PRIMER: Iowa State at Doc Halverson Classic

Friday, February 6

Cedar Falls, Iowa

10 a.m.

Iowa State

Omaha

Photo by: LUKE LU @KL6PHOTO

PRIMER: Iowa State at Doc Halverson Classic

02.05.2026 | Softball

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Who: Iowa State vs. Omaha // Kansas City // Butler // UNI

Where: UNI Dome (12,000) – Cedar Falls, Iowa

When: Feb. 6 – 10 a.m. // Feb 7 – 9 & 11:30 am // Feb 8 – 10 a.m. & 3 p.m.

Leading Off
Iowa State is set to open its 2026 campaign this weekend as it looks to build off a strong 2026 season that saw the Cyclones finish third in the Big 12. ISU returns all but two starters and, with an experienced core, looks to start the season strong in hopes of making it to the third regional in school history.

Iowa State will look to start its season with a winning record on opening weekend for the first time since 2022. That year, ISU began 4-1 in the Doc Halverson Classic. This weekend will be the Cyclones' fourth time competing in the Doc Halverson Classic and their first time since 2023.

Omaha, the one team Iowa State will play twice this weekend, has earned an NCAA Regional berth in each of the last three seasons out of the Summit League. ISU will open the tournament and close it with in-state rival UNI at 3 pm on Sunday.

Scouting the Cyclones
Highlighting Iowa State's returning starters are 2025 All-Big 12 Team members Tatum Johnson, Karlee Ford and Jessie Clemons. Clemons was a First Team and All-Freshman member, Johnson was a Second Team member and Ford made the All-Freshman squad.

Clemons led the team last season in hits, batting average, doubles, RBI and total bases. Meanwhile, returning infielder Sydney Malott led the team in homers. Johnson had a team-high slugging percentage of .605 and drew the most walks of any returner with 25.

ISU returns three pitchers who saw action last season in Lauren Schurman, Jaiden Ralston and Sami Potvin. Ava Mullen, a Michigan State transfer, will join the bullpen alongside freshmen Hailey Holtz and Liv Palumbo.

In 2025, the Cyclones held a .288 batting average and produced 263 runs on 410 hits. The team had 135 extra-base hits with 240 RBI, while drawing 157 walks. ISU held a collective 4.58 ERA and allowed 440 hits in 345.2 innings of work.

Opponent Outlook
Omaha, which has been to the NCAA Tournament three years in a row, will be the most experienced team that ISU faces this weekend. The Mavericks have 22 players who have combined for more than 1,100 games played, and starters returning at seven of the nine positions.

Kansas City was picked to finish seventh in the Summit League Preseason Poll and also had two players that the conference picked to watch: Delilah Robles (P) and Lauren Parker (OF).

The Bulldogs finished the 2025 season with a 26-22 overall record, going 14-10 in BIG EAST play and qualifying as the fifth seed in their fifth-consecutive BIG EAST Tournament. The Bulldogs were voted to finish sixth in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll.

After falling to eventual MVC champion Belmont last year, UNI was picked to finish second in the MVC this season. Four Panthers (Skylar Benesh, Kate Lappe, Drew Hinrichs, and Anna Wischnowski) were named to the All-MVC Preseason First Team.

Series History
ISU will face Omaha for the 17th and 18th times, with ISU holding an 11-6 all-time record vs. the Mavs. The Cyclones are 7-1 in neutral-site contests against the Mavericks. Iowa State is 14-4 against Kansas City and has won seven of the last eight meetings. ISU has faced Butler just twice and is 2-0. The Cyclones will face UNI for the 91st time, as ISU holds a 48-41-1 advantage. ISU has taken the last four meetings in Cedar Falls, but all-time is 20-23 in CF against the Panthers.

On Deck
The Cyclones will be back in action next weekend (Feb. 13-15) when they head south to compete in the Drea City Invitational, hosted by UT Arlington. There, ISU will face Tulsa, Wisconsin (2x) and UT Arlington (2x). Play is scheduled to start on Friday, Feb. 13, against Wisconsin at 10 a.m.