• The Washburn softball team, off to its best start since 2003, will finally open its home slate as they host the Washburn Invitational this weekend at Gahnstrom Field starting on Friday playing six games over three days.
• The 13-2 start by the Ichabods this season is the best since starting the 2003 season 17-3 en route to a 34-win season.
• Overall, the Ichabods have won their last six games after going 5-0 at the Cherokee Classic with three shutout wins including a 2-0 win over No. 24-ranked Oklahoma Baptist.
• Ichabod head coach is four wins away from reaching 300 as the Ichabod head coach in her 10th season at Washburn.
• The Ichabods are 27-3 all-time in their home invitational.
• 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 before the season started by the MIAA office
• Brenda Holaday is in her 10th season as the Ichabod softball head coach recording a 296-172 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. • Makenzie Sais leads the nation with 31 stolen bases, 15 ahead of the No. 2-ranked player on the chart … Sais' 31 stolen bases is two shy of tying the Ichabod single season record only 15 games into the season … the Ichabod single season record has stood since 1999 when Torrie Beauchamp went 33 of 37 in stolen base attempts … Sais is currently tied for second on the single season chart with Samantha Stallbaumer who stole 31 bases in 2018 and 2019.
• Makenzie Sais is also fifth in the nation in hits with 23 and 12th in runs scored with 16.
• As a team, the Ichabods are ranked second in the NCAA with 44 total stolen bases, behind Missouri Southern's 49.
• Dalaney Anderson is fourth in the NCAA ranks and tied for the MIAA lead with 21 RBI and her four home runs are 16th in the national stats.
• Kierra Goos leads the nation in starts with eight and Sadie Walker with 16th with six … Walker is fourth in innings pitched (45.6), fifth in appearances (10), first in shutouts (3), ninth in strikeouts (45) and second in wins (7).
• In the team NCAA rankings, the Ichabods are fourth in doubles with 31, 11th in field percentage (.982), 11th in hits (130), eight in RBI (92), fourth in shutouts (4) and third in walks (65).
  TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- Washburn controlled every facet of the game in a 6–0 shutout of Southeastern Oklahoma, using a second-inning surge and a complete-game gem from Sadie Walker to secure their 13th win of the season winning their six in a row. Walker was in command from the first pitch, tossing seven scoreless innings while allowing just five hits, striking out six, and walking only one.
Washburn's offense erupted in the second inning, transforming a scoreless contest into a commanding lead. The inning began with Erin Boles singling to left, followed by Maddie McGee drawing a walk. Makenzie Sais worked another walk to load the bases with none out. That set the stage for Taylor Brees, who connected for a two-run double, bringing home McGee and Boles while advancing Sais to third. Moments later, after a strikeout, Madi Moore continued the barrage with a two-run double of her own, scoring both Brees and Sais to stretch the lead to 4–0.
With two outs, Aspen Burgardt delivered the biggest swing of the inning—a towering two-run shot that brought home Moore and capped the six-run outburst. The Ichabods totaled four hits, drew three walks, and sent ten hitters to the plate in the inning.
Sais singled again in the sixth inning, later stealing both second and third—giving her four stolen bases on the day after swiping two in the first inning. Moore and Burgardt each finished with two RBI, and Boles added a hit and a run scored. MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• The Yellowjackets are 2-8 this season and have dropped their last five games going 0-4 against MSU Denver and Colorado Mines last weekend in a pair of doubleheaders.
• The Ichabods are 0-1 all-time against the Yellowjackets falling 10-2 in 2022 in Arizona.
 
WAYNE STATE
• The Wildcats are 5-1 after splitting a doubleheader with Dordt last time out … the Wildcats won a pair of games to open the season against Nebraska-Kearney.
• The Ichabods lead the all-time series 25-13 and have won 6 of the last 7 after the Wildcats won last season in Topeka 6-2 at the Washburn Invitational.
 
MINNESOTA STATE
• For the first time in 41 years, the Mavericks will have a new head coach as Kristie Wolcott took over for Lori Meyer after serving as the associate head coach since 2014.
• The Mavericks are 3-1 after splitting a doubleheader last time out with Southwest Minnesota State and sweeping Minnesota Duluth at the Dome Classic.
• The Ichabods trail the all-time series 15-12 and snapped a six-game losing streak to the Mavericks last season in Topeka in a 2-1 win.
 
DRURY
• The Panthers are 4-5 this season and have won their last three games … they fell to Central Missouri 4-2 and topped then No. 24-ranked Missouri Southern 2-1.
• The Ichabods and the Panthers are tied 2-2 and have not played since a Drury 5-4 win in 11 innings on Feb. 17, 2017.
 
MINNESOTA-CROOKSTON
• The Golden Eagles are looking for their first win of the season as they will arrive in Topeka with an 0-9 record. They will face Fort Hays State, Newman, Central Missouri and Emporia State before ending their weekend with the Ichabods on Sunday.
• The Ichabods are 6-0 all-time against the Golden Eagles winning last season in Topeka 2-1.
 
LINCOLN
• The Blue Tigers are 2-0 after sweeping Stephens to open the season on Feb. 15 in a doubleheader.
• The Ichabods are 41-6 all-time against the Blue Tigers, a former MIAA member … Overall the Ichabods have won the last 18 meetings not losing since being swept by Lincoln in a doubleheader on April 25, 2014 in Jefferson City.
  • is 296-172 in her 10th season as the Ichabod head softball coach and is the all-time winningest coach in program history.
• she 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  1360-993-1 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.