Saturday, February 1
St. Cloud, Minn.
1 p.m.
St. Cloud State
vs
Minnesota Duluth
Photo by: Jacob Sanders
St. Cloud State Softball Opens 2025 Season at Home with Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament
1/31/2025 6:52:00 PM | Softball
Huskies play twice Friday and Saturday in the Husky Dome
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Softball (0-0, 0-0 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) opens its 2025 schedule this weekend with four games at the Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament at the Husky Dome in St. Cloud. The Huskies play Minnesota Duluth (0-0, 0-0 NSIC) and Bemidji State (0-0, 0-0 NSIC) on Saturday and Southwest Minnesota State (0-0, 0-0 NSIC) and Bemidji State for a second time. First pitches for Saturday's games are 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., while they will play at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday.
2025 KELLY LAAS MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE / INFORMATION
Day 1, Saturday, Feb. 1:
11 a.m. – Southwest Minnesota State vs. Minnesota Duluth (Live stream | Live stats)
1 p.m. – Minnesota Duluth vs. St. Cloud State (Live stream | Live stats)
3 p.m. – Bemidji State vs. Southwest Minnesota State (Live stream | Live stats)
5 p.m. – Bemidji State vs. St. Cloud State (Live stream | Live stats)
Day 2, Sunday, Feb. 2:
10 a.m. – Minnesota Duluth vs. Southwest Minnesota State (Live stream | Live stats)
Noon – Minnesota Duluth vs. Bemidji State (Live stream | Live stats)
2 p.m. – Southwest Minnesota State vs. St. Cloud State (Live stream | Live stats)
4 p.m. – Bemidji State vs. St. Cloud State (Live stream | Live stats)
Location: Husky Dome - St. Cloud, Minn.
*Note – for non-SCSU games there will be no audio and no scorebug on the livestreams.
Admission will be $10 for adults, $5 for ages 14-17 and free for ages 13 and under. Tickets will serve as a "day pass" so people can attend all the games in a day, but not a "weekend pass", so people will need to buy a ticket each day. Only cash will be accepted.
A LOOK BACK AT LAST YEAR'S KELLY LAAS
The Huskies opened the 2024 season with a weekend sweep at the annual Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament, beating Black Hills State, 19-3 (5 innings), Sioux Falls, 3-1 and Northern State, 3-2 in the Husky Dome.
Then-junior catcher/outfielder Reese Holzhueter (Shakopee, Minn.) was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Softball Player of the Week for her efforts in the Huskies opening weekend sweep. It was the first NSIC weekly of her career.
Holzhueter went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a home run, scoring three runs and driving in three runs made her in her debut for the Huskies. She hit .600 (6-for-10) in SCSU's 3-0 opening weekend. Five of her six hits were extra base hits – three doubles, one triple and one home run. She drove in four runs, walked once and was successful on her lone stolen base attempt. Holzhueter led the NSIC with a 1.400 slugging percentage and a 2.036 OPS.
PRESEASON POLLING
St. Cloud State has been selected to finish seventh in the 2025 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league office on Thursday. Additionally, senior infielder Maggie Fitzgerald (Oak Lawn, Ill.) was named the Player to Watch, and junior right-handed pitcher Justyce Porter (Kent, Wash.) was named the Pitcher to Watch.
Head Coach Mitch Roberts enters his fourth season at the helm of the Huskies Softball in 2025. He has record of 100-64 (.610) and led last year's team to a 30-26 overall record, including 12-16 record in NSIC play, to finish eighth in the standings. The Huskies took down ninth-seeded Sioux Falls in the opening round of the NSIC Tournament, 6-2, before falling to the hosts and eventual champions, Augustana, 6-0 in the quarterfinals.
Fitzgerald enters her senior season with the Huskies with lots of momentum, coming off a career year in 2024. Last season, she set new single-season best marks in games played (55), games started (55), batting average (.316), on-base percentage (.422), slugging percentage (.652), at-bats (155), runs (29), hits (49), doubles (10), home runs (14), walks (29), RBIs (53) and fielding percentage (.993). Fitzgerald ranked tied for third in home runs, fourth in RBIs, seventh in slugging percentage, tied for eighth in OPS (1.077) and tied for 10th in fielding percentage among NSIC players last season.
Porter looks to build off her strong sophomore season where she appeared in 43 games, making six starts. She owned a 11-5 record with seven saves and one shutout while posting a 2.27 ERA in 138.2 innings pitched. She set new single season bests in appearances, starts, innings pitched, strikeouts (69), shutouts, wins and saves. Porter ranked first in saves, eighth in ERA, 10th in innings pitched, 10th in opponents' batting average (.248) and tied for 10th in wins among NSIC pitchers last season. She was named NSIC Pitcher of the Week once last season.
