EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball opens its 2026 season this weekend when the Screaming Eagles head down to Montgomery, Alabama, for the Alabama State University Stinger Classic.
USI will face Nicholls State University (31-24 in 2025), Northern Kentucky University (22-27 in 2025), Murray State University (21-28 in 2025), and host Alabama State (18-36 in 2025) on Saturday and Sunday. The Screaming Eagles begin the weekend Saturday at 3:45 p.m. against Nicholls State before a 6 p.m. nightcap against former Great Lakes Valley Conference rival Northern Kentucky. USI concludes the weekend slate on Sunday with a 9 a.m. matinee against Murray State and a 1:30 p.m. first pitch against Alabama State.
The Eagles will meet Nicholls State, Murray State, and Alabama State for the first time. USI will renew its old Division II rivalry with Northern Kentucky for the 61
st time and for the first time since 2012. The Norse lead the all-time series against USI, 39-21.
USI is coming off a 17-25 record in 2025, including a 13-11 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference. USI finished fourth in the 2025 OVC standings to earn a third straight berth in the OVC Tournament.
The Screaming Eagles return seven of their starters from the batting order and six of their starting defensive field players from last season, while adding eight freshmen, including three pitchers, in 2026 under 25
th-year Head Coach
Sue Kunkle (691-490-1).
The top returning hitter for USI is senior outfielder
Caroline Stapleton. Stapleton, who is coming off a second consecutive All-OVC Second Team selection, started all 42 games last season and led the team with a .369 batting average and 20 runs scored.
The top returning run producer is sophomore infielder/catcher
Jordan Mackey, who hit .284 with a team-high four home runs and 25 RBIs toward earning All-OVC Second Team and OVC All-Newcomer Team selections.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher
Kylie Witthaus leads the pitching staff after an All-OVC Second Team and OVC All-Newcomer Team selection as a freshman in 2025. Witthaus went 6-8 with a 2.97 ERA in 94.1 innings pitched. Witthaus tossed nine complete games in 16 starts last year with 55 strikeouts.
USI was projected fifth in the 2026 OVC Preseason Poll. In addition to Stapleton, Mackey, and Witthaus coming back as returning All-OVC selections, junior infielder
Sydney Long and junior outfielder
Kate Satksoki were named to the 2026 OVC Preseason Players to Watch List.
Long was one of three players to start all 42 games for the Screaming Eagles. Long ranked second on the team with a .309 batting average, 17 runs, and 18 RBIs. The infielder totaled 38 hits, including six doubles, three triples, and two home runs. The junior finished last season earning OVC All-Tournament honors for the second consecutive season.
Satkoski made 36 starts in 40 games played last season. The outfielder batted .233 with 21 hits in 90 at-bats while scoring nine runs. Satkoski totaled nine extra-base hits with four doubles, three triples, and two home runs. Satkoski also collected 16 RBIs.
Following a three-year reclassification period from Division II to Division I, the 2026 season marks the first in which USI is eligible for a potential NCAA postseason championship berth. USI was granted status as a full-fledged D-I member at the end of last June.
Coverage and live stat links are available on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com. All games can be seen on hornetssportsnetwork.com (payment required) except for Sunday's game against Alabama State, which can be seen on tv.swac.org.
