PITTSBURG, Kan. – No. 11 Central Oklahoma starts its quest for the NCAA Division II national championship Thursday when the Bronchos open play in the Central Region II Tournament.
UCO, 42-13 on the season and the defending Central Region champion, takes on Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference co-champion and No. 25 Winona State (48-9) at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the second of two first-round games at the Pittsburg State Softball Field. Host and No. 17-ranked Pittsburg State (45-9) plays Rogers State (36-19) in a battle of MIAA teams in Thursday's first game at 2 p.m.
Thursday's winners will play at 11 a.m. Friday, followed by the two first-round losers at 1:30 p.m. and another elimination game at 4 p.m. Saturday's finals are set for 12 p.m., with the "if necessary" game at 2:30 p.m.
"Our team is so motivated going up to the Pitt State regional as the number three seed," said head coach Sam Maples, who has won more games than any other first-year coach in school history. "We love the large crowds they have and feed off environments like the one we're headed to.
"It's no surprise to see Winona in the postseason as they've had a great year as well. We're preparing and getting the team ready to go one game at a time. I'm so proud of how hard we've worked this year to make it in such a competitive region. I want our athletes to enjoy every minute."
The Central Region is made up of teams from the MIAA, the NSIC and the Great American Conference (GAC), with two four-team sub-regionals set for this week. The Central Region I Tournament will be held in Joplin, Missouri. Host and No. 5-ranked MIAA champion Missouri Southern (48-7) meets NSIC Tournament champion Augustana (30-26) while GAC Tournament winner and No. 9-ranked Southern Arkansas (46-7) takes on No. 20 St. Cloud State (46-13) in the first round.
The two sub-regional winners meet in a best-of-three Super Regional series May 21-22 at a site to be determined. The champion joins seven other regional winners in the Division II Championship Finals that will be held May 28-June 3 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
NCAAs HISTORY
The Bronchos are making their 20th national tournament appearance, including the 17th in Division II. Central is 50-38 in the Division II playoffs, highlighted by a 9-0 run to the national championship in 2013. The Bronchos won regional titles in 2006, 2012, 2013, 2023 and 2025 in advancing to the Division II Championship Finals.
UCO's Division II playoff record by season:
2002 (1-2)
2005 (2-2)
2006 (5-2 – 4-0 in South Central Regional, 1-2 in Championship Finals)
2008 (1-2)
2010 (0-2)
2012 (7-4 – 5-2 in South Central Regional, 2-2 in Championship Finals)
2013 (9-0 – 5-0 in Central Regional, 4-0 in Championship Finals)
2014 (1-2)
2015 (1-2)
2016 (1-2)
2017 (1-2)
2019 (3-3 – lost in best-of-three Central Super Regional)
2021 (1-2)
2022 (3-3 – lost in best-of-three Central Super Regional)
2023 (6-3 – 4-1 in Central Regional, 2-2 in Championship Finals)
2024 (1-2)
2025 (6-3 - 5-1 in Central Regional, 1-2 in Championship Finals)
SEASON RECAP
UCO was No. 11 in the preseason NFCA poll and has been ranked in the top 20 all season, making it as high as No. 7. The Bronchos finished runner-up in the MIAA with an 18-6 record and beat Northeastern State in the first round of last week's conference tournament before falling to Rogers State in the semifinals. UCO is 25-10 in away games this season, having gone 15-5 in neutral site contests and 10-5 in true road games. The Bronchos were 17-3 at Gerry Pinkston Stadium.
ALL-MIAA TEAM
Central had 11 players earn All-MIAA recognition, led by senior outfielder Rylee Lemos' selection as both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Lemos was joined on the First Team unit by senior second baseman Rylee Anglen, while freshman outfielder Haley Gallo and sophomore designated player Brooklyn Lyles were Second Team selections.
Third Team honors went to junior pitcher Shelby Beard, freshman pitcher Carleigh Kinnaird, senior first baseman Kennedy Clark, sophomore catcher Jenna Jobe and senior outfielder Brooklyn Ryan. Freshman shortstop Hannah Demoff and senior third baseman Sherri Mason received Honorable Mention accolades.
