Softball picked to win NSAA softball regular-season title for third straight year
Bellevue University is the head coaches' preseason favorite to repeat as the North Star Athletic Association softball regular-season champions, as the 2024 coaches' preseason poll was released Wednesday by the league office. BU had won the previous two NSAA softball regular-season titles with a combined 50-4 conference record.
BISMARCK, N.D. – Bellevue University is the head coaches' preseason favorite to repeat as the North Star Athletic Association softball regular-season champions, as the 2024 coaches' preseason poll was released Wednesday by the league office. BU had won the previous two NSAA softball regular-season titles with a combined 50-4 conference record.
The Bruins return 11 letterwinners and five starters from last season's squad that won the NSAA regular season title with a 26-2 league mark and a 41-12 overall record. BU returns first-team all-conference pitchers Katie Cunningham and Savannah Gunn, as well as all-NSAA infielder Liana McMurtry.
Valley City State, who defeated Bellevue in the NSAA postseason tournament's championship game for the second straight season in 2023, finished second with 37 points. The Vikings advanced to the NAIA Softball National Tournament Opening Round and finished with an overall record of 28-23 (18-7 NSAA conference record).
Dickinson State registered 36 points to finish third in the preseason poll. Dakota State placed fourth after collecting 26 points, followed by Viterbo fifth with 19 points and Mayville State sixth with 15 points. Waldorf was seventh with 10 points.
Points were awarded on a 7-1 basis in the conference coaches' preseason poll.
The NSAA softball season gets underway on the weekend of March 16-17 (VCSU at BU; MSU at DaSU, DiSU at VU; WU waits for the conference opener until March 23-24 versus VCSU). All seven members are scheduled to play a total of 24 conference contests in the spring.
The NSAA Softball conference tournament returns to Bravera Field in Dickinson, N.D., on May 3-6. There is one automatic bid to the NAIA Softball National Tournament Opening round on May 13-16. The winner of the postseason conference tournament will earn an automatic bid to the national tournament.
The NAIA Softball World Series takes place in Columbus, Ga. on May 23-29 at South Commons Complex.
Below is the complete 2024 NSAA Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll:
| 2024 North Star Athletic Association Softball Preseason Poll | ||
| Rank | School | Points |
| 1 | Bellevue (Neb.) (6) | 48 |
| 2 | Valley City State (N.D.) (1) | 37 |
| 3 | Dickinson State (N.D.) | 36 |
| 4 | Dakota State (S.D.) | 26 |
| 5 | Viterbo (Wis.) | 19 |
| 6 | Mayville State (N.D.) | 15 |
| 7 | Waldorf (Iowa) | 10 |
| *First-place votes in parenthesis | ||