SCSU returns 14 players from last season's roster – including one graduate student, five seniors, one junior, six sophomores and one redshirt freshman. The Huskies brought in seven newcomers including two junior transfers and five freshmen.
Key returners include senior catcher/outfielder Reese Holzhueter (Shakopee, Minn.), who was named All-NSIC First Team honors and Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-Central Region Second team honors as a utility player. In her first season with the Huskies, Holzhueter made an immediate impact while splitting time behind the plate and in the outfield. Other returning starters inlcude sophomores Brooke Holmes (infielder, Savage, Minn.) Bethany Weiss (catcher/infielder, Forest Lake, Minn.) and redshirt sophomore infielder Grace Frechette (Forest Lake, Minn.). In the circle, SCSU also returns senior right handed pitcher Emma Eickhoff (Becker, Minn.).
For the sixth consecutive season, Augustana was chosen as the favorite in the NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll. The Vikings, the four-time defending regular season champions, amassed 196 points and all 14 first place votes (coaches cannot rank their own team). Concordia-St. Paul was second with 174 points while Minnesota State was third with 163 points and the other first place vote.
The preseason coaches' poll is based off each coach ranking each team with the top team receiving 14 points, second 13, third 12, etc.
The 2025 NSIC Softball season gets underway with non-conference play on January 31, while the 28-game NSIC schedule is set to begin on Saturday, March 22.
The 2025 NSIC Softball Tournament will have a 10-team single elimination format over four days played at Bowden Field in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on April 30 - May 3, 2025; hosted by Augustana University. The tournament will be streamed on the NSIC Network, with tournament passes or single game access available for purchase.
2025 NSIC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Team (first place votes) Points
ROBERTS' REMARKS
On his 2025 team outlook...
"We are returning five starters and feel confident about the players stepping into the roles we've lost," said Roberts, "In addition, we've added depth in the circle, which strengthens our overall pitching staff. With solid improvements in all areas, we believe we have the right pieces in place to make a strong push and improve our standing in conference play."
On NSIC Player to Watch Maggie Fitzgerald...
"Maggie brings a presence to the plate and will be a cornerstone of our offensive production this year," said Roberts, "Her experience, professionalism, and strong work ethic have set her up for success this spring. We're excited to see what her senior year has in store and the impact she'll make on the field."
On NSIC Pitcher to Watch Justyce Porter...
"Justyce brings an invaluable quality to our team," said Roberts, "Her uniqueness is key to her consistent success. With her competitiveness and mindset, she excels in high-pressure situations, making her a perfect fit to come in late and close out games. We are excited to see the things she will achieve this year."
WELCOME TO THE PACK
SCSU welcomed seven newcomers over the offseason, including two junior college transfers – Macey Clark (Winneconne, Wis. / Winneconne HS / Bryant & Stratton – Wisconsin) and infielder/catcher Sydney Roe (Davenport, Iowa / Assumption HS / Kirkwood CC) and five freshman – infielder Grace Dahmen (Jordan, Minn. / Jordan HS), catcher Morgan Honeycutt (Rosemount, Minn. / Rosemount HS), right handed pitcher Madeline Nutter (Elko New Market, Minn. / Lakeville South HS), right handed pitcher Madison Soule (Shakopee, Minn. / Shakopee HS) and infielder Hannah Weckman (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North HS).
THE SENIORS
Six athletes will compete in their senior campaign in 2025 as fifth year infielder Evy Polsfuss (Apple Valley, Minn.) is joined by true seniors right handed pitcher Emma Eickhoff (Becker, Minn.), infielder Maggie Fitzgerald (Oak Lawn, Ill.), catcher/outfielder Reese Holzhueter (Shakopee, Minn.), right handed pitcher Molly Gross (Columbia Heights, Minn.), and utility Rainna Stangle (Sartell, Minn.).
THE JUNIORS
The lone returning junior on the roster is right-handed pitcher Justyce Porter (Kent, Wash.).
THE SOPHOMORES
Five true sophomores – outfielder Bree Beck (Lakeville, Minn.), outfielder Hannah Harms (Bartlett, Ill.), infielder Brooke Holmes (Savage, Minn.), outfielder Kori Needham (Milan, Ill.) and catcher/infielder Bethany Weiss (Forest Lake, Minn.) are joined by redshirt sophomore infielder Grace Frechette (Forest Lake, Minn.) and redshirt freshman utility Kaylee Collins (Lakeville, Minn.).