Anglen, Lemos and Ryan also made the MIAA Gold Glove team. It was the second straight year for Anglen and Lemos to earn that honor, with Lemos named Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST
The Bronchos are batting .352 as a team in averaging 9.4 hits and 7.18 runs per game. UCO ranks in the top 20 nationally in nine categories – second in doubles (school-record 118), fourth in slugging percentage (.571), sixth in on base percentage (.436), sixth in runs batted in (368), seventh in average, seventh in runs (395), eighth in scoring average, 13th in hits (517) and 16th in home runs (56).
All nine position regulars have at least a .318 average, led by the All-American Lemos. The MIAA Player of the Year is enjoying a banner season at the plate, entering the regional batting .395 with 17 doubles, 12 homers, seven triples and 65 RBI. Lemos has a .774 slugging percentage, .491 on base percentage and has scored 61 runs to go along with 14 stolen bases.
Lemos ranks in the top 15 nationally in RBI (11th), triples (12th), runs (13th) and total bases (14th with 137). She's had 20 multi-hit and 17 multi-RBI games this season along with hitting streaks of 10 and 11 games.
Ryan is hitting .385 with 14 doubles, four homers, 31 RBI, 17 steals and 14 sacrifice hits. Ryan has had 17 multi-hit outings this year along with three hitting streaks of eight-plus games. Gallo has a .383 average with 19 doubles, 12 homers and a freshman school-record 61 RBI, which ranks 16th nationally. She's had 17 multi-RBI and 14 multi-hit games and four hitting streaks of five-plus games.
Jobe is batting .379 with 21 doubles – fifth-best in Division II – and 28 RBI, with the rookie Demoff at .342 with 10 doubles, seven homers and 36 RBI. Mason (.339, 24 RBI), Clark (.335, nine homers, 62 RBI), Lyles (.333, 10 doubles, 30 RBI) and Anglen (.318, 13 steals) round out UCO's offensive lineup. Clark went 3-for-6 with a double, homer and five RBI to earn All-Tournament honors in the MIAA Softball Championship last week. She ranks 15th nationally in RBI and has had 16 multi-RBI outings this season.
LEMOS CONTINUES CLIMBING
The senior star has made her way into the top eight in 10 career categories at UCO in stamping herself as one of the all-time greats in program history. Lemos owns records for runs scored (250) and triples (24) while ranking second in stolen bases (77), games played (238, all starts) and hit by pitch (38).
The MIAA Player of the Year is also third in hits (288), fourth in at bats (773) and doubles (57), seventh in RBI (166) and eighth in homers (32). Lemos ranks in three single-season categories this year – tied for fourth in triples (seven), seventh in RBI (65) and eighth in runs (61).
IN THE CIRCLE
Central is giving up just 5.7 hits and 3.3 runs a game behind a 2.90 team earned run average. The Bronchos have posted nine shutouts this season and have allowed three runs or less runs 35 times. Beard and Kinnaird have paced the pitching staff all season. That dynamic duo has thrown 145 innings each in accounting for 38 of the UCO's 42 wins.
Beard is 21-6 with a 3.04 ERA in 35 appearances with 29 starts, having thrown five-plus innings 17 times. She has 13 complete games with four shutouts and has struck out 117 batters while walking just 57. Kinnaird is 17-4 with three saves and a 2.80 ERA in 32 games with 23 starts. The rookie has 10 complete games with three shutouts – including a pair of one-hitters – and ranks ninth on UCO's single-season strikeout list with 152. Kinnaird has fanned seven-plus batters in eight games and has gone at least five innings in 17 of her 23 starts.
Freshman Madison Hamilton has come up big for the Bronchos down the stretch and has a 3-3 record with two saves. She's pitched in 21 games with three starts and owns a 2.59 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 51.1 innings.
