BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – At the midway point of the 2026 softball season, a pair of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) teams – Saint Mary's (8-0) and Macalester (7-0) – remain undefeated in league play, with two other squads – Saint Benedict (7-1) and St. Catherine (5-1) – currently have one loss apiece.
The top six teams in the standings at the end of the conference schedule will compete in the 2026 MIAC Softball Playoffs on May 7-9.
NPI OUTLOOK
Saint Mary's is ranked No. 6 in the latest NCAA Power Index (NPI), released on April 12. Saint Benedict is the next-highest-ranked MIAC team at No. 45. The NPI is used to select the 22 at-large bids to the NCAA Division III Tournament after the 42 automatic qualifiers have been determined in May.
NATIONAL NOTABLES
Saint Benedict senior SS Olivia Tautges (Brainerd, Minn. / Brainerd) was selected as the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III Player of the Week on April 14.
Four MIAC players were named to the NFCA Division III Player/Pitcher of the Year Watch List, including Carleton senior OF Adriana Wiggins (Long Beach, Calif. / Wilson), Saint Benedict senior SS Olivia Tautges (Brainerd, Minn. / Brainerd), St. Catherine senior SS Helen McKinnon (Farmington, Minn. / Rosemount), and Saint Mary's senior P/3B Makayla Steffes (Winona, Minn. / Winona).
Augsburg junior 1B Lola Pilon (Farmington, Minn. / Mounds Park) has hit nine home runs this spring, tied for the sixth-most in NCAA Division III. Pilon's slugging percentage of 0.973 ranks eighth in D-III.
Bethel senior OF Mandalyn Franks (Beloit, Wis. / Beloit Memorial) is one of 13 players in NCAA Division III averaging at least 2.0 at-bats per game without a strikeout this season.
Gustavus junior P Ava Hamsund (Winona, Minn. / Winona) ranks fifth in NCAA Division III this season with an average of 3.33 assists per game (30 assists in nine games).
Macalester junior P Martha Miller (Medford, Wis. / Medford) has started 18 games this season, tied for the fifth-most in NCAA Division III.
Saint Benedict senior SS Olivia Tautges (Brainerd, Minn. / Brainerd) has hit 12 home runs this season, the second-highest total in NCAA Division III this spring. Her slugging percentage of 1.045 and 92 total bases both rank third in D-III.
Saint Mary's junior P Kenzie Gatz (Oswego, Ill. / Oswego East) has the eighth-lowest earned run average in NCAA Division III this season at 0.80.
AROUND THE MIAC
Augsburg junior 1B Lola Pilon (Farmington, Minn. / Mounds Park) went 4-for-5 with a solo home run, a double, and three runs scored in the Auggies' 8-3 victory over St. Scholastica on 4/11. Pilon has nine hits over her last three conference series.
Bethel junior OF Abby Otterness (Mayer, Minn. / Watertown Mayer) has hit three home runs in her last four games, including an inside-the-park home run in a 5-4 win over St. Catherine on 4/12. Otterness has recorded at least one hit in ten straight games and has recorded an extra-base hit in each of her last four contests.
Carleton senior C Natasha Paez (West Covina, Calif. / South Hills) broke up a no-hitter with a home run to right-center in the sixth inning of the Knights' 3-2 loss to St. Catherine on 4/11. The solo shot was her first of the season and third of her Carleton career.
Concordia sophomore SS Megan Guggisberg (Sartell, Minn. / Sartell) hit a three-run home run to put the Cobbers on the board in the sixth inning against Saint Mary's on 4/12. It was her second home run in as many days; Guggisberg also hit a solo home run against Saint Benedict on 4/11.
Gustavus sophomore C Paige Gritzmaker (Woodbury, Minn. / Woodbury) hit .550 (11-for-20) with a 1.000 slugging percentage in a 4-3 week for the Gusties. Gritzmaker tallied multiple hits in five of the team's seven games, driving in 15 runs and crossing home plate six times. Gritzmaker also totaled five extra-base hits, including a pair of home runs – one in each game – against Concordia on 4/7 and two doubles in game one of a doubleheader with Carleton on 4/8.
