Friday, February 21
Austin, Texas
11:30 a.m.
North Dakota State
vs
Weber State
Photo by: Tim Sanger
Texas Invitational Up Next for NDSU on Feb. 21-23
2/19/2020 3:58:00 PM | Softball
North Dakota State (4-5) plays Weber State (3-7) in the first game of the Texas Invitational at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 21, at McCombs Field in Austin ... Tournament field includes host and No. 4/4 ranked Texas, Duke and Lipscomb ... All games on the Longhorn Network (live OR tape delay) ... Broadcast crews include Tyler Denning (PBP) and Megan Wllis (Analyst), and Alex Loeb (PBP) and Amanda Scarborough (Analyst) ... The schedule:
Texas Invitational
McCombs Stadium / Austin, Texas
Friday, Feb. 21
BISON vs. Weber State (3-7), 11:30 a.m.
BISON at #4/4 Texas (10-0), 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22
BISON vs. Weber State, 9 a.m.
BISON vs. Duke (8-1), 2 p.m. (LHN tape delay, 11:30 p.m.)
Sunday, Feb. 23
BISON vs. Lipscomb (5-3), 10 a.m.
Up Next
North Dakota State travels to Sam Houston State Bearkat Classic on Feb. 28-March 1 ... The Bison will play Sam Houston (4-6) and Louisiana Tech (2-6).
Vargas Named Summit League Pitcher of Week
North Dakota State sophomore Paige Vargas was named the Summit League Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 17 ... It was the first league honor for Vargas, who compiled a 2-1 record and 1.12 earned run average ... The loss, 1-0, at No. 8 Florida (2-15-20) ... Notched her third career one-hitter and ninth career shutout in the 9-0 win over Southeastern Louisiana (2-14-20) ... She struck out eight and five in 18.2 innings and opponents hit .190.
Quickly Around The Horn
North Dakota State head coach Darren Mueller picked up career win No. 650 after the Bison defeated Florida A&M on Feb. 15 at the Florida Bubly Invitational in Gainesville ... In the NCAA statistics (2-17-20), NDSU was No. 9 in double plays per game (0.67) ... The Bison have six DPs thru the first nine games this season ... NDSU only had five DPs last season ... Individually, first baseman Cameryn Maykut is the toughest to strikeout in the nation ... Maykut has not struck out in19 at bats this season ... Pitchers, Paige Vargas and Mac Schulz, are tied for No. 26 with one shutout ... NDSU's first 36 games will be on the road, hitting tournaments in South Carolina, Florida, Texas, California and Utah ... The home opener is scheduled for April 4-5 with a Summit League series against Purdue Fort Wayne at Tharaldson Park ... NDSU is scheduled to host the Summit League tournament on May 6-9 ... North Dakota State is hitting .307 with a 3.64 ERA and .972 fielding percentage ... Opponents are hitting .271 with a 3.98 ERA and .966 fielding percentage ... The Bison are averaging 4.22 runs per game and allowing 3.55 runs per game ... NDSU is 4-0 when scoring in the first inning and 4-2 when out-hitting opponents.
Bison #SummitSB Preseason Favorite
For the eighth consecutive year, North Dakota State was named The Summit League preseason softball favorite ... The Bison won their 10th tournament title in 2019 ... NDSU earned six of seven first-place votes for a total of 34 points ... The Bison return four all-Summit League selections including first team shortstop Montana DeCamp, designated player Cara Beatty, outfielder Madyson Camacho, and second team pitcher Paige Vargas, who was named the Freshman of the Year ... In addition, Vargas was selected Summit League tournament MVP and Camacho was all-tournament ... Vargas and Camacho are listed as 'players to watch' in 2020.
Beatty, O'Byrne Take Aim at NDSU Career Charts
On the NDSU career charts, designated player Cara Beatty is No. 8 in slugging percentage (.553) ... Kara O'Byrne is tied for No .1 in combined shutouts (2).
