For Immediate Release
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Player of the Week
#14 Emma Owens (C, Jr., R/R, Bismarck, N.D. / Legacy HS) – Northern State
- Led the Northern State offense with a .750 average in their 4-0 weekend to open the season
- Tallied 12 hits, including four doubles and one triple, with a 1.125 slugging percentage
- Recorded multiple hits in each of the four wins, including four in both Saturday victories
- Had a weekend high six RBI on Saturday against VCSU
- Was a perfect 4-for-4 with three doubles and a triple versus VCSU
- Added a team leading ten RBI and eight runs scored, with a stolen base, a walk, and a sacrifice
- Defensively, tallied 15 putouts and three assists

NSIC Pitcher of the Week
#16 Abby Rux (LHP, Sr., Hawley, Minn. / Hawley HS) – Northern State
- Opened the season with two wins in the circle, posting a 0.58 ERA
- Threw 12.0 innings, including a 5.0 inning shutout of Valley City State
- Recorded nine strikeouts and a .190 opponent batting average
- Gave up just eight hits in the two contests
- Added a hit of her own in the Wolves 12-1 victory over the University of Mary

Others Top Performers  - Players
Sydney Pelzer (CSP)
- Slashed .333/.333/.533 on the four-game weekend for the Golden Bears
- Tied the team-high with five hits and three RBIs
- Smacked a team-high three doubles on the weekend
- Tallied three hits with two doubles and an RBI in CSP’s 4-1 victory vs. Minnesota State
- Hit a 2RBI double to tie the first game at 3-3 against the Mavericks
Genevieve Hastings (UMary)
- Smashed two home runs over the weekend and drove in four batters
- Recorded a .471 batting average, .526 on-base percentage and a .824 slugging percentage
- Over four games had an OPS of 1.350
- Helped lead the Marauders to a 7-3 victory over Mayville State
Nicole Schmitt (UMD) 
- Batted 5-for-11 with a pair of doubles, two home runs and five RBI
- Slashed .455/.600/1.000 with four walks and five runs scored
- Homered twice against Minnesota State including a game-tying two-run shot
- Has recorded eight straight games with either multiple hits or multiple walks
Gianna Lara (MSU)
- Had six hits in 11 at bats (.545 BA), recorded an OPS of 1.643 with three RBI
- Added three extra-base hits, three walks and a home run
- Tallied back-to-back multi-hit games against UMD and CSP
- Hit an RBI double to put MSU up 6-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning in season opener
- Crushed a ball over the right field fence to give the Mavericks a 2-0 lead over UMD
- Went 2-for-3 at the plate in the second game against the Golden Bears
Annika Norman (MSUM) 
- Led the Dragons at the plate at the West Texas Invitational
- Hit for a .555 average over five games with five RBIs
- Scored seven runs across the weekend, while registering 10 total hits in 18 at-bats
- Had multi-hit showings in four of the five contests
- Had a four hit game against Eastern New Mexico on Sunday
- Hit for a pair of triples and a double during the weekend
Taylor Smith (MINOT) 
- Went 2-for-6 in a doubleheader sweep of Jamestown, with both hits being a 2-run home runs
- First collegiate home run tied the opening game 4-4
- Second collegiate home run provided insurance in game two
- Finished the day with 4 RBIs and defensively had 1 putout and 7 assists without and error
Abby Russell (SMSU) 
- Closed the week batting .750 (3 for 4) with three walks 
- Helped SMSU to a 6-5 win in game one over Regis securing a hit and drawing three walks
- Batted 2 for 3 in game two picking up a double
Brooke Holmes (SCSU)
- Hit .600 (3-for-5), helping the Huskies to a sweep of Regis
- Owned a .500 on-base percentage and 1.400 slugging percentage for an OPS of 1.900
- Posted two extra base hits (one home run and one double)
- Scored three runs, drove in three and walked twice
- Posted her fourth straight multi-hit game and first multi-RBI game of the season in game one
- Lone Husky to have a hit in all six games this season after game two
 Emilee Marth (WSC)
- Went 5 for 5 with seven RBI and five runs scored in sweep at Dordt University
- Was 3 for 3 with three runs scored and a double in 9-0 win
- Followed that by going 2 for 2 with six RBI including a double and home run in 8-0 win

Others Top Performers  - Pitcher
Allison Luoma (UMD)
- Went 2-0 and secured a save in three appearances
- Pitched 12.0 innings with a 1.75 ERA
- Hurled a complete game three-hitter against CSP striking out as season-high five batters
- Locked down a save against CSP the following day, going 1.2 innings allowing one hit
- Followed up with 3.1 innings of shutout ball in relief against Minnesota State to 
Jasmine Blizzard (MINOT)
- Earned her second win of the season with 3 ? innings of scoreless relief against Jamestown
- Struck out four, allowing just 2 hits, and not walking a batter
Macey Clark (SCSU)
- Went 1-0, picking up her second consecutive win
- Posted a 1.17 ERA and holding opposing batters to a .053 batting average
- Tossed 6.0 innings of one hit ball, while striking out two in Sunday's 4-1 win over Regis
- Had a no-hitter going through 3 2/3 innings in her third start
- Only allowed two total hits in  6.0 innings in her third start as a Husky
NSIC Softball Players of the Week
2/4/25
Player: #22 Nicole Schmitt – Minnesota Duluth
Pitcher: #8 Avery Steffen – MSU Moorhead
2/11/25
Player:#14 Emma Owens – Northern State
Pitcher: #16 Abby Rux – Northern State

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 15-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 27 team national championships and crowned 116 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.