• The Washburn Ichabod softball team, will open MIAA play this weekend with a trip south facing Northeastern State on Friday and No. 6-ranked Rogers State on Saturday in a pair of conference doubleheaders.
• The Ichabods (14-7) went 2-2 at the Midwest Classic wrapping up the weekend with wins over Minnesota State and Rockhurst.
• Washburn is coming off their sixth NCAA appearance in program history last season finishing the year with a 37-17 record placing fourth in the MIAA standings with a 17-9 record.
• The Washburn Ichabods have recorded 19 seasons with at least 30 wins with five coming under head coach Brenda  Holaday.
• The Ichabods were tabbed No. 4 in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
• Brenda Holaday is in her ninth season as the Ichabod softball head coach recording a 266-156 overall record going 113-59 in MIAA contests leading the Ichabods to two MIAA Regular Season titles (2018, 2022) and three NCAA Central Regional (2018, 2022, 2024). Holaday became Washburn's all-time winning coach with a 13-0 win over Illinois-Springfield on Feb. 8, 2025. • In the national rankings, the Ichabods are one of only three teams to turn a triple play this season joining Tusculum and Emory and Henry … the Ichabods are ranked 28th in total runs (121) and 23rd in shutouts (4) … Washburn is also 27th in the nation in doubles with 35 … individually, Sadie Walker is first in games started (12) and ninth in strikeouts (77) … Kaylee Wagner is sixth in the nation in throwing would-be base stealers out with seven … Jaden LaBarge is second in the nation in sacrifice flies with 4.
• #1 Makenzie Sais - Is riding an eight-game hitting streak entering the first season of MIAA play while reaching base in each of the last 10 games.
• #2 Kate Dolan - Batting .312 this season in 16 at bats.
• #3 McKinley Kruger - Did not appear in a game last week.
• #6 Karlyn Bowman - Had one at bat last week against Rockhurst.
• #7 Dalaney Anderson - Had three hits last week in four games drawing two walks against Rockhurst.
• #8 Maddie McGee - Drove in a run last week against Rockhurst.
• #9 Ashlyn Gaughan - Appeared in one game last week stealing a base.
• #12 Jenna Sprague - Picked up a win in the circle against Minnesota State striking out five in a complete-game win.
• #13 Avery Wende - Tossed two shutout innings last weekend.
• #14 Danielle Schlader - Had a walk and a hit in two games last weekend.
• #15 Ellington Hogle - Had two hits and scored a run last weekend.
• #16 Erin Boles - Recorded 3 RBI last weekend scoring a run with two hits and a walk last week.
• #17 Kaylee Wagner - Had a home run against Augustana with 2 RBI driving in three last week.
• #18 Jaden LaBarge - Her 2-run homer in the top of the sixth against Minnesota State was the game winner.
• #19 Ava Bloyd - Made one appearance in the circle last week.
• #20 Gracie Gallagher - Appeared in three games last week.
• #21 Sadie Walker - Struck out a school record 16 batters against Rockhurst last time out walking one allowing five hits.
• #22 Madi Moore  - Will miss the season with an injury.
• #23 Mariah Wheeler - Had three hits in three games with 2 RBI and a two home runs against Maryville.
• #24 Alexis Tanguma - Missed games last weekend with an injury.
• #25 Kate Ediger - Had two hits last week drawing a walk and scoring a run.
  In 2025, Washburn is outscoring its opponents 27-12 in the sixth inning and 29-16 in the second inning but is being outscored 23-17 in the fourth inning and 23-17 in the third inning … Washburn is 4-0 in shutouts … the Ichabods are 11-0 when leading after four innings, 9-0 when leading after five innings and 12-1 when leading after six innings. (Feb. 25, 2025) TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod softball team went 1-1 on the final day of the Ichabod Invitational falling in the opener 6-2 to Wayne State before riding a no-hitter in a 4-0 win over Northern Stat in the nightcap. 
Game 1 – Wayne State 6, WU 2
The Ichabods dropped the opener 6-2 allowing all six runs in the fourth-fifth and sixth innings.