Dozen NDSU Players Easton/NFCA Scholar Athletes
A dozen North Dakota State University softball players including seven repeat selections were recognized as Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Scholar-Athletes for work in the classroom during the 2018-19 academic year ... Collectively, NDSU compiled a 3.590 grade point average and ranked No. 11 overall ... Earning Scholar-Athlete honors were first baseman Vanessa Anderson, designated player Cara Beatty, shortstop Montana DeCamp, catcher Maddie Hansen, third baseman Sam Koehn, pitcher KK Leddy, infielder Nicole Licea, pitcher Kara O'Byrne, pitcher Morgan Olson, utility player Lauren Reimers, pitcher Paige Vargas and catcher Avery Wysong ... Anderson, DeCamp, Hansen, Leddy, O'Byrne, Olson and Reimers were repeat selections ... Student-athletes had to maintain a 3.5 GPA during the 2018-19 season.
The Mueller File
The North Dakota State head coach is Darren Mueller (19th season, 26th overall) ... Mueller has compiled a 651-355 record (.647) including 212-48 (.815) vs. Summit League competition (including tournament) ... Mueller reached career win No. 650 against Florida A&M (2-15-20) ... Summit League career win No. 200 came against South Dakota State (G2 4-14-19) ... The Bison had 10 straight 30-plus win seasons from 2007-2016, and have at least 30 victories in 12 of the past 13 seasons ... Mueller became the program's all-time winningest coach with the 4-1 victory at Western Illinois (4-16-11) ... North Dakota State has won 10 Summit League tournament championships (2009-10-11-12, 2014-15-16-17-18-19) to advance to NCAA regional play ... The Bison (10-20) won the NCAA Norman Regional in 2009 and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional at Arizona State ... NDSU has won eight Summit League regular season crowns (2008, 2012-13-14-15-16-18-19) ... Rounding out the Bison staff are associate head coach Gerice Olson and assistant coach Allie Walljasper ... The NDSU coaching staff earned the 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2019 Summit League Coaching Staff of the Year honors ... The NDSU staff earned 2009, 2015 and 2016 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year award ... Mueller was the 2006 and 2007 Division I Independent Coach of the Year.
MUELLER WIN CHART
1 vs. Quincy (Ill.), 3-1-02
100 vs. Southern Connecticut State, 3-20-04
200 vs. South Dakota State, 3-25-07
300 vs. Wright State, 3-12-10
400 vs. Northern Illinois, 3-13-13
500 vs. IUPUI, 5-9-15
600 vs. Western Illinois, 5-5-18
650 vs. Florida A&M, 2-15-20
Texas Invitational
McCombs Stadium / Austin, Texas
Friday, Feb. 21
BISON vs. Weber State (3-7), 11:30 a.m.
BISON at #4/4 Texas (10-0), 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22
BISON vs. Weber State, 9 a.m.
BISON vs. Duke (8-1), 2 p.m. (LHN tape delay, 11:30 p.m.)
Sunday, Feb. 23
BISON vs. Lipscomb (5-3), 10 a.m.
Up Next
North Dakota State travels to Sam Houston State Bearkat Classic on Feb. 28-March 1 ... The Bison will play Sam Houston (4-6) and Louisiana Tech (2-6).
Vargas Named Summit League Pitcher of Week
North Dakota State sophomore Paige Vargas was named the Summit League Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 17 ... It was the first league honor for Vargas, who compiled a 2-1 record and 1.12 earned run average ... The loss, 1-0, at No. 8 Florida (2-15-20) ... Notched her third career one-hitter and ninth career shutout in the 9-0 win over Southeastern Louisiana (2-14-20) ... She struck out eight and five in 18.2 innings and opponents hit .190.
Quickly Around The Horn
North Dakota State head coach Darren Mueller picked up career win No. 650 after the Bison defeated Florida A&M on Feb. 15 at the Florida Bubly Invitational in Gainesville ... In the NCAA statistics (2-17-20), NDSU was No. 9 in double plays per game (0.67) ... The Bison have six DPs thru the first nine games this season ... NDSU only had five DPs last season ... Individually, first baseman Cameryn Maykut is the toughest to strikeout in the nation ... Maykut has not struck out in19 at bats this season ... Pitchers, Paige Vargas and Mac Schulz, are tied for No. 26 with one shutout ... NDSU's first 36 games will be on the road, hitting tournaments in South Carolina, Florida, Texas, California and Utah ... The home opener is scheduled for April 4-5 with a Summit League series against Purdue Fort Wayne at Tharaldson Park ... NDSU is scheduled to host the Summit League tournament on May 6-9 ... North Dakota State is hitting .307 with a 3.64 ERA and .972 fielding percentage ... Opponents are hitting .271 with a 3.98 ERA and .966 fielding percentage ... The Bison are averaging 4.22 runs per game and allowing 3.55 runs per game ... NDSU is 4-0 when scoring in the first inning and 4-2 when out-hitting opponents.
