COVERAGE LINKS
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Henderson State softball program opens the 2024 season hosting the annual Hawkins-McGhee Memorial Tournament on Feb. 2-4. HSU will face four teams across three days, featuring Missouri S&T, Northwest Missouri State, Missouri Southern and Northeastern State.
The Reddies begin the tournament on Feb. 2 with a doubleheader against Missouri S&T at 2 p.m., followed by Northwest Missouri State at 4:30 p.m.
REDDIES REPORT
Henderson State was picked ninth in the 2024 GAC Preseason Poll after going 11-22 last year in conference games and 19-30 overall. Of those 11 league wins, the Reddies picked up series wins over Northwestern Oklahoma State, Ouachita Baptist and Arkansas-Monticello.
Head coach
David Martinez brings back an experienced lineup that features six seniors and nine juniors. Among those returners is
Brooke Johnson, who led the pitching staff last season and provided a strong presence in the batting lineup. Johnson compiled a 7-7 record in the circle over 86.2 innings and tallied a team-high 58 strikeouts. At the plate, the junior knocked in 23 runs and had five home runs on 26 hits.
Katelyn McMahan is the most productive bat returning for the red-and-gray. In her first season with HSU, the Central Arkansas transfer compiled a .298 batting average on 36 hits and batted in the third most runs with 21 RBIs.
Josie Copeland will also provide a strong bat in the lineup after finishing her freshman season with four homes and 16 RBIs on 25 hits.
The Reddies had to replace key parts of last year's lineup in the offseason with the departures of
Abbie Moore and
Kaitlyn O'Quinn. Coach Martinez reinforced the lineup with the addition of four new transfers:
Jodi De Hart,
Makenna Keeton,
Makenna Denofrio, and
Janasia Jones. De Hart highlights the newcomers as she started in 29 of Division I Texas A&M - Commerce's 38 games last year. In addition, Henderson also adds eight new freshmen to the clubhouse.
SCOUTING MISSOURI S&T
The Miners ended the 2023 season 20-28 under first-year head coach Bryan Howard. S&T went 11-13 in GLVC play and finished the year on a high note, splitting a series with then No. 6 Indianapolis. The Miners return 11 players from last season's squad, led by Charlye Rowland, who saw the second-most innings in the circle and had a team-best 2.50 ERA. S&T also brings back Bryn Wooldridge to lead the bats after hitting .306 last season with seven doubles and 13 runs batted in.
SCOUTING NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE
Northwestern Missouri State comes into the 2024 season picked tenth in the MIAA Preseason Poll after picking up its first winning season since 2018. The Bearcats went 28-24 overall last year and were 11-15 in conference games. Highlighting some of the returners from last season are hitters Lillie Filger and Abby Nolte. Filger led the team with a .371 batting average and 19 stolen bases, while Nolte had six home runs and batted in a team-high 33 runs.
SCOUTING (RV) MISSOURI SOUTHERN
Missouri Southern was picked third in the MIAA Preseason Poll and is receiving votes in the NFCA Preseason Poll. The Lions return 11 players from 2023's roster that went 45-15 overall and 21-5 in conference games. MSSU's successful season last year saw them reach the MIAA Tournament finals and the D-II Central Regional Tournament semifinals. Leading the returners is 2023 First-Team All-MIAA player Yazmin Vargas, who finished the year hitting .407 with 41 runs scored and was 36-of-37 in stolen bases.
SCOUTING NORTHEASTERN STATE
The Riverhawks are under new leadership in 2024 as head coach Rachel Rhode enters her first season with Northeastern State. Coach Rhode inherits ten returners from last year's squad that went 30-21 overall and 12-14 in the MIAA. Among the returners is Addy Wolfe, who was second on the team in batting with a .338 average and had 15 home runs and 40 runs driven in. Madison Heinle is the top arm back in the circle after picking up a 13-7 record over 148.2 innings.
