USD softball excited for program's first trip to NCAA Tournament

The offense was working to get Evans as much support as possible, but every opponent was also playing for its season. That includes Omaha, which went 37-12 overall and made a very public, but unsuccessful, case for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

"We were just talking about being aggressive at the plate, getting baserunners on and trying to push them across," junior outfielder Autumn Iversen said. "Whatever happens, happens. We just have to trust each other at the end of the day and pick each other up if things don't go the way we want them to."

Next up is the Lincoln Regional, where No. 4 South Dakota will take on No. 1 Nebraska, the regional host. No. 2 Louisville and No. 3 Grand Canyon are also in the region. South Dakota lost 1-0 to Grand Canyon on Feb. 14.

The Coyotes have seven Nebraskans, including Iversen, on their roster. The 100 tickets given to the program went very quickly, and the team is expecting far more ‘Yote fans than that in Lincoln.

South Dakota's Autumn Iversen scored a run against Kansas City at the 2026 Summit League tournament on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

It’s shaping up to be a weekend full of red in Lincoln, Nebraska, as Louisville also wears the color.

"I honestly wouldn't want it any other way," Iversen said. "When I saw we got picked for Lincoln, it was like every piece fell into place. It's going to be super fun to see all of the Nebraska people representing on both teams."

Having not won a league title before, all recruits going to Vermillion had to trust Wagner’s vision for the program and his belief that the infrastructure was there to build a winner.

"I remember on one of my recruiting visits, sitting in Wags' office and he's like, 'I've been to the World Series. I know what it takes and I know that with these people with you we can do this,'" Iversen said. "It's definitely a reason I came here. I wanted to compete. I wanted to continue to play softball and play it at the highest level."

Wagner was able to sell that belief with his experience. He’s spent a decade in Vermillion after 11 years at Arizona State. Wagner has coached in double-digit NCAA Tournaments and is starting to think he may not have celebrated those trips enough after going so long without one.

"Maybe I take that for granted sometimes," Wagner said. "We try not to put too much emphasis on one game. It doesn't really matter who we're playing or what the stakes are."

This will be a different challenge than the Summit League tournament, with a pair of nationally-ranked teams in the Coyotes’ way to the Super Regionals. Evans knows she will be central to that success, and is trying not to psych herself out about the stakes and stage.

"It's going to be hard, I know, but I'm going into it the same way I went into all the other Summit League games," Evans said. "I know if I make the moment too big, then I'm going to struggle out there. But I know if I calm my nerves and trust my spin, locate, keep them off balance, then I think I'm going to be able to compete with them."

South Dakota’s first game against Nebraska is at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 15, at Bowlin Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. The game will be aired on ESPN+.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Madison Evans leads USD softball to program's first NCAA Tournament