Bison #SummitSB Preseason Favorite
For the eighth consecutive year, North Dakota State was named The Summit League preseason softball favorite ... The Bison won their 10th tournament title in 2019 ... NDSU earned six of seven first-place votes for a total of 34 points ... The Bison return four all-Summit League selections including first team shortstop Montana DeCamp, designated player Cara Beatty, outfielder Madyson Camacho, and second team pitcher Paige Vargas, who was named the Freshman of the Year ... In addition, Vargas was selected Summit League tournament MVP and Camacho was all-tournament ... Vargas and Camacho are listed as 'players to watch' in 2020.
Beatty, O'Byrne Take Aim at NDSU Career Charts
On the NDSU career charts, designated player Cara Beatty is No. 8 in slugging percentage (.553) ... Kara O'Byrne is tied for No .1 in combined shutouts (2).
Dozen NDSU Players Easton/NFCA Scholar Athletes
A dozen North Dakota State University softball players including seven repeat selections were recognized as Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Scholar-Athletes for work in the classroom during the 2018-19 academic year ... Collectively, NDSU compiled a 3.590 grade point average and ranked No. 11 overall ... Earning Scholar-Athlete honors were first baseman Vanessa Anderson, designated player Cara Beatty, shortstop Montana DeCamp, catcher Maddie Hansen, third baseman Sam Koehn, pitcher KK Leddy, infielder Nicole Licea, pitcher Kara O'Byrne, pitcher Morgan Olson, utility player Lauren Reimers, pitcher Paige Vargas and catcher Avery Wysong ... Anderson, DeCamp, Hansen, Leddy, O'Byrne, Olson and Reimers were repeat selections ... Student-athletes had to maintain a 3.5 GPA during the 2018-19 season.
The Mueller File
The North Dakota State head coach is Darren Mueller (19th season, 26th overall) ... Mueller has compiled a 651-355 record (.647) including 212-48 (.815) vs. Summit League competition (including tournament) ... Mueller reached career win No. 650 against Florida A&M (2-15-20) ... Summit League career win No. 200 came against South Dakota State (G2 4-14-19) ... The Bison had 10 straight 30-plus win seasons from 2007-2016, and have at least 30 victories in 12 of the past 13 seasons ... Mueller became the program's all-time winningest coach with the 4-1 victory at Western Illinois (4-16-11) ... North Dakota State has won 10 Summit League tournament championships (2009-10-11-12, 2014-15-16-17-18-19) to advance to NCAA regional play ... The Bison (10-20) won the NCAA Norman Regional in 2009 and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional at Arizona State ... NDSU has won eight Summit League regular season crowns (2008, 2012-13-14-15-16-18-19) ... Rounding out the Bison staff are associate head coach Gerice Olson and assistant coach Allie Walljasper ... The NDSU coaching staff earned the 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2019 Summit League Coaching Staff of the Year honors ... The NDSU staff earned 2009, 2015 and 2016 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year award ... Mueller was the 2006 and 2007 Division I Independent Coach of the Year.
MUELLER WIN CHART
1 vs. Quincy (Ill.), 3-1-02
100 vs. Southern Connecticut State, 3-20-04
200 vs. South Dakota State, 3-25-07
300 vs. Wright State, 3-12-10
400 vs. Northern Illinois, 3-13-13
500 vs. IUPUI, 5-9-15
600 vs. Western Illinois, 5-5-18
650 vs. Florida A&M, 2-15-20
Players Mentioned
1B
/ Softball
DP
/ Softball
LF
/ Softball
SS
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
3B
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballWednesday, November 12
Saturday, April 26
Monday, April 14
Saturday, April 12
