Softball Receives Top-15 Spot in NAIA Preseason Poll

Highest preseason ranking in program history

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Following a year in which the Red Raiders finished the year ranked No. 12 and won a program-record 47 games, the Northwestern softball team received its highest National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) preseason coaches' poll ranking in program history, coming in at No. 15, the national office announced this morning.

Northwestern is ranked in the preseason poll for the first time since 2003, when they were No. 17.

The Raiders are coming off a historic, record-setting season, finishing the year ranked No. 12, also earning the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) regular season title. In the NAIA Opening Round, Northwestern was the No. 2 seed in the Klamath Falls bracket, hosted by Oregon Tech, where they went 1-2.

In 2023, Northwestern ended the season with their most wins in program history (47), had the most strikeouts for a Red Raider pitching staff (326), and set the record for most consecutive wins to start a season (16).

Northwestern also received plenty of individual accolades as head coach Shane Bouman was named GPAC Coach of the Year, Gwen Mikkelsen (Sr., Casa Grande, Ariz.) was the GPAC Player of the Year, and seven players earned all-conference recognition. Mikkelsen (NAIA, NFCA) and Kameryn Etherington (Sr., Algona, Iowa) (NFCA) both received All-American honors.

GPAC IN THE TOP-25
No. 10 Midland Warriors
No. 15 NORTHWESTERN RED RAIDERS

The Raiders will begin their season on February 2 at the American State Bank Sports Complex in Sioux Center, Iowa

Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut

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Players Mentioned

#20 Kameryn Etherington: P; 5' 5"; Senior

#25 Gwen Mikkelsen: INF; 5' 8"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#20 Kameryn Etherington
: 5' 5"; Senior
: P

#25 Gwen Mikkelsen
: 5' 8"; Senior
: INF

Players Mentioned

#20 Kameryn Etherington

#25 Gwen Mikkelsen

Players Mentioned

#20 Kameryn Etherington

#25 Gwen Mikkelsen