MSU Athletics - Softball

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Penner Heads the List of Four Returning Starters for the Beavers

Click Here for 2010 Prospectus

Janessa Penner rips another base hit for Minot State.
The two-time All-American is a senior this year.

Senior Lindsey Landles had a great junior season
last year hitting .375 including five home runs .

Molly Lundeen is a senior from Bishop Ryan High School
in Minot. Molly was awarded a Gold Glove for her
stellar defense in the outfield and she hit .300 as well.

Deanna Mitchell had a good freshman year pitching as well as
hitting. The sophomore from Portage la Prairie hit .300 and
had a 9-4 won/loss record pitching for the Beavers.

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MINOT STATE BEGINS MEMBERSHIP PROCESS INTO NCAA DIVISION II

Today (July 10), Minot State University began the three-year process of becoming a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA Membership Committee informed MSU we would be entering year-one candidacy for NCAA Division II for the 2009-2010 season.

“We're very pleased that the NCAA has chosen Minot State as a university that it would like to have as part of Division II. The change for athletics, the university and the community is an important one and fits best for the present and future of Minot State,” said Rick Hedberg, athletic director at MSU. “Minot State University's Vision 2013 calls for the university to become one of the premier public, regional universities in the Great Plains. It is our belief that a transition to NCAA Division II is one large step toward realizing that goal.”

“ Minot State University is interested in becoming a strong and viable member of NCAA Division II,” MSU President David Fuller said. “The Division II mission of integrating intercollegiate athletics into higher education for the benefit of students and student athletes is consistent with the mission and goals of our institution and athletic department.”

After applying at the end of May, Minot State was one of more than a dozen colleges and universities attempting the jump to NCAA Division II. The decision to apply for Division II membership comes at the end of nearly four years of research by committees from Minot State, the athletics department, administrators, the community and Beaver Booster Club members.

Applying for membership in NCAA Division II did not guarantee Minot State would be accepted. The competitive process to review applications started after June 1 and culminated in the middle of July. The past four years of work preceding an application for membership is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to becoming an NCAA Division II athletic program.

“There is a candidacy period. We have two years with our current association, the NAIA. Certain benchmarks need to be reached during the process,” said Hedberg. “The third year you're considered ‘provisional status,' and you are with your new affiliation, in this case NCAA Division II. In the fourth year, you can become a full-fledged member."

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Beavers Will Return to Arizona

Minot State Head Softball Coach, Bill Triplett, says the 2010 schedule is almost complete and that the Beavers will open the season in Hastings, Nebraska with a five game invitational and head to Arizona after that. "The Arizona trip is a great trip for us as well as our fans", stated Coach Triplett about the Arizona trip. "Everyone really looks forward to getting outside in the sun and playing against another team instead of each other".

The University of Great Falls and the University of Regina are going to play the Beavers four games each in Minot and the Beavers are also going to schedule double headers with Divison II schools, Bemidji State and hopefully Crookston. When you add that to the 24 conference games in the DAC, Minot State will have a very tough schedule.

"As far as the entire schedule goes, that's exactly how we want it', said Triplett. "We get to play some GPAC schools in Hastings and then we see some tough teams in Arizona. You throw in games with Bemidji, Crookston, UGF and Regina and you have a great non-conference schedule. Our conference is loaded with great teams so it is going to be awesome to be able to get out there and compete with those teams. We're going to be young but we've got some really nice freshman coming in that will help right away as well as a couple j.c. transfers. We just hope the weather cooperates a little more this year than last".

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