ydFIRST PITCH: The Snow College softball team begins its 2026 season at the Coyote Classic hosted by the College of Southern Nevada Friday in Henderson. The Badgers will take on four different opponents during the two-day tournament.
 
The 2026 season kicks off with a doubleheader against the host school Friday at 10:00 a.m., with game two to follow at 12:30 p.m. The Badgers will conclude opening day against Central Arizona College at 3:30 p.m.
 
Day two of the tournament will see Snow College take on Eastern Arizona College Saturday at 10:00 a.m. The Badgers will wrap up the tournament against Yavapai College at 12:30 p.m. All the games will take place at either the Lady Coyote Softball Field or the Stephanie Lynn Craig Softball Fields in Henderson, Nevada.
 
KNOW YOUR FOE: CSN will enter the tournament with a 2-0 overall record after defeating Chandler-Gilbert Community College and South Mountain Community College last weekend. The Coyotes finished the 2025 season with a 28-25 overall record and an 18-14 mark within the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference. They suffered a 7-4 loss to Arizona Western College in the Region 1 Championship.
 
CAC is 1-0 to begin the 2026 season after defeating Glendale Community College 14-7 last Friday. The Vaqueros were 13-35 overall and 7-25 within the ACCAC. They failed to qualify for the Region 1 tournament.
 
EAC won the ACCAC regular-season championship after going 34-15 overall and 25-8 within conference play. They were taken out of the Region 1 Tournament after suffering consecutive losses to Yavapai and CSN.
 
Despite defeating the Gila Monsters in the first round of the Region 1 Tournament, Yavapai finished the season with a 22-23 overall record and a 15-18 record in ACCAC play. After the win against EAC, the Roughriders lost their next two games to bow out of the tournament.
 
SEASON RECAP: Snow College is coming off a 2025 season that saw the team go 18-31 overall and 13-19 within Scenic West Athletic Conference play. The Badgers finished below the .500 mark after ending the 2024 season with a winning record for the first time since 2019.
 
The Badgers sported a 9-7 record within the confines of the Snow College Softball Complex but were just 9-24 in road or neutral games. Snow College averaged 5.1 runs per game last year and scored over a run more per game at home.
 
Snow College finished third within the SWAC Standings for the second consecutive season. They qualified for the Region 18 Tournament but bowed out after suffering losses in both of their first two games.
 
A PEEK AT THE ROSTER: The Badgers' 2026 roster consists of 20 total players from four different states. Snow College returns eight sophomores and welcomes 11 new freshmen alongside one redshirt freshman.
 
Three starters from the 2025 squad will suit up for the Badgers in 2026, including Brooke Fisher, Nev Carrasquel, and Gigi Hall. All four of the pitchers from last year's team will return to anchor the Badgers' rotation.
 
Among the returning offensive players, Fisher led the way during the 2025 season as she slashed .308/.368/.569 while starting in 40 games for the team. She was second on the team in home runs with seven and third in extra-base hits with 18. Fisher drove in 25 RBIs and reached base in 33 of the 42 games she appeared in.
 
Carrasquel appeared in 35 games, including 27 starts, last season. She slashed .208/.344/.260 while recording a pair of doubles, a triple, and an RBI. She struck out just seven times, which was tied for the second fewest on the team.
 
Gigi Hall served as the primary centerfielder for the Badgers during the 2025 campaign. She recorded 60 putouts and five assists while recording just two errors. Her .970 fielding percentage was tied for second best on the team.
 
Inside the circle, the Badgers return Avery Thorkelson, who led the Badgers in both appearances and wins a season ago. She won 11 games while pitching to a team-leading 5.14 ERA and a 1.79 WHIP across 162.0 innings pitched. She struck out 86 batters while pitching nine complete games and one shutout.
 
Taimane Laolagi-Aloy appeared in 31 games, including 21 starts. Her 6.38 ERA garnered her seven victories across 120.2 total innings pitched. She fanned 48 batters and pitched seven complete games last season.
 
BREAKING DOWN THE SCHEDULE: Following the Coyote Classic, the Badgers will head to Niceville, Florida, and participate in the Northwest Florida State Invitational. They will play a three-game series against the host school beginning Thursday, Feb. 19 at 12:00 p.m. The third game of the series will take place Feb. 29, at 5:00 p.m. Snow College will wrap up the three-day tournament with a doubleheader against Gulf Coast State College Feb. 21, at 1:00 p.m.
 
The Badgers will have their final non-conference tune up at the Lander Jamboree in Waco, Texas. They play a three-game series against McLennan Community College beginning Feb. 26. After finishing the series against the Highlanders, the Badgers will play one game against Hutchinson Community College, sandwiched by a pair of games against Alvin Community College.
 
Conference play will begin March 6 against North Idaho College in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The Badgers will take on the Cardinals four times during the series. The Badgers' home opener will take place March 13 against the College of Southern Idaho.
 
Snow College will head on an eight-game road trip beginning March 20 against Salt Lake Community College. They'll face Utah State University Eastern for the first time April 3 in Price.
 
Three of the final four series of the season will take place in Ephraim, beginning with NIC April 10. The final road games of the season see the Badgers travel to Twin Falls and take on CSI April 17.
 
The 2026 season will culminate with eight straight home games beginning April 24 against SLCC. The final four-game series of the regular season will be against USUE May 8. The Region 18 tournament, should the Badgers qualify, will take place between May 12-14 at the home of the conference winner.
 
The Badgers will play a total of 14 games against teams ranked within the NJCAA Division I Softball Rankings, including their three-game series against the defending National Champions Northwest Florida, which is ranked No. 1 in the preseason rankings. The Badgers will play three games against No. 4 McClennan in addition to their eight games against CSI, which landed at 25^th in the poll.
 
ON THE TOP STEP: Mikelle Magalogo will return inside the dugout for her fourth season at the helm. Over her first three seasons, she has compiled a 75-85 overall record and a 40-62 record within SWAC play.
 
She will be joined in the dugout once again by Brooke Brown, who is in her fourth year with the team, and Brooklyn Franco, who is in her second season Sydnie Wilson, who graduated from Snow College in 2021, joins the fray for the 2026 season.
 
UP NEXT: Snow College will take on the defending National Champions at the Northwest Florida State Invitational Feb. 19 in Niceville, Florida. The Badgers take on the Raiders in a three-game series before wrapping up the tournament against Gulf Coast State College. For video streaming and live stats information, visit snowbadgers.com.