: junior outfielder Bree Beck, senior pitcher Macey Clark, and redshirt sophomore utility player Kaylee Collins. Clark, who was named NSIC Pitcher of the Year, has been a standout all season, anchoring the pitching staff with clutch performances.
The NCAA Division II tournament features 64 teams across 16 regional sites, all competing in a double-elimination format. The 16 regional winners will advance to a best-of-three super regional at eight sites, with the finals set for Chattanooga, Tennessee, from May 28 to June 3. For the Huskies, the road to Chattanooga starts now, and they'll be looking to channel that record-setting regular season into a deep postseason run.