NDSU Softball Heads to Mexico for Puerto Vallarta College Challenge

FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State softball heads south of the border to the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, playing five games over four days in Mexico, beginning with BYU Wednesday at Nancy Almaraz Field. The Bison will then face Boise State and Indiana on Thursday, before a game on Friday against Florida International and Saturday against Illinois State to wrap the trip.
 
Game Coverage
All of North Dakota State’s games will be streamed live on FloCollege/FloSoftball. A subscription to FloCollege/FloSoftball will be needed to watch the event. All five games will also have live statistics. Links to the stream and stats will be available on the softball schedule page on gobison.com.
 
50 Years of Bison Softball
North Dakota State will embark on the program’s 50th season in 2025 after officially beginning in 1976. NDSU has amassed over 1200 wins, including 623 in the Division I era, and a Division II National Championship in 2000. The Bison have claimed 23 conference championships in program history, along with 10 NCAA Division I Tournament Appearances, including a Super Regional in 2009.
 
A Return to Mexico
The Bison will make their third trip to Puerto Vallarta since 2019 and the second trip in three seasons after going for 10 games in 11 days in 2013. The Bison went 4-6 in the last trip, with all six losses coming against Power 4/5 programs. NDSU is 5-9 all-time in Mexico with a 5-1 record against mid-major programs.
 
Spring on the Road, the Bison Way
NDSU is scheduled to play the first 36 games of the season on the road, traveling to six different tournaments, along with three midweek non-conference games and the first Summit League series at Kansas City. The non-conference swing includes two 11-day trips, with the first to South Carolina and then Mexico, and the second to Mississippi and Louisiana. The Bison also have tournaments in Texas and at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
 
Series History (Brigham Young)
The Bison have played BYU nine times in series history, with the Cougars winning the last meeting in 2023, also in Mexico, to take a 5-4 lead in the series.
 
Series History (Boise State)
NDSU meets Boise State for just the third time, with the Broncos winning the meetings in 2012 and 2018.
 
Series History (Indiana)
It will be just the second meeting all-time for the Herd against Indiana, with the Bison winning the only meeting, 9-5, at Indiana in 2015 Hoosier Classic.
 
Series History (Florida International)
NDSU meets FIU for the second time as well, with the Bison falling 2-1 at the FAU/FIU Invitational in 2019.
 
Series History (Illinois State)
The Bison will face Illinois State for the fourth time in series history. NDSU won 4-0 at the FAU/FIU Invitational in 2019, but the Redbirds won the other two meetings in 2021 at the MTSU Invitational.
 
2-1 for the Win
All three of NDSU’s wins on opening weekend came by way of 2-1 scorelines. The Bison walked off the second of three wins and saw clutch saves out of the bullpen in the other two one-run victories. Last season the Bison were 5-11 in one-run games.
 
750 for Mueller
With NDSU’s win over Fordham to close the Charleston Invitational on opening weekend, Darren Mueller scooped up his 750th career win. In his 24th season leading the Herd, Mueller has amassed 623 wins at the D1 level, including Summit League records of 537 wins overall and 220 in league play.
 
Freshman Make Immediate Splash
On opening weekend, all four NDSU freshman played considerably, with several making immediate impacts. In the first win for the Bison against host Charleston, Amai Hanta reached twice with a hit and walk, coming around to score both runs in a 2-1 win. In the first of two wins over Fordham, Savannah Henzler batted in the opening run and then added another single in the seventh. Her spot in the lineup then scored the walk-off run later in the inning, as fellow freshman Jessica Delatorre hit a pinch-hit walk-off double. In the second win over Fordham, Henzler picked up the winning RBI, as she hit an RBI triple to score the second run in a 2-1 victory.
 
Dean Snaps HR Skid
Bella Dean snapped a 19-game streak without a home run on Sunday, the longest of her career, hitting her team-leading 17th home run. Prior to the skid, Dean had 16 home runs in 79 games, averaging one every five games.