The Wayne State University softball team is set to begin its 2026 season at the Lincoln Memorial Tournament in Harrogate, Tennessee. The team, which finished last season with a 24-32 record, will open play against the host Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters on Saturday at noon, followed by a game against Bluefield State at 4 p.m. Tournament play will conclude Sunday with a morning matchup against Tiffin and a second game against Lincoln Memorial.
Wayne State competes as part of the NCAA Division II and is a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), according to the official website: https://wsuathletics.com/sports/softball. The program operates out of Detroit, Michigan, and participates in intercollegiate athletics as part of the university’s athletic offerings.
In past meetings, Wayne State and Lincoln Memorial have played twice, with each team winning once. Their last encounter was an extra-inning contest that saw LMU win 8-7 despite three hits and four RBIs from Wayne State’s Kate DeWitt. The Warriors have not previously faced Bluefield State in softball competition. Against Tiffin, Wayne State holds a historical edge but has lost the last four meetings.
Key returning players for Wayne State include sophomore third baseman Kate DeWitt, who hit .335 last season with 14 extra-base hits and 27 RBIs and earned Second Team All-GLIAC honors. Elly Koopman received Honorable Mention All-GLIAC recognition after leading the team with 40 RBIs while also pitching to a 3-1 record. Junior catcher/first baseman Molly Hool played errorless defense over 172 chances and threw out more than one-third of attempted base stealers.
Other returning starters are senior second baseman Maddie Hool, sophomore shortstop Hunter Near, and junior outfielder Mia Hool. Additional returnees include Abby Barnes and Kennedy Cole; Cole returns after missing last season due to injury.
The roster is bolstered by five freshmen: Brooke Bunch, Ellery Garver, Ella Vinco, Addison Cosgrove, and Marin McCullough. Junior college transfers Lexi Mielke and Julia Sandles are expected to contribute immediately.
On the mound, junior Sydney Long and senior Hayden Batton return alongside Koopman. Long has accumulated 164 career strikeouts in 257 innings pitched; Batton has struck out 113 batters in two active seasons since missing all of 2024 due to injury. Newcomer Kyra Shadduck joins from Lansing Community College where she posted a combined record of 49-15 over two seasons.
Lincoln Memorial enters Saturday’s game with a 3-3 record after having its first six games canceled. Hanna Bogoski leads LMU offensively with a .450 average and five RBIs; Brooke Strickland leads their pitching staff with a team-high 19 innings pitched.
Bluefield State will play its first game of the year Saturday morning after four cancellations; last year they finished with a record of 14-30.
Tiffin is currently 1-3 this season following games in Smyrna, Tennessee. Paige McMenemy is now in her fifth season as head coach after guiding Tiffin to the G-MAC regular-season championship in 2025.
After this tournament in Tennessee, Wayne State will participate in the Lewis Dome Invitational from February 19–21.
“Wayne State and Lincoln Memorial have met just twice, with the second match-up being last year. WSU won 1-0 in 2015 as part of the North Georgia Tournament. Briana Lee tossed a three-hit shutout and Shelby Spano drove in the only run in the top of the first with an infield single plating Kristen Lucas. LMU prevailed 8-7 in nine innings 12 months ago, despite three hits and four RBI from Kate DeWitt.”
“The Warriors have never played Bluefield State in softball.”
“WSU has faced Tiffin 45 times previously on the softball diamond with Wayne State holding a 26-19 edge from 2001 through last year’s doubleheader in Detroit. The Dragons have won the last four meetings by a combined 27-9 score.”
“Sophomore third baseman Kate DeWitt (Grand Blanc, Mich.) is WSU’s top returning batter after hitting .335 with 14 extra-base hits and 27 RBI on her way to earning Second Team All-GLIAC recognition. Classmate Elly Koopman (Hudsonville, Mich.) was an Honorable Mention All-GLIAC selection in 2025. Koopman had a team-high 40 RBI, with 11 doubles and five home runs. She compiled a 3-1 mark in the circle with a 3.20 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 30.2 innings.”
