BURNSVILLE, MN – NSIC coaches are predicting a rough go for the Jamestown Jimmies in their first NCAA Division II softball season.

Jamestown was selected 15th in the preseason coaches poll, which was released by the conference on Friday.

Five-time defending regular season champion Augustana was picked first by coaches.  The Vikings have won four of the last five NSIC tournaments.

Two of the main players from last season’s NSAA championship team were picked as the player and pitcher to watch for the Jimmies.

The player to watch is senior infielder Maddie Spaeth, who hit .416 last season, slugged .590 and had an on-base percentage of .440.  Spaeth homered twice, drove in 52 runs and stole 11 bases.

The pitcher to watch was last season and should be again Jamestown’s main player in the circle, junior Hope Ransome.  Ransome was 13-8 last season with a 2.61 ERA and struck out 131 in 155 and a third innings.

Jamestown was 36-17 in 2025 and won the NSAA regular season and tournament championships.

2026 will open for the Jimmies with a doubleheader inside the Nelson Family Bubble against the University of Providence on Thursday, February 5 at 6:00 PM.

2026 NSAA Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
1 Augustana (12) 221
2 Winona State (4) 202
3 Minnesota State 197
4 Minnesota Duluth 183
5 St. Cloud State 175
6 Concordia-St. Paul 148
7 Wayne State 138
8 Minot State 133
9 Southwest Minnesota State 111
10 Sioux Falls 96
11 MSU Moorhead 80
12 Bemidji State 68
13 Northern State 56
14 Minnesota Crookston 43
15 Jamestown 42
16 UMary 27