University of Minnesota Duluth senior infielder Nicole Schmitt has been selected to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II First Team All-Central Region this afternoon.

Thirty-nine wins. A sweep of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular season and postseason champions on their home turf in nearly a decade. Two NSIC First Team selections and a NSIC All-Defensive Team standout. Four single-season records broken. And... a postseason run that went all the way to the NSIC Semifinals.

The University of Minnesota Duluth came up short, falling to No. 8 Augustana University in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Semifinals Friday afternoon at Bowden Field on the campus of Augustana in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Vikings (45-9) advanced to the NSIC Championship round in search of their second straight league postseason championship after putting up a six-run fifth inning to break the ball game open.

The University of Minnesota Duluth toppled St. Cloud State University 10-2 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Quarterfinals Thursday at Bowden Field on the campus of Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Bulldogs jumped out with seven runs in the opening inning -- all before an out was recorded -- including a bases-clearing grand slam by sophomore Sierra Thomas.

University of Minnesota Duluth's Nicole Schmitt was voted by the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference coaches as the winner of the NSIC Softball Outstanding Senior of the Year. Schmitt was presented the award prior to the Bulldogs' opening NSIC Postseason match against St. Cloud State University on Thursday in Sioux Falls, S.D.

THE OPENING PITCH: The University of Minnesota Duluth plays St. Cloud State University to open the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament on Thursday, May 1 at 10:00 a.m. The top 10 teams in the NSIC received an invitation to play for the NSIC crown with the winner earning an automatic bid to the NCAA II Central Region field. The fifth-seeded Bulldogs look to capture their sixth NSIC tournament title and second in the last three seasons when action starts Wednesday and runs through Saturday in a single elimination tournament at Bowden Field on the campus of Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D.

With the NCAA II Softball selections less than a week out, the University of Minnesota Duluth sits in tenth in the final edition of the NCAA Division II Central Region Rankings, which was released Wednesday afternoon. The eight-team NCAA Central Region field is comprised of 40 teams from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), the Mid-America Intercollegaite Athletic Association (MIAA) and the Great American Conference (GAC).

Senior infielder Nicole Schmitt and junior catcher Kendal Jenkins earned Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference First Team All-Conference recognition and junior pitcher Allyssa Williams attained NSIC All-Defensive Team honors announced by the league on Tuesday.