VERMILLION, S.D. — The Coyotes are set to play Central Arkansas, Sam Houston, and Creighton over five games this weekend in Huntsville, Texas as Sam Houston hosts the Bearkat Classic. 
 
GAME #1
South Dakota vs Central Arkansas
Where: Bearkat Softball Complex | Huntsville, Texas
When: Friday, Feb. 6 | 11 a.m.
No live video | Live Stats
 
GAME #2
South Dakota at Sam Houston
Where: Bearkat Softball Complex | Huntsville, Texas
When: Friday, Feb. 6 | 4 p.m.
Watch | Live Stats
 
GAME #3
South Dakota vs Central Arkansas
Where: Bearkat Softball Complex | Huntsville, Texas
When: Saturday, Feb. 7 | 4 p.m.
No live video | Live Stats
 
GAME #4
South Dakota at Sam Houston
Where: Bearkat Softball Complex | Huntsville, Texas
When: Saturday, Feb. 7 | 6:30 p.m.
No live video | Live Stats
 
GAME #5
South Dakota vs Creighton
Where: Bearkat Softball Complex | Huntsville, Texas
When: Saturday, Feb. 8 | 10 a.m.
No live video | Live Stats
 
2025 REWIND
The Yotes are coming off of a 32-24 (8-10 SL) season where they finished second in the Summit League Championships to Omaha. Nine players were recognized with All-Summit league honors including five returners. 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. 
 
RETURNING YOTES
The Coyotes return 13 student athletes this season, many of which had starting roles in the 2025 season. Notable returns include:

• Sophomore Ella McGee (First Team All-Summit)
• Junior Abi Brown (Second Team All-Summit)
• Sophomore Madison Evans (Second Team All-Summit)
• Junior Autumn Iversen (Second Team All-Summit)
• Senior Delaney White (All-Summit Honorable Mention) 

 
White returns to the lineup after leading last season with a .383 average and 70 hits on the season. She also had the most doubles on the team at 12 and RBIs at 37. 
 
NEW-BUT-EXPERIENCED ADDITIONS
USD welcomes four transfers to the 2026 roster. 
 
The 2025 NJCAA Pitcher of the Year, Peyton Paulsen, joins the pitching staff after spending her first two seasons at Kirkwood CC. Paulsen held a 24-3 record in 163.0 innings pitched, struck out 144 batters and earned a 1.80 ERA last season. 
 
On the other end of the battery, the Yotes also recruited the Diamonds Sports/NFCA Catcher of the Year in Katie Hofmann who joins the team from Phoenix College. She batted .483 with 21 home runs and 97 RBIs, while maintaining a .991 fielding percentage behind the plate.
 
Kiya Johnson also joins USD from Kirkwood CC as an offensive threat who boasted a .425 average at the plate last season with 88 hits, 21 home runs, 100 RBIs, 15 doubles, five triples and 26 stolen bases in 68 games. 
 
Allie Cromer is the last new Yote and was added to the roster after holding a .441 batting average with 71 hits, eight home runs, five triples and 23 doubles while driving in 46 runs, scoring 55 runs, and stealing 10 bases while playing at Iowa Western CC. 
 
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
South Dakota was picked to finish fourth overall in the Summit League this season after finishing second in the 2025 conference tournament. They follow Omaha, the reigning champions for the last three seasons, as well as St. Thomas and South Dakota State. 
 
Paulsen and White were named Pitcher and Player to Watch from USD for the 2026 season.
 
COACH CLARA
Former South Dakota Softball standout Clara Edwards has transitioned from dirt to dugout this year, as she was hired as an assistant coach ahead of the 2025-26 season. Edwards spent the entirety of her playing career at USD and was named to an All-Summit team every season she played. Her arm will be missed in the circle as she recorded 185.2 innings last season with a 2.53 ERA, but her knowledge and experience should promote success to the current Coyote pitching staff. 

NEW ARMS IN THE CIRCLE
The Yotes will return only 55 out of 368.2 innings pitched this season, those innings coming from Evans and sophomore Campbell German. Paulsen transfers in with the most collegiate innings under her belt. Other additions to the pitching staff include freshman Mya Halverson who is a Vermillion native and freshman Aubrey Lensmeyer from Ankeny, Iowa. 
 
YOTES ON THE ROAD
South Dakota will spend the first five weekends of the season on the road competing around the country. The first home competition is not scheduled until March 10 when the Lancers of Mount Marty will make the short trip from Yankton, S.D. After the opening trip to Huntsville, the Yotes will visit Phoenix, Ariz., Arlington, Texas, Miami, Fla., and then spend a weekend traveling between Greely and Fort Collins in Colorado. The Mount Marty competition precedes another weekend of travel to Columbia, Mo. where the Coyotes will face Mizzou who received votes in the preseason NCAA top 25 poll, as well as Minnesota and Iowa State. 
 
ABOUT CENTRAL ARKANSAS
UCA finished 2025 with a 28-27 record and in the top six in their conference. Two Bears were named to the Atlantic Sun Conference preseason team. Addie Graham was last year's Freshman of the Year and returns as this season's preseason player of the year after batting .389 with 68 hits, 12 doubles and three home runs. Kaitlyn Graham also earned preseason honors after batting .308 with 48 hits and holding the second highest fielding percentage and number of putouts in the conference. 
 
VS CENTRAL ARKANSAS
The Coyotes are 1-4 all time against the Bears with the last meeting in 2023. That game was a 1-0 win at UCA on March 4 during the Adam Brown Memorial Shamrock Classic. 
 
ABOUT SAM HOUSTON
Sam Houston was picked to finish fifth in the Conference USA after ending last season with a 28-29 record and making their first CUSA tournament appearance. SHSU pitcher Abigail Young earned preseason honors after finishing last season with a conference best 1.66 ERA and 8-6 overall record. 
 
VS SAM HOUSTON
USD is 1-2 all time against Sam Houston with their last meeting in 2023. The Yotes outscored the Bearkats 8-1 in that game on February 19 at the North Texas Invitational in Denton, Texas. 
 
ABOUT CREIGHTON
The Bluejays were tabbed second in the Big East Preseason Poll for the upcoming season. Creighton has appeared in two consecutive Big East Championships, and this is their highest ranking since 2019 with two first place votes. They return a majority of their 2025 starting lineup including two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year Ashten Pierson in their middle infield and the duo of Lily West and Kaelan Schultz who earned Second Team honors a season ago. 
 
VS CREIGHTON
The Yotes are 8-20 all time when playing Creighton with the last match up in 2024. The last meeting was a 2-5 loss on April 9 on the Bluejays' home field in Omaha, Neb.