SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Winona State University softball team, coming off of a hard fought weekend against the University of Sioux Falls, are locked in to play in the 2024 NSIC Softball Tournament on Thursday, May 2, taking on Minnesota Duluth at 5:30pm. 

Winona State rounded out the 2024 NSIC regular season in sixth place overall, racking up a 17-9 league mark and a 33-19 overall record. The 2024 season saw several standout individual performances, highlighted by offensive firepower, success in the Warrior circle and the traditional Winona State stellar defensive standards. 

With the conclusion of the regular season, the Warriors put five players on the NSIC all tournament team click here for the for more information.

Sam Keller comes into the 2024 tournament on a home run tear, having hit three home runs in the last six Warrior contests. Keller went yard collecting two homers in the WSU 8-7 nailbiting win over Concordia- St. Paul on April 24, having both homeruns making their way over the outfield fence in game one of the mid-week doubleheader. 

Named the 2024 NSIC Preseason Player of Year, WSU's Abbie Hlas wins games for the Warriors with her bat and glove while starting all 52 games at shortstop for the Warriors this season. Hlas currently is second in the NSIC in doubles (21), third overall in the NSIC in batting average (.425), and third the league in total hits (79). 

In the circle, the Warriors were lead by Izzy Howe and Abby Smith in the regular season. Howe comes in at sixth in the conference in ERA (2.11) and third in strikeouts (144). Smith holds an 11-7 record on the year holding a 3.78 ERA with 48 strikeouts on the year. 

As a team, Winona State sits in the top six of the NSIC in terms of team batting average, pitching and fielding percentage, posting a .334 batting average, 2.79 ERA, and .964 fielding percentage in the league. WSU also has turned 17 double plays, fourth-most in the league. 

Winona State and Minnesota Duluth met earlier in the season, with WSU winning both games of the doubleheader 7-2 and 3-2 in the RCTC Dome. The Warriors battled in both contests, rallying behind Izzy Howe to claim victory in game one 7-2 with Howe only allowing five hits in the contest. In game two Sam Keller started off with a home run in the third and the Warriors didn't look back.

Minnesota Duluth enters Thursday's game having won six straight games to finish off the regular season.

The 2024 NSIC Softball Tournament will have a 10-team single elimination format over four days played in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.