PREVIEW: Softball Heads to San Antonio for UTSA Tournament at Roadrunner Field

Friday, February 13

Phoenix, Ariz.

10 a.m. MST

University of Northern Colorado

South Dakota

Photo by: Chi Woodruff

2/11/2026 11:30:00 AM | Softball

UNC Game Notes

By: Brooke Richards, Director of Strategic Communications

PREVIEW: Softball Heads to San Antonio for UTSA Tournament at Roadrunner Field

GREELEY, Colo. - Northern Colorado continues its early-season slate this weekend at the Grand Canyon Invite in Phoenix, Arizona, playing five games over three days at GCU Softball Stadium. The Bears open Friday morning against South Dakota before facing tournament host Grand Canyon later that afternoon. Saturday includes a second matchup with Grand Canyon followed by the first of two games against Harvard, with the weekend concluding Sunday against the Crimson.

UNC enters the tournament after going 2-3 at the Southern California Tournament, earning victories over UC Santa Barbara and UC Riverside. The Bears return seven starters from last season's Big Sky semifinal team and continue to build momentum under head coach Dedeann Pendleton-Helm, who is in her fourth season leading the program after guiding UNC to back-to-back Big Sky Tournament titles in 2023 and 2024.

GRAND CANYON INVITE
Phoenix, Ariz. | GCU Softball Stadium
Northern Colorado continues non-conference play at the Grand Canyon Invite with five games over three days against South Dakota, Grand Canyon, and Harvard.

GAME INFORMATION
Friday, Feb. 13
vs. South Dakota – 10 a.m. MT
at Grand Canyon – 4 p.m. MT

Saturday, Feb. 14
at Grand Canyon – 5 p.m. MT
vs. Harvard – 7:30 p.m. MT

Sunday, Feb. 15
vs. Harvard – 2 p.m. MT

CATCHING UP ON THE BEARS: Northern Colorado enters the second weekend of the 2026 season returning seven starters from last year's Big Sky semifinal team.

The Bears were selected fourth in the 2026 Big Sky Preseason Coaches' Poll.

Amailee Morales (1B), Krista Francia (SS), Katie Walling (3B), and Anna Wilming (P) were named to the 2026 Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team.

Wilming returns as the staff leader in the circle after logging over 100 innings last season.

Transfer pitcher Sadie Kahl adds depth and experience to the pitching rotation.

UNC continues to lean on a veteran infield core and a lineup capable of producing power throughout the order.

KEY NOTES ON THE BEARS:
Northern Colorado opened the 2026 season with a 2-3 record at the Southern California Tournament, earning wins over UC Santa Barbara (7-2) and UC Riverside (8-5).

The Bears hit 10 home runs across five games, including five in the win over UC Riverside.

UNC is hitting .279 as a team through five games with 38 hits and 23 runs scored.

KK Christie leads the lineup with a .471 batting average (8-for-17) and three home runs to open the season.

Amailee Morales is batting .353 with three doubles and a home run, providing early production in the middle of the order.

Hayden Nelson has made an immediate impact, going 4-for-5 (.800) with two home runs in limited at-bats.

Katie Walling has already connected on two home runs and driven in four RBIs.

In the circle, Anna Wilming earned a win in her first start of the season and has logged 14 innings across three appearances.

Amailee Morales ranks 1st all-time in doubles (45), home runs (29) and walks (87) in program history.

Morales sits 2nd in RBIs (121), just one shy of the Northern Colorado career record of 122.

She also ranks 11th in hits (146), 4th in total bases (282) and 6th in putouts (609).

Ella Gonzales ranks 11th all-time in RBIs (77), 11th in walks (50) and 11th in home runs (14).

Gonzales also sits 7th in program history in hit by pitch (18) as she continues to climb UNC's career charts.

KEY NOTES ON THE LOPES:
Grand Canyon enters the weekend 5-0 and is receiving votes in the national polls.

The Lopes are hitting .305 as a team and have scored 30 runs through five games.

Alina Satcher leads the lineup with two home runs and seven RBIs while posting a .357 batting average.

Mackenzie Nolan and Haley Wilkinson each have a pair of home runs in the opening week.

GCU's pitching staff owns a 1.27 ERA through five games and is holding opponents to a .169 batting average.

Taryn Batterton has been dominant in the circle, throwing two complete-game shutouts with 18 strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA.

Opponents have managed just one home run against the Lopes this season.

KEY NOTES ON THE COYOTES:
South Dakota enters the tournament 2-3 overall.

The Coyotes are hitting .244 as a team with four home runs through five games.

Brooke Carey leads the offense with a .429 batting average, while Sara Iburg has two home runs and a .333 average.

Madison Evans anchors the pitching staff with a 2.85 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 19.2 innings.

South Dakota's staff ERA sits at 4.52, and the Coyotes have struck out 25 batters through five games.

The Coyotes have been aggressive on the basepaths, attempting 36 stolen bases in five games.

KEY NOTES ON THE CRIMSON:
Harvard finished 26-13 overall in 2025 with a 15-6 mark in Ivy League play.

The Crimson hit .308 as a team last season with 26 home runs and 176 RBIs.

Sophie Sun paced the lineup with a .411 batting average and seven home runs, while Finley Payne added six home runs and hit .371.

Maya Douglas delivered seven home runs and 26 RBIs while posting a .559 slugging percentage.

Harvard's pitching staff posted a 3.01 ERA in 2025, led by Nicolette Hunter (2.31 ERA) and Riley Flynn (2.45 ERA).

The Crimson outscored opponents 191-144 last season and held teams to a .240 batting average.

DUE UP: UTSA TOURNAMENT
San Antonio, Texas | Roadrunner Field

Northern Colorado continues non-conference play the following weekend at the UTSA Tournament, traveling to San Antonio for five games over three days at Roadrunner Field. The Bears open Friday against Stephen F. Austin before facing tournament host UTSA later that afternoon.

Saturday begins with a morning matchup against UMass Lowell, followed by a second game later in the day determined by tournament results. The weekend concludes Sunday with a final placement game.

Friday, Feb. 20
vs. Stephen F. Austin – 12 p.m. MT / 1 p.m. CT
at UTSA – 5 p.m. MT / 6 p.m. CT

Saturday, Feb. 21
vs. UMass Lowell – 9:30 a.m. MT / 10:30 a.m. CT
TBA – 2:30 p.m. or 5 p.m. MT / 3:30 p.m. or 6 p.m. CT

Sunday, Feb. 22
TBA – 9:30 a.m. or 12 p.m. MT / 10:30 a.m. or 1 p.m. CT

Rally Starters Club: The Rally Starters Club is essential to the success of UNC Softball, providing enhanced training resources, advanced technology, and competitive travel opportunities that help the Bears compete at the highest level. These investments directly enrich the student-athlete experience and ensure the team is equipped to excel on and off the field.

Give to the Rally Starters Club today!

FOLLOW THE BEARS: For the latest news and updates on Northern Colorado Softball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @UNC_BearsSB, and on Facebook at /UNCBearsSB.