St. Scholastica Softball Team Adjusting Well to MIAC Competition

The MIAC has proven to be one of the top conferences in the Midwest for softball, with four of their teams represented in the NCAA regional rankings last year.

DULUTH, Minn. – For any athlete’s season, conference play marks the final stretch and usually the most important as traditional conference rivals go toe-to-toe. For the St. Scholastica softball team, conference play takes on a new significance as they are now part of a new conference.

The MIAC has proven to be one of the top conferences in the Midwest for softball, with four of their teams represented in the NCAA regional rankings last year.

“We talk about you got to beat the best to be the best, and being able to play that consistent level of talent every single day, we have to do the little things correctly to be in those games,” said head coach Rilee Dawson.

The Saints have a smaller than usual senior class this season, led by 2021 All-American Olivia Howe.

“After my sophomore year and having the season being taken away, I went into my junior year playing like you never know if tomorrow, it happens again and we’re all put back. And I could see just having fun where it took me so just trying to do the same this year and not worrying so much about the stats, just making memories,” said Howe.

As a top competitor in the UMAC, CSS hopes to bring that same level of play to a higher level of competition.

“Definitely is a different vibe. First home game against MIAC players. We’re just ready to show them that even though we’re the little school up in Duluth, we’re not UMD but we’re still here and we’re ready to play,” senior outfielder Sydney Plemel said.

The Saints are scheduled to play two doubleheaders this weekend at home: Saturday against St. Catherine and Sunday versus Augsburg.