• The Washburn softball team will open its 56th season of program history as the Ichabods begin the 2026 season with five games over three days starting Friday at the Lone Star Classic in Mansfield, Texas, just south of Dallas.
• The Ichabods are coming off a 31-21 season going 13-11 in the MIAA looking to return to the NCAA Tournament after missing out last season … the Ichabods have reached the postseason six times, including three under head coach Brenda Holaday in the 2018, 2022 and 2024 seasons.
• Each of the last two seasons, the Ichabods have started before Feb. 1 …last season Washburn opened the 2025 season in Louisiana on January 31 … start date is the earliest the Ichabods have started the season since Feb. 1, 2019.
• The Ichabods have hit the 30-win mark for four-straight seasons dating back to the 2022 season …that is longest streak of 30 wins since a run between the 2002-07 seasons when the Ichabods recorded 30 wins six seasons in a row.
• The Washburn Ichabods were tabbed sixth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches poll that was released Friday by the MIAA office
• Brenda Holaday is in her 10th season as the Ichabod softball head coach recording a 283-170 overall record going 136-74 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. • The Ichabods led the nation in the triple plays last season recording their second one of the season in Branson …  Washburn was also 44th in the nation in walks and 27th in shutouts.
• Sadie Walker is 36th in the nation in games started (28), 17th in appearances (35) and 39th in shutouts (5) while also ranking 55th in strikeouts (142).
• Jenna Sprague was 10th in the nation with five saves.
  In 2025, Washburn outscored its opponents 40-21 in the sixth inning and 65-41 in the second inning but was outscored 44-40 in the fourth inning and 37-33 in the third inning and 20-12 in the seventh inning … Washburn was 11-3 in shutouts … the Ichabods were 25-1 when leading after four innings, 20-1 when leading after five innings and 25-2 when leading after six innings … Makenzie Sais led the Ichabods with 15 multiple-hit games and Erin Boles is the team's leading returning with seen multi-RBI games … the 88 doubles by the Ichabods in 2025  is tied for fourth on the program chart. (May 1, 2025) HAYS, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod softball season came to an end on Thursday night in the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals in a 6-1 loss to No. 16-ranked Rogers State. The Ichabods end the season 31-21.
The Ichabods jumped out to the early lead breaking a scoreless tie in the top of the third after Dalaney Anderson led off the frame with a full-count triple to right field and then scored on a ground out single from Kate Ediger.
Washburn held the lead until the bottom of the fourth when the Hillcats (36-12) went up 2-1 after a two-out homer on a full count staking Rogers State a lead it would not give up.
The Ichabods left two runners on in the fifth and sixth innings and the Hillcats added two runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings building a 6-1 lead moving onto the MIAA Tournament semifinals.
Anderson had two of the six Washburn hits with Ellington Hogle, Jaden LaBarge, Ediger and Maddie McGee collecting solo hits.
Sadie Walker pitched the complete game striking out four in the loss. TEXAS WOMAN's
• The Texas Woman's softball team was selected to finish 12th in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches, sports information directors, and media, the conference office announced.
The Pioneers are coming off the 2025 season and return a strong core of contributors while adding depth both in the box and defensively. TWU continues to build momentum under fourth-year head coach Gay McNutt as the program enters the 2026 campaign.
• Texas Woman's was represented on the conference's preseason watch lists by freshman infielder Tamia Cherry and sophomore pitcher Randi Crawford.
• Cherry, a freshman from Aubrey, Texas, joins the Pioneers after a standout prep career at Aubrey High School, where she earned All-State honors during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. A multi-sport athlete, Cherry also competed in volleyball and basketball and was named Academic All-District. She is expected to add depth and athleticism to the TWU infield in her first collegiate season.
• Crawford returns after an impressive freshman campaign in the circle for TWU. The right-hander from Blossom, Texas, posted an 11-9 record in 24 appearances, including 21 starts, while logging 13 complete games, four shutouts, and a save. She struck out 103 batters and finished the season with a 4.07 ERA. Crawford earned Lone Star Conference Freshman of the Week honors in Week 11 and was named to the LSC All-Freshman Team.
 
SOUTHERN NAZARENE
• Southern Nazarene was picked fourth in the Great American Conference's preseason poll.
• Returners Kristen Mullendore, who hit .395 with a .450 on-base percentage and a .510 slugging percentage as well as Kelsi Hilton, who hit .302 as a freshman and won four games with a 3.54 ERA in 12 appearances.
 
CAMERON
• Cameron was the sixth-place selection in the Lone Star Conference preseason coaches poll.
• Cameron was 29-24 last season going 14-14 in LSC play finishing in a tie for third in the east division.
 
ST. EDWARD'S
• Lone Star Conference officials released the 2026 Softball Preseason Poll, slotting St. Edward's Hilltoppers eighth in the 17-team league and naming seniors Sloane Hill and Kyle Padgett as the Hilltoppers' Player and Pitcher to Watch.
• St. Edward's is coming off a 27–28 campaign in 2025, including a 21–23 mark in conference play, earning a berth in the Lone Star Conference Tournament. Hill started all 54 games behind the plate, batting .325 with 15 doubles, two home runs, 42 RBI, and 12 runs scored. Padgett anchored the pitching staff with a 9–9 record and a 3.76 ERA, striking out 65 batters and recording three shutouts.
 
LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN
• Lubbock Christian University opens the 2026 softball season once again positioned among the Lone Star Conference's upper tier, as the Lady Chaps were picked fifth in the league's preseason poll.
• LCU enters 2026 coming off a 36–22 season that included its fifth NCAA postseason appearance and a No. 5 seed at the Lone Star Conference Championship. The Lady Chaps posted a 26–18 mark in conference play and advanced to the NCAA South Central Regional.
• Vire was named to the LSC Preseason Players to Watch list after emerging as one of the Lady Chaps' most dynamic all-around performers last season. She led the team with 14 stolen bases, finished second in runs scored and totaled 64 hits.
• Hamilton was selected to the LSC Preseason Pitchers to Watch list, bringing versatility to LCU's roster both in the circle and at the plate. In addition to pitching in nine games last season, she added seven home runs and 26 RBI offensively.
  • is 283-169 in her 10th season as the Ichabod head softball coach and is the all-time winningest coach in program history.
• in nine seasons Holaday has gone 136-74 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 (.791) 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  1356-992-1 in their 56th 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.