Friday, Jan. 31 – Arkadelphia, Ark. (Hawkins-McGhee Memorial Tournament)
Northwest Missouri State at Ouachita Baptist, 4 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS
Northwest Missouri State vs. Christian Brothers, 6 p.m. | LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, Feb. 1 – Arkadelphia, Ark. (Hawkins-McGhee Memorial Tournament)
Northwest Missouri State vs. Missouri S&T, 11 a.m.  | WATCH | LIVE STATS
Northwest Missouri State at Henderson State, 1 p.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
Sunday, Feb. 2 – Arkadelphia, Ark. (Hawkins-McGhee Memorial Tournament)
Northwest Missouri State at Henderson State, 10 a.m. | WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
The Northwest Missouri State University softball team will open its 2025 season at the Hawkins-McGhee Memorial Tournament in Arkadelphia, Ark., with five games scheduled this weekend.
 
The Bearcats will take on Ouachita Baptist and Christian Brothers on Friday. Northwest will match up against Missouri S&T and at Henderson State on Saturday. Northwest will wrap up the weekend's slate of games with a single game Sunday at Henderson State.
 
The Bearcats have posted back-to-back winning seasons for head coach Naomi Tellez with 28 wins in 2023 and 28 victories in the 2024 season. Northwest secured a winning record in the MIAA (15-11) in 2024 for the first time since a 16-10 mark in the 2018 campaign.
 
Tellez is entering her fourth season at the helm of the program and has generated 71 wins, including 35 triumphs in MIAA action. Tellez has an overall record of 71-85 entering the 2025 season. She is 35-43 in league games.
 
Heading the list of returners is senior outfielder Lillie Filger. Filger batted .435 with 80 hits and 38 runs scored last season. She ranked second in the MIAA in batting average and third in the league in hits. She led the team with 25 multi-hit games and ended the season with a six-game hitting streak. She topped the squad with four triples and was 7-of-9 in stolen base attempts. Her 80 hits last season ranked as the second-most hits in a season by a Bearcat – only bested by Kendra Smith's 83 hits in the 2000 season. Filger has 146 hits in her Bearcat career, as she had 66 hits in 2023. She is hitting .403 in two seasons at Northwest. Filger gained second-team all-MIAA honors and was a member of the MIAA's Gold Glove squad in 2024.
 
Most Hits (Season)
1. 83, Kendra Smith (2000)
2. 80, Lillie Filger (2024)
3. 76, Casey Carper (2008)
4. 73, Erin Leslie (2010)
5. 69, Torri Blythe (2016)
6. 66, Lillie Filger (2023)
7. 64, Rebecca Maher (2015)
    64, Stephanie Mark (2015)
    64, Katy John (2006)
    64, Katy John (2005)
 
Senior infielder Skylar Pieper was an honorable mention all-MIAA selection in 2024. Pieper had 16 multi-hit games. Pieper batted .314 with 50 hits and 23 RBI. She drew eight hit-by-pitches. She had six multi-RBI games in 2024. Pieper led the squad with 10 doubles. She hit four homers and drove in 23 runs.
 
Senior infielder Annie Gahan started and played in 44 games. She hit .264 with 29 hits and scored 12 runs. She hit three homers and drove in 27 runs. Gahan led the squad with 13 two-out RBI last season.

Sophomore outfielder Avery Mayberry played in 41 games and made 29 starts in 2024. She hit .246 with 23 hits. Mayberry was credited with 11 runs scored and 10 RBI.
 
Junior outfielder Omara Love played in 39 games and made 30 starts while hitting .337 in 2024. She posted 31 hits that included five doubles and a triple. She went 4-for-5 in stolen base attempts. She only struck out four times in 92 at-bats and had seven multi-hit games. Love is a career .351 hitter with 19 stolen bases in two seasons as a Bearcat.
 
Junior outfielder Alexis Brown hit .389 with 42 hits and 21 runs scored before suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2024. Brown was 7-for-9 in stolen base attempts last season.
 
Junior pitcher Jadyn Streigle went 10-10 with a 2.20 ERA in 20 starts in 2024. She tallied 12 complete games and struck out 50 batters.  In two seasons, she has posted 23 wins and two saves. She enters the 2025 season with a 2.63 career ERA with 128 strikeouts and 25 complete games.
 
Sophomore pitcher Olivia Moyer made eight starts and went 5-4 with a 3.97 ERA. She appeared in 15 games and pitched 61 2/3 innings. She struck out 47 batters as a freshman in 2024.