LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Wesleyan softball team is set to make its mark in Bloomington, Illinois, this weekend at the NCAA Regional hosted by Illinois Wesleyan from May 15-17. The Prairie Wolves (31-11) will open competition Thursday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. against (RV) Greenville (37-4).

Season Snapshot

NWU punched its tournament ticket by storming through the American Rivers Conference tournament as the three-seed, collecting three consecutive victories to claim the conference championship. The Prairie Wolves finished the regular season with a 10-6 conference record before catching fire when it mattered most.

Ace in the Circle
Graduate pitcher Elise Warneke continues to cement her legacy as one of Division III's elite arms. Warneke has amassed 582.1 career innings, ranking seventh among all active NCAA Division III players. This season, she's dominated with a 24-7 record, 2.26 ERA, and 129 strikeouts across 191.2 innings. Opponents hit just .224 against her during the regular season.

Offensive Firepower
The Roth sisters power the Prairie Wolves' offensive attack. Senior Lyndsey Roth leads the team with a .551 on-base percentage and .690 slugging percentage, connecting for 15 doubles this season. Fifth year, Hanna Roth follows with a .434 on-base percentage and leads all active NCAA Division III players with 109 career walks.

Sophomore first baseman Kamdyn Sprunk provides speed on the basepaths with 15 stolen bases while batting .292. Junior second baseman, Jenna Kimberling has been clutch with 33 RBIs and three home runs.

Regional Outlook
The four-team regional features host No. 22 Illinois Wesleyan (34-7), Bethany Lutheran (28-13), and Greenville (37-4) alongside the Prairie Wolves.

Illinois Wesleyan enters on a 22-game winning streak and will face Bethany Lutheran in Thursday's opening game. Greenville boasts one of the nation's top pitching staffs with Melissa Bernal (15-2, 1.58 ERA) and Sarah Salas (11-0, 1.94 ERA) leading the Panthers.

First-Round Focus
NWU's opening matchup against Greenville pits Warneke against the Panthers' potent offense, which features Madi Case (.414) and Natalee Moore (.403, 43 RBIs).

Tournament Format
The double-elimination tournament begins Thursday, with games continuing through Friday and Saturday. The regional champion advances to the Super Regional round next weekend.

First pitch against Greenville is set for 1:30 p.m. Thursday at IWU's Inspiration Field in Bloomington, Illinois.