Storm softball ranked 20/21 in national polls; set to host A-R-C Championships
INDIANOLA, Iowa - Leading up to the A-R-C Softball Championships, the Simpson softball team ranked 20th in the NPI and 21st in the NFCA Coaches Poll on Tuesday.
New this season, the NPI is a computer model used to determine seeding and at-large bids to the NCAA Division III Softball Championship tournament. The tournament will include 62 teams including 41 automatic Pool A bids, one Pool B bid and 20 at-large Pool C bids. At-large selections will be awarded to the 20 highest ranked teams, according to the NPI, remaining following the Pool A and B selections.
Simpson held on as the second ranked team in the region in the NPI ranking, coming in just behind Saint Mary's (Minn.) who sits eighth overall. The Storm lead the pack of four A-R-C schools who ranked in the top-50 including Central (35), Wartburg (39), and Nebraska Wesleyan (48).
For the Storm, it marked the fourth straight week of being ranked in the top-25 for both polls.
On the year, Simpson is led by first baseman Megan Heidelbauer, who finished the regular season with a .527/.579/1.078 slash line with 15 home runs, and 66 RBIs. Ashlyn Steen and Alexis Ehlers make up the top of the order that has proven to be one of the most lethal 1-2-3 top of the orders in all of the country this season. The trio have produced a combined 28 home runs, 130 RBIs, 142 runs scored, and 73 extra base hits.
Corner outfielders Mackenzie James and Katie Shaner help lengthen the Storm lineup. James wrapped the regular season with a .381/.427/.466 slash line with 30 RBIs in 37 games. Shaner adds in her .384/.466/.657 line on 19 extra base hits and 24 RBIs.
Rounding out the infield is second baseman Kate Kriegel who's seven home runs were third on the team and third baseman Caelynn Obleton with 28 hits and 30 runs scored. Behind the dish, the Storm has split duties between sophomore Makayla Fowler and freshman Gracie Bruening.
Inside the circle, Emma LaFave has commanded the top spot in the rotation with an 11-1 record over 17 games with 72.2 innings pitched, and a team-high 58 strikeouts. Kylee Tucker, Marina Cronin, and Alyssa Breckner have combined to create one of the top pitching staffs in the conference, sporting a team ERA of 2.53, second best in the league.
Simpson claimed the top overall seed after splitting the regular season conference championship with Wartburg with 11-5 record in A-R-C action. The tournament begins on Friday, May 9 with two games in the evening. Four-seed Loras is set to take on five-seed Central in the opener at 5:30 p.m. followed by three-seed Nebraska Wesleyan vs six-seed Luther in the nightcap.
The Storm will face the winner of the Loras/Central matchup as the first game on Saturday, May 10 at 1:00 p.m. Two-seed Wartburg takes on the winner of the Nebraska Wesleyan/Luther game at 3:30 p.m. with the championship game set for Saturday night at 6:00 p.m.
All games of the 2025 A-R-C Softball Championships will be streamed, with live stats available, on simpsonathletics.com and rollrivers.com. Tickets will be available for purchase at the competition site with adults costing $8 and seniors/children at $5.