Hamline junior OF Abigail Chamernick (Warroad, Minn. / Warroad) traded her hockey stick for a softball bat and now has seven hits in as many games for the Pipers. An All-American defender on the Pipers' women's hockey team, Chamernick went 2-for-6 with an RBI on a fielder's choice in her season debut at Augsburg on 3/30 and scored a pair of runs in the team's 7-0 game-one win against Martin Luther on 4/8.
Macalester junior OF Callia Holland (Akron, Ohio / Hawken) batted .467 (7-for-15) with a double, two homers, and nine RBI in a 5-0 week for the Scots. In the second game of a doubleheader with Augsburg on 4/8, Holland went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, a run scored, and three RBI in an 18-0 win. Against Hamline on 4/11, Holland blasted a three-run home run in the top of the seventh to break a 4-4 tie and give the Scots a 7-4 win. Another three-run homer on 4/12 was a part of Macalester's eight-run sixth inning in an 8-6 victory over Gustavus.
Saint Benedict senior SS Olivia Tautges (Brainerd, Minn. / Brainerd) hit .516 (16-for-31) with four home runs, 14 RBI, and eleven runs scored to help the Bennies go 7-1 against four MIAC foes last week. Tautges had at least one hit in all eight games and multiple hits in seven. Her solo shot in the top of the eighth inning against Concordia on 4/11 was the 31st of her CSB career, making her the program's all-time leader in home runs.
St. Catherine junior P Taylor Graf (Prescott, Wis. / Prescott) went 3-0 in the circle last week, guiding the Wildcats to wins over St. Scholastica (4/7), Carleton (4/11), and Bethel (4/12). In 17.0 innings of work, Graf allowed six hits and six earned runs while striking out 24 batters and holding opposing hitters to a .103 average. Graf struck out a career-best 13 against the Saints and added eight Ks against the Knights before coming on in relief duty against the Royals and striking out three more to help the Wildcats to a series split with Bethel.
Saint Mary's senior P/3B Makayla Steffes (Winona, Minn. / Winona) picked up four pitching wins and 18 strikeouts over six games last week. After logging a pair of complete-game wins against Carleton (4/9) and Gustavus (4/11), Steffes allowed a combined one hit in 6.2 combined innings in the second game of a doubleheader with the Gusties and the first game of a DH at Concordia (4/12). Steffes also batted .600 (9-for-15) with five extra-base hits and seven RBI for the week, which included coming up a double shy of the cycle in the first game of a DH with Carleton on 4/9.
St. Olaf senior P Roxanne Ring (Somerset, Wis. / Somerset) went 2-1 with a 2.95 ERA and threw a pair of complete games, including one shutout, in three starts last week. Ring tossed the sixth shutout of her collegiate career with a four-hitter that included a season-high nine strikeouts in a 7-0 game-one win at Augsburg on 4/12 after striking out seven in a complete-game victory the day before at Bethel.
St. Scholastica sophomore 2B/DP Lindsey Ewer (Hermantown, Minn. / Hermantown) drove in five RBI in the Saints' split with Crown on 4/8. Ewer went 3-for-6 at the plate with a pair of walks and three runs scored in the series.
