SAINT PETER, Minn. – Coming off one of their best conference finishes in nearly a decade, the Gustavus softball team is ready to step up to the plate for the 2025 season, beginning with four games in the MSU-Mankato dome Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 15-16), the team's earliest Minnesota season-opener in program history. 

The Gusties finished the 2024 regular season 23-19 overall and 16-6 in the MIAC, the most league wins since the 2016 season (17-5). Gustavus won a game against every team in the conference, and finished one win out of a historic three-way tie for first place between Saint Mary's, Saint Benedict, and Bethel. Head Coach Coley Ries Welter's 2024 squad earned its third-consecutive playoff berth, defeating St. Olaf in a road quarterfinal 7-3, before falling to eventual MIAC Playoff Champion Saint Mary's 1-3.

Heading into a new season, Ries Welter is looking to build off last year's success to take the program to new heights.

"In the last few years, we've hosted first round playoff games, traveled for a quarterfinal, made it to the semifinals each time, but getting that first-round bye in the conference tournament by being one of the top two teams at the end of the regular season is our next step," said Ries Welter, in her fifth year at the helm of the program. "We have a strong core of returners this season, which will make it easier to navigate furthering our goals. They've been here before and know what we're capable of."

Of those notable returners are four All-Conference selections from last season in Carly Olson (So., Luverne, Minn.), Kayla Herda (Sr., Farmington, Minn.), Maizie Anderson (Jr., Rosemount, Minn.), and Ava Hamsund (So., Winona, Minn.).

Olson made a serious campaign for Rookie of the Year in her freshman season, leading the Gusties in virtually every offensive statistic. Batting in the No. 5 spot all season, she played and started in all 42 of the Gusties' games between catcher and third base. Olson led the team in batting average (.351), slugging percentage (.450), hits (46), RBIs (26), doubles (13), and total bases (59). 

Herda, who collected her second consecutive All-MIAC honor last year, posted a .308 batting average and .353 slugging percentage last season, which ranked third and second on the team, respectively. She bat .375 against conference opponents all season with 27 hits, a stat that put her in the top-10 in the league, and was a feature in left field, totaling 40 putouts and a .955 fielding percentage.

The Gustie lineup will certainly miss the likes of Madi Mueller '24, who was a presence in the leadoff spot and center field for the last four years, but Ries Welter is confident that her two seniors Herda and Greta Dahlen (West Des Moines, Iowa) will anchor the outfield in her absence. Dahlen was named All-Conference Honorable Mention last season, and was the first right fielder to receive the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for Division III in her sophomore season. 

Anderson and Hamsund were a lethal one-two punch for the Gusties' pitching staff last season, combining for the best MIAC ERA at 1.66. The All-MIAC duo and Megan Sherwood (So., Greenfield, Minn.) held opponents to a .259 batting average last year. 

"Returning all of our arms in the circle is huge," commented Ries Welter, an All-American pitcher herself. "The pitchers set the tone for the team, and having Maizie, Ava, and Megan return with a lot of innings under their belt provides a steady confidence for the team to feed off of. Their experience, combined with a few newbies, will help us mix things up and make it difficult for other teams to get comfortable in the box."

Ries Welter has embraced a youth movement in the last few seasons, with the majority of the returning team underclassmen. Her 2025 squad features six sophomores and seven new faces, including Minnesota High School State Champions Hailey Petzel (Fy., Mankato, Minn.) and Kiah Helget (Fy., New Ulm, Minn.). She also expects Breck Carlson (North Mankato, Minn.), to anchor the infield as the starting shortstop in her sophomore season. 

Early National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) rankings showed votes for three MIAC teams this season in the national polling, led by Bethel at No. 24. Saint Mary's (3) and Saint Benedict (5) both received votes. The Gusties will host Saint Mary's on Tuesday, April 8, before traveling to both No. 24 Bethel (April 13) and Saint Benedict (April 27). 

The 2025 schedule features eight games in the MSU-Mankato Dome as a part of the Bethany Lutheran Kwik Trip Invitational to start the season, followed by a week-long trip to Winter Haven, Fla. for the team's annual spring break competition. The Gusties will travel to BLC once more for a non-conference doubleheader on March 14, before kicking off the MIAC season at Concordia on Wednesday, April 2. 

Ries Welter is hoping to build a strong foundation through their opening non-conference games to best prepare the team for its MIAC schedule.

"One of our goals this year is to come out of the gate stronger. We haven't performed to the best of our ability until conference play rolls around, and we definitely want to see a stronger start."

The Gusties open the season tomorrow (Feb. 15) against UW-Stout for both teams' first game of the year at 3:30 p.m. on field one in Mankato, followed by a 6 p.m. contest against Nebraska Wesleyan. 

RECORD WATCH

Here's a preview of a few records to follow during the 2025 Gustavus softball campaign:

PLAYING FOR PLAYOFFS

A playoff appearance for the Gusties in 2025 would move them into first for most appearances in the conference tournament among any team, past or current. St. Thomas currently owns the record with 17. Last season's playoff game brought the Gusties' total to 16 since the institution of the tournament in 2004. 

GOIN' FOR A WALK

Lauren Lambert (Jr., Woodbury, Minn.) currently ranks eighth in program history for the most career walks with 50 in just two seasons. She's averaged 25.0 over the last two seasons, and meeting that average in her junior year would put her first ahead of Kelly Reddy's '94 72. Her 33 last season are the most by any player in a single season in program history. The MIAC career record is 99, owned by St. Catherine's Jenna George (2016-19). The threshold to get into the top-six in the conference record book is 70.

STEALING THE SHOW

Kayla Herda ranks fifth in program history for career stolen bases with 48 on 50 attempts. Three more would help her pass teammate of three years Madi Mueller '24, while four more would put her third all-time ahead of Christina Diller '03 and behind only 2024 Hall of Famer Emily Klein '09 (81) and Heather Thorson '92 HOF '08 (63).

HITTIN' THE (RECORD) BOOKS

If Herda continues her average of 39.3 hits per season, she would pass both Shelby Nosan '15, Kailey Morgan '15, and Thorson in the program ranks for career hits. Herda enters her senior year with 118 in her career, and totaled 41 last season. 

MAKING HER PITCH

Maizie Anderson is 10 starts away from joining the program's career top-10 (47) entering her junior season. She's 54 innings away from joining the top-10 of that category, as well, and pitched an even 138.0 in her sophomore year.