Sioux Falls, S.D. - The South Dakota softball team was picked to finish fourth overall in the Summit League this season with junior pitcher Peyton Paulsen and senior infielder Delaney White picked pitcher/player to watch. 
 
Omaha was tabbed as the favorite to win the league after winning a third straight Summit League Tournament in 2025. St. Thomas and South Dakota State also precede South Dakota in the poll. 
 
The Yotes are coming off of a 32-24 (8-10) season where they finished second in the Summit League Championships to Omaha. Nine players were recognized with All-Summit league honors, returners include Ella McGee (First Team), Abi Brown (Second Team), Madison Evans (Second Team), Autumn Iversen, (Second Team), and Delaney White (Honorable Mention). 
 
In 2025 South Dakota held a second-best conference team batting average at .309, led in hits at 487, and led in triples at 16. South Dakota was also first in the Summit League in both innings pitched at 373.2 and ERA at 2.72. 
 
White, a senior from Lincoln, Nebraska, ended her junior outing with a team leading .383 batting average and 70 hits. She also led with 12 doubles and 37 RBI. She made 55 starts in the 2025 season as well as posting 20 multi-hit games and 14 multi RBI games. 
 
Paulsen, a junior from Dubuque, Iowa, is spending her first season as a coyote after transferring from Kirkwood CC. She was named the 2025 NJCAA Pitcher of the Year, as well as earning NFCA First Team All-American and NJCAA Second Team All-American honors. She started in all 28 appearances in the circle for the Eagles and help a 24-3 record in 163.0 innings pitched with 144 strikeouts and a 1.80 ERA. 
 
 

2026 Summit League Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rank	School	Points (1st)	2025 Record (SL)
1.	Omaha	35 (5)	40-13 (14-4)
2.	St. Thomas	32 (2)	33-17 (14-4)
3.	South Dakota State	25	29-26 (13-5)
4.	South Dakota	20	32-24 (8-10)
5.	North Dakota	16	26-30 (7-11)
6.	North Dakota State	13	19-31 (6-12)
7.	Kansas City	6	5-43 (1-17)

2026 Summit League Softball Pitchers/Players To Watch
Kansas City: Delilah Robles (Pitcher), Lauren Parker (Player)
North Dakota: Unity Nelson (Pitcher), Camryn Lasota (Player)
North Dakota State: Piper Reed (Pitcher), Bella Dean (Player)
Omaha: Maddia Groff (Pitcher), Taylor Sedlacek (Player)
St. Thomas: Ava Kleinfeldt (Pitcher), Laken Lienhard (Player)
South Dakota: Peyton Paulsen (Pitcher), Delaney White (Player)
South Dakota State: Akayla Barnard (Pitcher), Abby Gentry (Player)