Friday, February 9
Wilmington, N.C.
1:30 p.m.
North Dakota State
vs
Furman
Photo by: Zachary Lucy
Bison Softball to Open Season In North Carolina
2/7/2024 10:51:00 AM | Softball
FARGO, N.D. - The North Dakota State softball team will open up the 2024 season with the first of two weekends in North Carolina, beginning with five games hosted by the University of North Carolina-Wilmington on February 9-11.
The Bison will begin the weekend in Wilmington with a single game against Furman on Friday. NDSU will then play Queens and Northern Kentucky on Saturday, before wrapping up the weekend against DePaul and the hosts, UNC Wilmington.
Game Coverage
The final game of the weekend against host UNC Wilmington will be streamed live by FloSoftball. A subscription to FloSoftball will be needed to view the game. All five games will also include live statistics. Links to the stream and stats will be available on the softball schedule page on gobison.com.
North Carolina Bound to Open the Year
For the first time in the program's 49-year history, the Bison will open up the season in the state of North Carolina. It's the 21st state, plus Mexico, that NDSU has played in to begin the year. It will be the sixth trip overall for the Bison in the Tar Heel state, but the first since 2018 when NDSU made the trip for the Duke Inaugural Tournament. The Bison have played 29 games in North Carolina heading into the trip, with NDSU holding a 22-7 record overall, including a 12-6 record in the Division I era.
Season Openers
The Bison are 28-20 all-time in season openers, including a 12-7 mark in 19 seasons of Division I play. After losses in two straight in season openers to No. 19 South Carolina in 2020 and No. 21 Arkansas in 2021, the Bison picked up a dominating 10-3 win over Utah State at the Santa Barbara Campus Diamond Kickoff in 2022 and earned a 4-0 shutout of California Baptist last season in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Against unranked competition in the Division I era, the Bison are 12-4 in the opener, including eight wins in the last 10.
The Series (Furman)
The season opener against Furman will be the first meeting between the two schools on the softball diamond and the first in any sport in a head-to-head match up since a NCAA Division I Second Round win in Fargo for the Bison in football on December 7, 2013. The two schools also split a home-and-home in men's basketball in January and November of 2006, with each team winning at home.
The Series (Queens)
The Bison will also face Queens for the first time on the softball diamond, but it will also be the first time the two institutions have face head-to-head. NDSU did however make the trip to Charlotte and competed at the Queens Tournament in softball in 1999 going 4-1, but NDSU did not face the hosts on the trip.
The Series (Northern Kentucky)
The match up for the Bison against Northern Kentucky will be just the second meeting between the two schools and the first since March 15, 1998, when current head coach Darren Mueller was an assistant coach for the Bison. NDSU defeated the Norse 6-0 at the University of West Florida Argonaut Tournament in Pensacola.
The Series (DePaul)
The Bison will take on DePaul for the fourth time in series history and the first since March of 2016. NDSU holds a 3-0 record over the Blue Demons, winning the first-ever meeting 10-5 in eight innings at DePaul. The Bison then defeated the Blue Demons twice in March of 2016 at the Easton Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. NDSU won the first game 3-2 in eight innings before an 18-0 win in five in the second match up.
The Series (UNC Wilmington)
NDSU will also face UNC Wilmington for the first time on the softball diamond. It is the third meeting in head-to-head match ups between the two schools, with the last meeting coming on the hardwood in men's basketball in December of 2017, as the Bison won 100-63 in the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational in El Paso, Texas.
Bison Picked Fourth in Summit League
North Dakota State was picked to finish fourth in The Summit League in 2024 in a preseason poll of the league's seven head coaches. NDSU had received 22 points in the poll, two behind South Dakota (24) in third. The Bison have won five regular season crowns and lifted six league tournament titles in the last decade.
South Dakota State had 34 points and four-first-place votes, edging out Omaha, who had 33 and the other three first-place votes. North Dakota (14), Kansas City (10) and St. Thomas (10) rounded out the poll.
Spring on the Road, the Bison Way
North Dakota State softball is scheduled to play the first 35 games of the season on the road, traveling to six different tournaments/invitationals in four different states, along with three midweek non-conference games.
The non-conference swing includes two 11-day trips to North Carolina and California and will see over 10,000 flight miles. Last year, after moving the first home series due to snow, the Bison played 42 games away from home before their first pitch at Tharaldson Park on April 29.
Buringa, Aguilar-Beaucage Tabbed Summit League Players to Watch
Seniors Emilee Buringa and Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage were named among 14 players to watch by the Summit League ahead of the season.
Buringa was named to the All-Summit League first team last year after starting all 51 games in center field with 41 hits in 148 at-bats (.277). She recorded 11 multi-hit games, and had seven doubles, two triples, four home runs, and 20 walks for a .397 on-base percentage and.432 slugging percentage.