UP NEXT
Wednesday, April 15
3:30 PM | Bethel at Carleton (Northfield, MN // Ele Hanson Field)*
3:30 PM | Saint Benedict at Augsburg (Minneapolis, MN // Edor Nelson Field)*
3:30 PM | St. Scholastica at Saint Mary's (Winona, MN // Saint Mary's Field)*
3:30 PM | Gustavus at Hamline (St. Paul, MN // Meredith Field)*
3:30 PM | St. Catherine at St. Olaf (Northfield, MN // Mabel Shirley Field)*
5:30 PM | Bethel at Carleton (Northfield, MN // Ele Hanson Field)*
5:30 PM | Saint Benedict at Augsburg (Minneapolis, MN // Edor Nelson Field)*
5:30 PM | St. Scholastica at Saint Mary's (Winona, MN // Saint Mary's Field)*
5:30 PM | Gustavus at Hamline (St. Paul, MN // Meredith Field)*
5:30 PM | St. Catherine at St. Olaf (Northfield, MN // Mabel Shirley Field)*
Thursday, April 16
3:30 PM | St. Olaf at Saint Mary's (Winona, MN // Saint Mary's Field)*
4:30 PM | Concordia at Macalester (St. Paul, MN // Macalester Softball Complex)*
5:30 PM | St. Olaf at Saint Mary's (Winona, MN // Saint Mary's Field)*
6:30 PM | Concordia at Macalester (St. Paul, MN // Macalester Softball Complex)*
Friday, April 17
3:30 PM | St. Scholastica at Saint Benedict (St. Joseph, MN // CSB Softball Field)*
5:30 PM | St. Scholastica at Saint Benedict (St. Joseph, MN // CSB Softball Field)*
Saturday, April 18
1:00 PM | Augsburg at Bethel (Arden Hills, MN // Ona Orth Athletic Complex)*
1:00 PM | Gustavus at St. Catherine (St. Paul, MN // Wildcat Softball Field)*
1:00 PM | Hamline at Saint Benedict (St. Joseph, MN // CSB Softball Field)*
1:00 PM | St. Olaf at Carleton (Northfield, MN // Ele Hanson Field)*
1:00 PM | Saint Mary's at Macalester (St. Paul, MN // Macalester Softball Complex)*
3:00 PM | Augsburg at Bethel (Arden Hills, MN // Ona Orth Athletic Complex)*
3:00 PM | Gustavus at St. Catherine (St. Paul, MN // Wildcat Softball Field)*
3:00 PM | Hamline at Saint Benedict (St. Joseph, MN // CSB Softball Field)*
3:00 PM | St. Olaf at Carleton (Northfield, MN // Ele Hanson Field)*
3:00 PM | Saint Mary's at Macalester (St. Paul, MN // Macalester Softball Complex)*
Sunday, April 19
11:30 AM | Concordia at St. Scholastica (Superior, WI // Superior High School)*
1:00 PM | Gustavus at St. Olaf (Northfield, MN // Mabel Shirley Field)*
1:00 PM | Carleton at Hamline (St. Paul, MN // Meredith Field)*
1:00 PM | Bethel at Macalester (St. Paul, MN // Macalester Softball Complex)*
1:00 PM | St. Catherine at Saint Mary's (Winona, MN // Saint Mary's Field)*
1:30 PM | Concordia at St. Scholastica (Superior, WI // Superior High School)*
3:00 PM | Gustavus at St. Olaf (Northfield, MN // Mabel Shirley Field)*
3:00 PM | Carleton at Hamline (St. Paul, MN // Meredith Field)*
3:00 PM | Bethel at Macalester (St. Paul, MN // Macalester Softball Complex)*
3:00 PM | St. Catherine at Saint Mary's (Winona, MN // Saint Mary's Field)*
Tuesday, April 21
3:30 PM | Hamline at Saint Mary's (Winona, MN // Saint Mary's Field)*
3:30 PM | Macalester at St. Olaf (Northfield, MN // Mabel Shirley Field)*
3:30 PM | St. Scholastica at Bethel (Arden Hills, MN // Ona Orth Athletic Complex)*
3:30 PM | Saint Benedict at Gustavus (St. Peter, MN // Gustie Softball Field)*
3:30 PM | Augsburg at. St. Catherine (St. Paul, MN // Wildcat Softball Field)*
4:00 PM | Carleton at Concordia (Moorhead, MN // Cobber Softball Diamond)*
5:30 PM | Hamline at Saint Mary's (Winona, MN // Saint Mary's Field)*
5:30 PM | Macalester at St. Olaf (Northfield, MN // Mabel Shirley Field)*
5:30 PM | St. Scholastica at Bethel (Arden Hills, MN // Ona Orth Athletic Complex)*
5:30 PM | Saint Benedict at Gustavus (St. Peter, MN // Gustie Softball Field)*
5:30 PM | Augsburg at. St. Catherine (St. Paul, MN // Wildcat Softball Field)*
6:00 PM | Carleton at Concordia (Moorhead, MN // Cobber Softball Diamond)*
*MIAC game