SCHEDULE LINKS
SCHEDULE RELEASE | 2025 SCHEDULE (WEB) | 2025 SCHEDULE (PDF)
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Softball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
2025 KELLY LAAS MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE / INFORMATION
Day 1, Saturday, Feb. 1:
11 a.m. – Southwest Minnesota State vs. Minnesota Duluth (Live stream | Live stats)
1 p.m. – Minnesota Duluth vs. St. Cloud State (Live stream | Live stats)
3 p.m. – Bemidji State vs. Southwest Minnesota State (Live stream | Live stats)
5 p.m. – Bemidji State vs. St. Cloud State (Live stream | Live stats)
Day 2, Sunday, Feb. 2:
10 a.m. – Minnesota Duluth vs. Southwest Minnesota State (Live stream | Live stats)
Noon – Minnesota Duluth vs. Bemidji State (Live stream | Live stats)
2 p.m. – Southwest Minnesota State vs. St. Cloud State (Live stream | Live stats)
4 p.m. – Bemidji State vs. St. Cloud State (Live stream | Live stats)
Location: Husky Dome - St. Cloud, Minn.
*Note – for non-SCSU games there will be no audio and no scorebug on the livestreams.
Admission will be $10 for adults, $5 for ages 14-17 and free for ages 13 and under. Tickets will serve as a "day pass" so people can attend all the games in a day, but not a "weekend pass", so people will need to buy a ticket each day. Only cash will be accepted.
A LOOK BACK AT LAST YEAR'S KELLY LAAS
The Huskies opened the 2024 season with a weekend sweep at the annual Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament, beating Black Hills State, 19-3 (5 innings), Sioux Falls, 3-1 and Northern State, 3-2 in the Husky Dome.
Then-junior catcher/outfielder Reese Holzhueter (Shakopee, Minn.) was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Softball Player of the Week for her efforts in the Huskies opening weekend sweep. It was the first NSIC weekly of her career.
Holzhueter went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a home run, scoring three runs and driving in three runs made her in her debut for the Huskies. She hit .600 (6-for-10) in SCSU's 3-0 opening weekend. Five of her six hits were extra base hits – three doubles, one triple and one home run. She drove in four runs, walked once and was successful on her lone stolen base attempt. Holzhueter led the NSIC with a 1.400 slugging percentage and a 2.036 OPS.
PRESEASON POLLING
St. Cloud State has been selected to finish seventh in the 2025 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league office on Thursday. Additionally, senior infielder Maggie Fitzgerald (Oak Lawn, Ill.) was named the Player to Watch, and junior right-handed pitcher Justyce Porter (Kent, Wash.) was named the Pitcher to Watch.
Head Coach Mitch Roberts enters his fourth season at the helm of the Huskies Softball in 2025. He has record of 100-64 (.610) and led last year's team to a 30-26 overall record, including 12-16 record in NSIC play, to finish eighth in the standings. The Huskies took down ninth-seeded Sioux Falls in the opening round of the NSIC Tournament, 6-2, before falling to the hosts and eventual champions, Augustana, 6-0 in the quarterfinals.
Fitzgerald enters her senior season with the Huskies with lots of momentum, coming off a career year in 2024. Last season, she set new single-season best marks in games played (55), games started (55), batting average (.316), on-base percentage (.422), slugging percentage (.652), at-bats (155), runs (29), hits (49), doubles (10), home runs (14), walks (29), RBIs (53) and fielding percentage (.993). Fitzgerald ranked tied for third in home runs, fourth in RBIs, seventh in slugging percentage, tied for eighth in OPS (1.077) and tied for 10th in fielding percentage among NSIC players last season.
Porter looks to build off her strong sophomore season where she appeared in 43 games, making six starts. She owned a 11-5 record with seven saves and one shutout while posting a 2.27 ERA in 138.2 innings pitched. She set new single season bests in appearances, starts, innings pitched, strikeouts (69), shutouts, wins and saves. Porter ranked first in saves, eighth in ERA, 10th in innings pitched, 10th in opponents' batting average (.248) and tied for 10th in wins among NSIC pitchers last season. She was named NSIC Pitcher of the Week once last season.
SCSU returns 14 players from last season's roster – including one graduate student, five seniors, one junior, six sophomores and one redshirt freshman. The Huskies brought in seven newcomers including two junior transfers and five freshmen.
Key returners include senior catcher/outfielder Reese Holzhueter (Shakopee, Minn.), who was named All-NSIC First Team honors and Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-Central Region Second team honors as a utility player. In her first season with the Huskies, Holzhueter made an immediate impact while splitting time behind the plate and in the outfield. Other returning starters inlcude sophomores Brooke Holmes (infielder, Savage, Minn.) Bethany Weiss (catcher/infielder, Forest Lake, Minn.) and redshirt sophomore infielder Grace Frechette (Forest Lake, Minn.). In the circle, SCSU also returns senior right handed pitcher Emma Eickhoff (Becker, Minn.).