Aguilar-Beaucage was named to last season's All-Summit League Second Team after 50 starts. She had 44 hits in 148 at-bats (.297), recorded 11 multi-hit games and totaled 74 bases for a .500 slugging percentage. She hit 10 doubles, one triple, and six home runs. She finished with a 13 walks and a.364 on-base percentage.
Welcome Back Byrne
Darcy Byrne returns to the coaching staff in 2024. Byrne worked with NDSU in two previous stints as a volunteer assistant and pitching coach, most recently in 2018. Byrne has helped coach the Bison to six Summit League conference titles, including two regular season and four tournament championships.
Bison Return Four All-Summit League Honorees
The Bison had seven all-league recipients last season in the Summit League and bring back four ahead of the 2024 season. Senior Emilee Buringa is the lone returning first-team all-Summit League selection, but NDSU brings back sophomore Bella Dean and senior Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage from the second team, as well as honorable mention junior Chloe Woldruff.
Buringa Enters Season on Streak
Senior Emilee Buringa made her 100th consecutive start in center field in the final home series last season. She enters 2024 having started in 104 straight games in center field, starting every game for the Bison in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Buringa has played in 133 career games for the Bison, with 122 starts.
Aguilar-Beaucage Sets Career High Streaks
Last Season, Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage became the 21st Bison in the Division I era to have a hit streak of at least 10 games. It was a career high mark for the junior transfer, who also set a personal best mark of 14 games reaching base safely.
Dean Slugging Her Way to Top of Summit League
Bella Dean made a splash in her freshman season, working her way into an every day starter before a late season injury. Dean had nine home runs, including seven in league play, which led the entire Summit League. She hit .286 with 36 RBIs in 42 games and had a .344 on-base percentage and a .563 slugging percentage.
Woldruff Looking to Pick Up Where She Left Off
Chloe Woldruff closed 2023 on a personal best run. Woldruff started the final 13 games in right and had hits in 10, going 13-for-32 (.406) during the stretch with two doubles and her first career triple. She added her first two stolen bases and recorded five RBI and six runs scored. She had four walks, adding to a .472 on-base percentage and slugged .531. Her .406 average led the Bison during the stretch.
NCAA Tournament History
The Bison have advanced to NCAA regional play 10 times in the Division I era, first qualifying in 2009, NDSU's first year of postseason eligibility. The Bison swept through the Norman Regional in 2009, advancing to the Super Regional at Arizona State. NDSU made seven straight Division II postseason appearances from 1998-2004 including a national championship in 2000.
The Bison will begin the weekend in Wilmington with a single game against Furman on Friday. NDSU will then play Queens and Northern Kentucky on Saturday, before wrapping up the weekend against DePaul and the hosts, UNC Wilmington.
Game Coverage
The final game of the weekend against host UNC Wilmington will be streamed live by FloSoftball. A subscription to FloSoftball will be needed to view the game. All five games will also include live statistics. Links to the stream and stats will be available on the softball schedule page on gobison.com.
North Carolina Bound to Open the Year
For the first time in the program's 49-year history, the Bison will open up the season in the state of North Carolina. It's the 21st state, plus Mexico, that NDSU has played in to begin the year. It will be the sixth trip overall for the Bison in the Tar Heel state, but the first since 2018 when NDSU made the trip for the Duke Inaugural Tournament. The Bison have played 29 games in North Carolina heading into the trip, with NDSU holding a 22-7 record overall, including a 12-6 record in the Division I era.
Season Openers
The Bison are 28-20 all-time in season openers, including a 12-7 mark in 19 seasons of Division I play. After losses in two straight in season openers to No. 19 South Carolina in 2020 and No. 21 Arkansas in 2021, the Bison picked up a dominating 10-3 win over Utah State at the Santa Barbara Campus Diamond Kickoff in 2022 and earned a 4-0 shutout of California Baptist last season in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Against unranked competition in the Division I era, the Bison are 12-4 in the opener, including eight wins in the last 10.
The Series (Furman)
The season opener against Furman will be the first meeting between the two schools on the softball diamond and the first in any sport in a head-to-head match up since a NCAA Division I Second Round win in Fargo for the Bison in football on December 7, 2013. The two schools also split a home-and-home in men's basketball in January and November of 2006, with each team winning at home.
The Series (Queens)
The Bison will also face Queens for the first time on the softball diamond, but it will also be the first time the two institutions have face head-to-head. NDSU did however make the trip to Charlotte and competed at the Queens Tournament in softball in 1999 going 4-1, but NDSU did not face the hosts on the trip.