STOUT DEFENSE
The Bronchos once again feature a stout defense, having made just 42 errors in 1,474 fielding chances over 55 games. Central hasn't committed an error in 25 games this season.
At third base, Mason leads the team with 100 assists while Anglen has 91 at second and Demoff 83 at shortstop. Anglen ranks ninth in career assists with 337.
ABOUT THE COACH
In her first year leading the UCO program, Maples has directed the Bronchos to a fifth straight 40-win season. It's also the third consecutive 40-win season for Maples, who led Oklahoma Baptist to 85 wins and back-to-back Great American Conference titles her last two years with the Bison. Maples has a 212-130 career record in seven years as head coach, spending six seasons at OBU before coming to the Bronchos
ABOUT WINONA STATE
The Warriors were NSIC regular season co-champions before losing in the semifinals of the conference tournament. Winona is averaging 8.82 hits and 6.18 runs a game behind a .321 team average.
Alyssa Woelfel leads the offense, hitting .416 with 18 doubles, nine homers and 43 RBI. Tiegan Mancuso and Bryn Eisenpeter are both batting .333, with Eisenpeter having 16 doubles, 12 homers and 51 RBI.
Jayda Berg tops a pitching staff that allows 5.84 hits and 2.68 runs a game behind a 2.45 team ERA. Berg is 20-4 with a 1.99 ERA with 17 complete games in 24 starts and 124 strikeouts in 165.2 innings. Izzy Howe has a 19-4 record and 2.37 ERA as the other main starter. She's started 31 games and has nine shutouts with 188 strikeouts in 156.2 innings.
UCO owns a 9-1 lead in the series, including a 3-0 advantage in national tournament meetings. The Bronchos swept Winona in the best-of-three Central Super Regional in 2013 on their way to the national championship and also won a 2015 regional meeting.
ABOUT PITTSBURG STATE
The Gorillas finished third in the MIAA regular season standings and were knocked out in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Softball Championship by Rogers State.
PSU has a .379 team average while scoring 8.26 runs a game behind 10.74 hits a contest. Heather Arnett leads the way with a .537 average that ranks second nationally. She has 14 doubles, seven triples, 39 RBI and 28 stolen bases. The Gorillas have two others batting over .400 – Kadyn Trochim at .450 with 18 doubles, seven homers and 73 RBIs, and Alleyna Rushing at .434 with 23 RBIs and 16 steals.
Pitt State has a 2.78 team ERA while allowing 5.72 hits and 3.37 runs a contest. Emma Crabb leads a balanced staff with a 15-4 record and 2.39 ERA in 117 innings with five shutouts. Lexi Franklin is 13-2 with a 3.43 ERA in 104 innings.
The Bronchos have a 29-22 lead in series and swept the Gorillas in the regular season doubleheader this year. UCO won the only national tournament meeting between the day in 2017.
ABOUT ROGERS STATE
The Hillcats tied for fifth in the regular season MIAA standings then knocked off Pittsburg State and UCO to make the MIAA Softball Championship finals before dropping a tough 4-1 decision to Missouri Southern.
Jaden Jordan paces the offense, hitting .353 with eight doubles, 12 homers and 33 RBI as the only regular over .300. RSU is hitting .257 as a team in averaging 6.49 hits and 3.87 runs a game. The Hillcats give up just 5.45 hits and 2.55 runs a game behind a pitching staff led by Harley Culie. She's 20-10 with a 2.26 ERA in 198 innings and has struck out 212 batters while throwing 21 complete games. Kinsley Hill has a 13-6 record and 1.65 ERA in 118.2 innings. She's tossed 10 complete games and has 81 strikeouts.
UCO has a 20-10 lead in the series, though the Hillcats have won all three meetings this season. RSU swept the regular season doubleheader (2-1, 4-0) before winning 7-5 in the conference tournament semifinals. The Hillcats have a 3-2 advantage in national tournament games. RSU swept the Bronchos in the Central Super Regional in 2022, then won a regional meeting in 2024 before UCO won twice last year.
