SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana softball team is set to open 2024 with six games at the Mardi Gras Invitational against six opponents that participated in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The invitational takes place in Youngsville, Louisiana, with games starting Thursday and continuing until Saturday. Following the Mardi Gras Invitational, AU will play a doubleheader in Monticello, Arkansas, against the city's namesake school.
 
Augustana opens action Thursday against No. 22 Oklahoma Baptist at 4 p.m. and follows against No. 13 Southern Arkansas in the nightcap. On Friday, the day begins at 2 p.m. with a game against No. 3 Central Oklahoma. The nightcap on Friday is against Tuskegee. The invite concludes Saturday with AU facing Southeastern Oklahoma State at 9 a.m. and No. 24 Mississippi College at 11:30 a.m.
 
The Vikings then face Arkansas at Monticello on Monday with games at noon and 2 p.m. The doubleheader will be the only games that will have live stats or live video on the week for AU.
 
About the Bison
Oklahoma Baptist enters with a No. 22 national ranking after finishing 44-12 a year ago and advancing to the NCAA Tournament. The Bison were picked to finish first in the Great American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll while topping with eight first place votes out of a possible 11.
 
Augustana is 1-0 all-time against Oklahoma Baptist.
 
About the Muleriders
Southern Arkansas is ranked No. 13 after a 45-15 season in 2023. The Muleriders advanced to the Super Regional before falling in three games to Central Oklahoma. Southern Arkansas was tabbed second in the GAC preseason poll with two first place votes.
 
Augustana is 2-1 all-time against Southern Arkansas.
 
About the Bronchos
Central Oklahoma, picked first in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Preseason Coaches' Poll, is preseason ranked No. 3 in the nation after posting a 54-9 record a season ago. Amongst that record is a trip to the NCAA Division II National Championship site where the Bronchos advanced to the semifinals.
 
Augustana is 11-6 all-time against Central Oklahoma
 
About the Golden Tigers
Tuskegee is a member school of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The preseason poll has not been unveiled as of this writing. The Golden Tigers went 25-21 last season and earned the No. 8 seed in the NCAA Division II South Regional.
 
This is the first meeting between the two schools.
 
About the Savage Storm
Southeastern Oklahoma State went 33-27 last season while advancing to the NCAA Tournament after winning the GAC Tournament in straight games. In 2024, the Savage Storm were tabbed fourth according to the Great American Conference coaches, the same position Southeastern finished a season ago.
 
In an uncommon sight for Augustana, SEOK leads the series 4-1.
 
About the Choctaws
Mississippi College was picked second in the Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll while receiving a pair of first place votes. Last season, the Choctaws recorded a 43-12 record with an impressive 16-1 mark in home contests. MC, ranked No. 24 in the nation to start 2024, advanced to the NCAA Tournament where it topped fellow Mardi Gras Invite participant, Tuskegee in an elimination game.
 
This is the first meeting between the two schools.
 
About the Blossoms
Arkansas at Monticello was picked to finish sixth in the GAC preseason poll after a 24-23 season in 2023. The Blossoms open 2024 at the McGhee/Hawkins Invitational in Hot Springs, Arkansas before hosting the Vikings.
 
This is the first meeting between the two schools.
 
About the Vikings
Augustana is the three-time defending NSIC Champion and lost just two players from the starting nine from a year ago. The Vikings are coming off a 39-15 campaign in 2023 while claiming their third-straight conference title. As part of that championship, Torri Chute was named the NSIC Player of the Year, Andrea Cain the NSIC Freshman of the Year and Lexi Lander the NSIC Newcomer of the Year.
 
The bad news for opponents? All three of those student-athletes return for 2024 along with first-team honorees Kennedy Buckman and Liz Dierks. Hailey Houston was a second-team honoree with her 11-2 NSIC record.
 
Augustana returns a strong core that hasn't even had NFCA All-Region honoree Gracey Brink mentioned yet. Brink is a 2022 All-America honoree who owns a career .351 average while slugging 22 home runs with 114 RBI. Across three full seasons and the shortened COVID season, the Rapid City, South Dakota, native has belted 26 doubles as part of her 150 career hits.
 
The aforementioned Chute is a three-time All-America honoree with a career .409 batting average and has a chance to challenge the program record for doubles in a career, currently at 61. She has racked up 189 RBI, 48 away from the school record.
 
Augustana has also added transfer pitcher Grace Glanzer along with a pair of true freshmen.