Washburn took the 1-0 lead on a Kate Ediger single that scored Makenzie Sais who singled in the third inning.
In the top of the fourth, the Wildcats scored four runs on four hits and added a solo run in the fifth and one more in the sixth leading to the 6-2 win.
Washburn stranded 11 on base against Wayne State. Five different players had a hit for the Ichabods.
Game 2 – WU 4, Northern State 0
Washburn junior pitcher Sadie Walker tossed her third career no-hitter striking out a career-high 13 in the 4-0 win.  Walker's previous high for strikeouts came against Texas A&M-Kingsville earlier this season when she struck out 11.
Washburn scored in its first at bat when Kate Ediger's sac fly scored Makenzie Sais who singled and then stole second baser and moved to third on Kaylee Wagner's single.
The Ichabods (12-5) added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth as Sais started the inning with a single and then scored on Wagner's triple to left. Ediger reached base with a single down the line and then with two outs, Ellington Hogle's infield single scored both Ediger and Ashlyn Gaughan who scored putting Washburn up 4-0.
Walker then put the Wolves down in order in the seventh striking out the final two batters giving her 13 on the day. Walker walked only one batter throwing a total of 81 pitches.
Sais had three singles and two stolen bases scoring a pair of runs and Hogle had two hits and 2 RBI in the win. NORTHEASTERN STATE
• The RiverHawks are 5-9 this season also opening the MIAA schedule and will be looking to snap a five-game losing streak.
• Madison Heinle leads the team in batting with a .424 average with a team-high 14 hits and 9 RBI.
• In the circle, Gracie Turner has a 4.15 ERA and a 2-1 record in five starts.
• Washburn leads the all-time series 21-19 winning the last three meetings … the last time the Ichabods played in Tahlequah, both games went to extra innings with the Ichabods winning 7-5 in 11 innings and falling 4-3 in eight innings in the opener.
 
#6 ROGERS STATE
• The Hillcats are 12-3 this season and ranked No. 6 in the latest NFCA Top 25 coaches poll.
• Abby Rogers leads the team with a .543 batting average with 25 hits and six doubles with 14 RBI while Callie Yellin is batting .409 with 18 hits and a team-best 18 RBI.
• Jade Sanders leads the pitching staff with a 1.83 ERA going 3-2 in eight starts and Harley Culie has a 2.14 ERA with a 5-0 record. Torie Sandoval is 4-1 with a 2.19 ERA … as a staff the Hillcats have a team ERA of 2.22.
• The Hillcats lead the all-time series 10-5 and have won the last three games … Washburn split a doubleheader in the last meeting in Claremore, Okla. winning the second game of the doubleheader 4-1 after losing the opener 6-0.
  • is 266-156 in her ninth season as the Ichabod head softball coach and is the all-time winningest coach in program history.
• in nine seasons Holaday has gone 123-63 in MIAA contests leading the Ichabods to two MIAA regular season championships in 2018 and 2022 while leading the program to three of its six NCAA postseason in 2018, 2022 and 2024.
• In 2022, the Ichabods won their third MIAA Championship going 24-2 in the MIAA reaching the MIAA Tournament Championship game and the NCAA postseason as Holaday was named the MIAA Coach of the Year for the second time in her tenure at Washburn.
• Overall in nine seasons, Washburn has had 39 all-MIAA picks, one MIAA Player of the Year, one MIAA Pitcher of the Year, two MIAA Freshmen of the Year and 18 all-region selections and six All-American picks and five members of the MIAA Gold Glove team.
• coached 19 seasons at Washburn Rural High School in Topeka compiling a 351-93 record.
• led the Junior Blues to three 6A state championships as well as winning 14 league championships earning 16 6A state tournament berths, five second-place state finishes and three third-place state finishes and was inducted into the Washburn Rural High School Hall of Fame in 2018. • The Ichabods are 1335-976-1 in their 55th year of softball.
• The Ichabods have made six NCAA Tournament appearances (1999, 2006, 2008, 2018, 2022).
• Washburn won the 2002, 2018 and 2022 regular season MIAA titles.