VCSU Picked to Finish 2nd in NSAA Coaches Preseason Poll

VCSU – The Valley City State softball team was selected to finish second in the North Star Athletic Association Coaches’ Preseason Poll, the conference office announced Tuesday. VCSU totaled 28 points and two first-place votes in the poll.

The Vikings begin its 2025 campaign on Feb. 7 against NCAA Div. II Northern State University at the University of Jamestown Dome. VCSU’s conference opener is slated for March 29-30 at Dakota State and hosts its home opener on April 5-6 against Bellevue University.

Bellevue is the coaches’ preseason pick to win the NSAA regular-season title. The Bruins had won the previous three North Star regular-season titles.

Bellevue finished their 2024 season with an overall record of 36-20 and 19-3 record in the league. The Bruins fell in the conference postseason tournament’s championship game to Dickinson State. However, BU qualified for the NAIA Softball National Tournament Opening Round where they went 2-2 record.

The Bruins tallied four first-place votes with 33 points in the national poll.  Valley City State picked the final two first place votes to finish second with 28 points. Jamestown finished third with 25 points.

The Blue Hawks, who also advanced to the NAIA Softball National Tournament Opening Round last season, finished fourth in the poll with 21 points.  Mayville State was fifth with 12 points, followed by Dakota State with sixth with six points.

Points were awarded on a 6-1 basis in the conference coaches’ preseason poll.

The North Star conference softball season gets underway on the weekend of March 29-30 (DiSU at BU, MSU at UJ, and VCSU at DaSU).  All six members are scheduled to play a total of 20 conference contests in the spring.

The NSAA Softball conference tournament will be held at Bravera Field in Dickinson, N.D. on May 1-5.  There is an automatic bid to the NAIA Softball National Tournament Opening round on May 12-15.  The winner of the postseason conference tournament will earn an automatic bid to the national tournament.

The NAIA Softball World Series takes place in Columbus, Ga. on May 22-28 at South Commons Complex.

Below is the complete 2025 NSAA Softball Coaches’ Preseason Poll: