Delta State Softball Opens 2026 Season at Gulf Shores Invitational
The Delta State University softball team will begin its 2026 season this weekend at the Gulf Shores Invitational, held at the Gulf Shores Complex in Alabama, according to school sources.
The Lady Statesmen will play five games over three days, starting with a tripleheader on Friday. Their first game is against Middle Georgia State at 11 a.m. Central Time. They will then face Florida Tech at approximately 1:15 p.m. and Northeastern State at around 3:15 p.m.
On Sunday, Delta State will conclude the tournament against two nationally ranked teams. They open with Saint Leo at 10 a.m. and finish with North Georgia at 12:15 p.m., according to the schedule provided by the school.
Delta State is entering the season with modest expectations, having been picked 11th in the Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The team finished 12-35 overall and 5-26 in conference play last season.
The Lady Statesmen return several key players, including junior infielder Kyleigh Wheaton, who led the team in 2025 with a .310 batting average, 17 RBIs, three doubles, three triples, and two home runs. Wheaton also stole six bases in six attempts. Senior infielder Calli McConnell and sophomore outfielder Mary Teague, who each played in more than 40 games last season, are also returning contributors. McConnell hit .271 with five doubles and 15 RBIs, while Teague posted a .407 on-base percentage with 25 runs scored.
The team also added two newcomers on the Gulf South Conference’s Newcomers to Watch list: junior outfielder Joryie McKnight, who had a .342 batting average with 13 RBIs and 30 stolen bases at Itawamba Community College, and junior outfielder Carly Dunigan, who transferred from Northwest Mississippi Community College and batted .397 with 17 doubles, 10 triples, and 43 RBIs in 2025.
Delta State faces Middle Georgia State, which is competing in NCAA Division II after moving up from NAIA. The Knights finished last season 40-10, winning the Southern States Athletic Conference and advancing to the NAIA National Tournament. They return NAIA All-American Madison Cosgrove, who batted .438 with a 1.233 OPS in 2025.
Other opponents include Florida Tech, which was picked seventh in the Sunshine State Conference preseason poll; Northeastern State, which was selected 12th in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association poll; Saint Leo, the predicted top team in the Sunshine State Conference; and North Georgia, the reigning Peach Belt Conference regular season champion and ranked sixth nationally. The Nighthawks feature All-Americans Carleigh Knowles and Sydnee Reaves, both of whom had standout performances in 2025.
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