The Series (Northern Kentucky)
The match up for the Bison against Northern Kentucky will be just the second meeting between the two schools and the first since March 15, 1998, when current head coach Darren Mueller was an assistant coach for the Bison. NDSU defeated the Norse 6-0 at the University of West Florida Argonaut Tournament in Pensacola.
The Series (DePaul)
The Bison will take on DePaul for the fourth time in series history and the first since March of 2016. NDSU holds a 3-0 record over the Blue Demons, winning the first-ever meeting 10-5 in eight innings at DePaul. The Bison then defeated the Blue Demons twice in March of 2016 at the Easton Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. NDSU won the first game 3-2 in eight innings before an 18-0 win in five in the second match up.
The Series (UNC Wilmington)
NDSU will also face UNC Wilmington for the first time on the softball diamond. It is the third meeting in head-to-head match ups between the two schools, with the last meeting coming on the hardwood in men's basketball in December of 2017, as the Bison won 100-63 in the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational in El Paso, Texas.
Bison Picked Fourth in Summit League
North Dakota State was picked to finish fourth in The Summit League in 2024 in a preseason poll of the league's seven head coaches. NDSU had received 22 points in the poll, two behind South Dakota (24) in third. The Bison have won five regular season crowns and lifted six league tournament titles in the last decade.
South Dakota State had 34 points and four-first-place votes, edging out Omaha, who had 33 and the other three first-place votes. North Dakota (14), Kansas City (10) and St. Thomas (10) rounded out the poll.
Spring on the Road, the Bison Way
North Dakota State softball is scheduled to play the first 35 games of the season on the road, traveling to six different tournaments/invitationals in four different states, along with three midweek non-conference games.
The non-conference swing includes two 11-day trips to North Carolina and California and will see over 10,000 flight miles. Last year, after moving the first home series due to snow, the Bison played 42 games away from home before their first pitch at Tharaldson Park on April 29.
Buringa, Aguilar-Beaucage Tabbed Summit League Players to Watch
Seniors Emilee Buringa and Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage were named among 14 players to watch by the Summit League ahead of the season.
Buringa was named to the All-Summit League first team last year after starting all 51 games in center field with 41 hits in 148 at-bats (.277). She recorded 11 multi-hit games, and had seven doubles, two triples, four home runs, and 20 walks for a .397 on-base percentage and.432 slugging percentage.
Aguilar-Beaucage was named to last season's All-Summit League Second Team after 50 starts. She had 44 hits in 148 at-bats (.297), recorded 11 multi-hit games and totaled 74 bases for a .500 slugging percentage. She hit 10 doubles, one triple, and six home runs. She finished with a 13 walks and a.364 on-base percentage.
Welcome Back Byrne
Darcy Byrne returns to the coaching staff in 2024. Byrne worked with NDSU in two previous stints as a volunteer assistant and pitching coach, most recently in 2018. Byrne has helped coach the Bison to six Summit League conference titles, including two regular season and four tournament championships.
Bison Return Four All-Summit League Honorees
The Bison had seven all-league recipients last season in the Summit League and bring back four ahead of the 2024 season. Senior Emilee Buringa is the lone returning first-team all-Summit League selection, but NDSU brings back sophomore Bella Dean and senior Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage from the second team, as well as honorable mention junior Chloe Woldruff.
Buringa Enters Season on Streak
Senior Emilee Buringa made her 100th consecutive start in center field in the final home series last season. She enters 2024 having started in 104 straight games in center field, starting every game for the Bison in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Buringa has played in 133 career games for the Bison, with 122 starts.
Aguilar-Beaucage Sets Career High Streaks
Last Season, Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage became the 21st Bison in the Division I era to have a hit streak of at least 10 games. It was a career high mark for the junior transfer, who also set a personal best mark of 14 games reaching base safely.
Dean Slugging Her Way to Top of Summit League
Bella Dean made a splash in her freshman season, working her way into an every day starter before a late season injury. Dean had nine home runs, including seven in league play, which led the entire Summit League. She hit .286 with 36 RBIs in 42 games and had a .344 on-base percentage and a .563 slugging percentage.
Woldruff Looking to Pick Up Where She Left Off
Chloe Woldruff closed 2023 on a personal best run. Woldruff started the final 13 games in right and had hits in 10, going 13-for-32 (.406) during the stretch with two doubles and her first career triple. She added her first two stolen bases and recorded five RBI and six runs scored. She had four walks, adding to a .472 on-base percentage and slugged .531. Her .406 average led the Bison during the stretch.
NCAA Tournament History
The Bison have advanced to NCAA regional play 10 times in the Division I era, first qualifying in 2009, NDSU's first year of postseason eligibility. The Bison swept through the Norman Regional in 2009, advancing to the Super Regional at Arizona State. NDSU made seven straight Division II postseason appearances from 1998-2004 including a national championship in 2000.
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
OF
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IF
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IF
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