SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The USF Softball team is set to open the season with a four-game slate at the St. Cloud Dome Tournament on Friday February 11th as a part of the 55 game schedule during the 2022 season.
The Cougars start the season with Northwestern (IA) followed by Southwest Minnesota State on Friday night. The Cougars finish the weekend facing off against Bemidji State and St. Cloud to round out the first weekend of softball action. The first tournament is the start of 25 games of tournament play before conference play begins on March 29th.
"I am excited for this years team to take the field for the first time this weekend. They have put in a lot of work - individually and collectively as a team - and I feel they are ready to see someone in the opposing dugout other than our own team! Our 2022 team is led by a solid core of returners who know and understand the tough NSIC and have embraced leading our newcomers through preseason. Everyday has provided new lessons and opportunities for growth and this group continues to rise. The newcomers add that freshness and competitiveness that keeps our team grounded and yet pushing to new levels", said head coach
Shannon Pivovar.
PREVIEW – The University of Sioux Falls Softball team will look to make another run at the NSIC Tournament this season after being picked 9th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Cougars are coming off a 23-24 overall record and a 15-14 conference record during the 2021 campaign. USF will be led by two players to watch: Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag and Damaris Cuevas, both of whom return as key pieces of last year's team that advanced to the NSIC Tournament.
Van Der Zwaag, a first-team All-NSIC performer from Hull, Iowa, was a two-way standout for USF. On the mound, she recorded a 13-9 record with 122 strikeouts and 10 complete games. As a position player, she had 33 assists and 136 putouts while also contributing at the plate with a .258 batting average, .435 slugging, and .399 OBP, including 6 HRs, 33 RBI.
Cuevas, a catcher from Omaha, NE will help lead the Cougars with her bat and from behind the plate. Last season she posted a .420 batting average, .563 slugging, and .455 OBP, while compiling 47 hits, 33 RBI, 12 assists, 152 putouts, with a 1.000 fielding percentage.
In the outfield, USF returns senior speedster Kylan Straight (.311 batting average, 22 runs, 47 hits, .350 OBP, 6 doubles, 10 steals, .972 fielding percentage) among others who will step into key roles for the Cougars going into the 2022 season, who saw six seniors graduate after the 2021 season. On the mound, USF also returns Hanna Cress who was 10-13 with a 3.07 earned run average with 22 starts and 12 complete games. Pitcher/infielder Kennedy Thomas returns with a .291 average and as a key member of the pitching stat after seven appearances and a 3.34 earned run average.
"This group of kids is just fun to be around. They care about each other like family, they are goofy and have unique personalities, and they embrace the hard! They continue to amaze me at their responsiveness when uncontrollable things are thrown their way and I think that will translate to success on the field!", said head coach Shannon Pivovar.
The Cougars start conference play on the road against SMSU on March 29th with their first home game coming on April 6th against Concordia St. Paul. Follow the softball team on twitter (USFCougars_SB) and on Instagram (USFCougars.SB), along with USF Athletics social media pages for updates throughout the season.
