• After playing their first five games at home last weekend after playing the first 15 of the season away from Gahnstrom Field, the Washburn Ichabod softball team returns to the road for five games at the Midwest College Classic in Shawnee, Kan. in games that will be played at the Mid America Sports Complex.
• The 17-3 start by the Ichabods this season ties the best start since beginning the 2003 season 17-3 en route to a 34-win season.
• Washburn received votes (2) in this week's NFCA Top 25 coaches poll and would be 30th if extrapolated out.
• The Ichabods went 4-1 last weekend at the Washburn Invitational outscoring their opponents 47-12.
• In the final game of the weekend, Ichabod head coach collected her 300th as the Ichabod head coach in a 5-1 win over Minnesota Crookston.
• The Ichabods improved to 31-4 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 300-173 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 became the Ichabod single-season leader in stolen bases against Montana State Billings with her 34th … she enters the weekend with a nation-best 43 stolen bases, 22 ahead of the No. 2-ranked player on the chart … Sais' stolen bases total is also 27 more than the NCAA Division I leader and 28 ahead of the NCAA Division III leader … the Ichabod single season record has stood since 1999 when Torrie Beauchamp went 33 of 37 in stolen base attempts … finally, Sais' stolen base total of 43 is more than the combined total of 217 Division II teams entering the weekend.
• Makenzie Sais is also fourth in the nation in hits with 28 and second in runs scored with 25.
• Dalaney Anderson, Kate Ediger and Aspen Burgardt are all tied for 16th in the nation in the NCAA D2 rankings with three … Anderson also leads the nation in RBI with 30.
• As a team, the Ichabods are ranked third in the NCAA with 40 doubles while also ranking third in hits (177), second in RBI (135), second in shutouts (5), ninth in stolen bases per game (3.15) and second in total runs (149) and second in stolen bases (63) - one off the nation's lead of 64 held by Missouri Southern.
• Sadie Walker leads the nation in innings pitched with 62.1 and she is second in appearances
  TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabods improved to 17-3 with a 5-1 victory over Minnesota Crookston on Sunday afternoon in the final game of the Washburn Invitational wrapping up the weekend with a 4-1 record overall.
The Golden Eagles (2-12) scored first on a double steal in the top of the first, but Washburn responded immediately. McKenzie Sais walked and stole second before Taylor Brees delivered an RBI single to tie the game. A sacrifice fly from Madi Moore then plated Brees to give the Ichabods a 2-1 lead.
Washburn extended the advantage in the second inning. After Sais singled and stole another base, Brees ripped a two-run double to left center, pushing the lead to 4-1.
Sadie Walker moved to 8-1 on the season, throwing a complete-game five-hitter with five strikeouts and no walks.
Delaney Anderson provided an insurance run in the sixth with a solo homer to right center putting the Ichabods up 5-1.
Offensively, Brees led the way with two hits and 3 RBI, while Sais scored twice and stole two bases giving her 43 on the season - moving her into the top 10 on the MIAA single season stolen base chart. Aspen Burgardt also had two hits on the chilly afternoon as well. MINNESOTA DULUTH
• The Bulldogs are 9-4 this season and have won their last three games.
• They own a 6-4 win over Northwest Missouri facing other MIAA opponents.
• The Ichabods are 5-5 all-time against the Bulldogs and have lost the last two meetings … Washburn's last win against UMD was a 12-4 win on March 29, 2008.
  
BEMIDJI STATE
• The Beavers are 2-8 this season winning their last game out 7-2 against Lewis.
• Washburn is 3-0 all-time against the Beavers, but have not faced them since a 7-3 win in 2007.
• Bemidji State's Athletic Director is Britt Lauritsen, who spent eight years at Washburn as an assistant athletic director, senior women's administrator, and compliance officer at Washburn.
 
SOUTHWEST BAPTIST BEARCATS
• The Bearcats and former MIAA foe are 2-8 this season … they 1-5 against MIAA opponents this season.
• Washburn is 55-11 all-time against the Bearcats winning the last seven in a row including a 13-0 win in the last meeting on Feb. 23, 2024.
 
MINNESOTA STATE
• The Mavericks are 3-7 this season after going 0-6 at the Washburn Invitational last weekend including a 15-2 loss to the Ichabods on Feb. 21.
• The Ichabods trail the all-time series 15-13.
 
WINONA STATE
• The Warriors are 9-2 this season entering the weekend on a two-game winning streak.
• The Ichabods are 3-4 all-time against the Warriors winning the last two meetings.
  • is 300-173 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  1364-994-1 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.