For the sixth consecutive season, Augustana was chosen as the favorite in the NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll. The Vikings, the four-time defending regular season champions, amassed 196 points and all 14 first place votes (coaches cannot rank their own team). Concordia-St. Paul was second with 174 points while Minnesota State was third with 163 points and the other first place vote.
The preseason coaches' poll is based off each coach ranking each team with the top team receiving 14 points, second 13, third 12, etc.
The 2025 NSIC Softball season gets underway with non-conference play on January 31, while the 28-game NSIC schedule is set to begin on Saturday, March 22.
The 2025 NSIC Softball Tournament will have a 10-team single elimination format over four days played at Bowden Field in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on April 30 - May 3, 2025; hosted by Augustana University. The tournament will be streamed on the NSIC Network, with tournament passes or single game access available for purchase.
2025 NSIC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Team (first place votes) Points
- Augustana (14) 196
- Concordia-St. Paul 174
- Minnesota State (1) 163
- Minnesota Duluth 157
- Winona State 155
- Minot State 125
- St. Cloud State 116
- MSU Moorhead 100
- Sioux Falls 86
- Southwest Minnesota State 81
- Northern State 70
- Bemidji State 54
- Wayne State 43
- Minnesota Crookston 38
- UMary 17
ROBERTS' REMARKS
On his 2025 team outlook...
"We are returning five starters and feel confident about the players stepping into the roles we've lost," said Roberts, "In addition, we've added depth in the circle, which strengthens our overall pitching staff. With solid improvements in all areas, we believe we have the right pieces in place to make a strong push and improve our standing in conference play."
On NSIC Player to Watch Maggie Fitzgerald...
"Maggie brings a presence to the plate and will be a cornerstone of our offensive production this year," said Roberts, "Her experience, professionalism, and strong work ethic have set her up for success this spring. We're excited to see what her senior year has in store and the impact she'll make on the field."
On NSIC Pitcher to Watch Justyce Porter...
"Justyce brings an invaluable quality to our team," said Roberts, "Her uniqueness is key to her consistent success. With her competitiveness and mindset, she excels in high-pressure situations, making her a perfect fit to come in late and close out games. We are excited to see the things she will achieve this year."
WELCOME TO THE PACK
SCSU welcomed seven newcomers over the offseason, including two junior college transfers – Macey Clark (Winneconne, Wis. / Winneconne HS / Bryant & Stratton – Wisconsin) and infielder/catcher Sydney Roe (Davenport, Iowa / Assumption HS / Kirkwood CC) and five freshman – infielder Grace Dahmen (Jordan, Minn. / Jordan HS), catcher Morgan Honeycutt (Rosemount, Minn. / Rosemount HS), right handed pitcher Madeline Nutter (Elko New Market, Minn. / Lakeville South HS), right handed pitcher Madison Soule (Shakopee, Minn. / Shakopee HS) and infielder Hannah Weckman (Lakeville, Minn. / Lakeville North HS).
THE SENIORS
Six athletes will compete in their senior campaign in 2025 as fifth year infielder Evy Polsfuss (Apple Valley, Minn.) is joined by true seniors right handed pitcher Emma Eickhoff (Becker, Minn.), infielder Maggie Fitzgerald (Oak Lawn, Ill.), catcher/outfielder Reese Holzhueter (Shakopee, Minn.), right handed pitcher Molly Gross (Columbia Heights, Minn.), and utility Rainna Stangle (Sartell, Minn.).
THE JUNIORS
The lone returning junior on the roster is right-handed pitcher Justyce Porter (Kent, Wash.).
THE SOPHOMORES
Five true sophomores – outfielder Bree Beck (Lakeville, Minn.), outfielder Hannah Harms (Bartlett, Ill.), infielder Brooke Holmes (Savage, Minn.), outfielder Kori Needham (Milan, Ill.) and catcher/infielder Bethany Weiss (Forest Lake, Minn.) are joined by redshirt sophomore infielder Grace Frechette (Forest Lake, Minn.) and redshirt freshman utility Kaylee Collins (Lakeville, Minn.).
SCHEDULE LINKS
SCHEDULE RELEASE | 2025 SCHEDULE (WEB) | 2025 SCHEDULE (PDF)
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Softball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C/OF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF/C
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C/INF
/ SoftballA Day with the Huskies | SCSU Baseball and Softball welcomes Miracle League
Friday, August 25
What's Good, Huskies? | S1E3 | Jasmin Estrada & Raven Vanden Langenberg
Friday, August 25
Mitch Roberts Preseason Interview | 2023
Friday, February 10
SCSU Softball vs Crookston (Doubleheader)
Tuesday, April 12