“Junior catcher/first baseman Molly Hool (Allen Park, Mich.) played errorless defense last year in 172 chances (163 PO,9 A) and threw out over35 percent of opponent base stealers to garner Honorable Mention All-GLIAC accolades.”
“The other returning starters are senior second baseman Maddie Hool (114 career starts at2B), sophomore shortstop Hunter Near (started54 games at SSin2025),and junior outfielder Mia Hool(58 career starts inthe outfield -46in LFand12in CF).”
“Other key members returning include catcher/outfielder Abby Barnesand catcher/designated player Kennedy Cole.Barnes made12 starts aseason ago(9at C,and3in LF),while Cole returns tothe lineup after missing allof2025 due toan injury.”
“The five freshmen brought into bolsterthe lineup include infielder/outfielder Brooke Bunch,infielders Ellery Garverand Ella Vinco,catcher/utility Addison Cosgrove,and catcher/infielder Marin McCullough.”
“Junior college corner infielder Lexi Mielkeand outfielder Julia Sandlesare looking tomake animmediate impacton WSU offense.Mielke posteda .962 slugging percentagein41gameslast seasonfor Mid-Michigan C.C.,while Sandles started33gamesayear agofor Missouri-St.Louis(UMSL).”
“The Warrior pitching staff hastwo returneesfromlastseasoninjunior Sydney Longandsenior Hayden Batton,in additiontothe aforementioned Koopman.Longhas164career strikeoutsin257inningswhile Battonhasstruckout113battersin168.1inningsintwoactiveseasonssince shemissedallof2024withaninjury.”
“WayneStatealsobroughtinjuniorcollegehurlerKyraShadduckwhocompileda49–15markintwoseasonsatLansingCommunityCollegewith342strikeoutsanda2.56ERA.”
“LMUwilltakea3–3overallmarkintoSaturday’sbattlewiththeWarriorsafterhavingitsfirstsixgamescanceled.HannaBogoskiishitting .450(9-for–20)withateam-bestfiveRBI.HannahMcMeenisbatting .444(8-for–18),whileJordannReaganhasasquad-besteightwalksfora .556on-basepercentage.TendifferentLMUplayershaveastolenbasethisyearastheRailsplittersare18-for–19.BrookeStricklandhaspitchedateam-high19inningswith17strikeouts.Shehasa1–2recordwitha2.95ERA.TwootherhurlershaveatleasteightinningspitchedinKatieFultz(0–1 ,2 .52ERA ,7SO )andJasmineKaylor(1–0 ,7 .00ERA ,0SO ).LMUheadcoachRitchieRichardsonisinhisninthseasonathisalma mater ,followinganNAIAHallofFamecareer atOlivetNazareneandoneseasonatPurdueNorthwestbeforetheytransitionedtotheGLIAC.”
“BluefieldStatewillplayitsfirstgameoftheyearSaturdaymorningat10a.m.vs.Tiffinafterhavingitsfirstfourcontestscanceled.BSUcompileda14–30recordayearagoandhit .296asateamwith106stolenbases.NopitcherhadanERAbelowfivein2025.HeadcoachChelseaHollidaybeginshert hirdseasonleadingtheBigBlue.”
“Tiffinis1–3thisseasonafterfourcontestsinSmyrna,Tenn.lastweekend.TUdefeatedQuincy(7–2),butlosttwicetoIndianapolis(2–1innineinnings,and9–4)and6–2toTreveccaNazarene.McKennaScottisbattingateam-best .417(5-for –12 ),whileToriMcPhersonishitting .308(4-for –13 ).EllaEsterbyis0 –2witha1 .50ERAandeightstrikeoutsin18 .2innings.LexiKeyis1 –1witha4 .59ERAand13strikeoutsin10 .2innings.PaigeMcMenemyisinherfifthseasonguidingtheDragons.TUwontheG-MA Cregular-seasonchampionshipin2025.”
“AfterthetriptoTennessee,theWarriorswillcompeteintheLewisDomeInvitationalFeb19 –21withtwogamesonbothThursdayandSaturday ,withonegameonFriday.”
