By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University softball team, off to its best start since 2003, is finally at home, hosting the Washburn Invitational and playing six games Friday through Sunday at Gahnstrom Field.
Sophomore Makenzie Sais has helped lead Washburn softball to a 13-2 record in 2026, leading the nation with 31 stolen bases and ranking fifth with 23 hits. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics.]The 13-2 start by the Ichabods this season is the best since starting the 2003 season 17-3 en route to a 34-win season.
Overall, the Ichabods have won their last six games after going 5-0 at the Cherokee Classic with three shutout wins.
Brenda Holaday is four wins away from reaching 300 as the Ichabods' head coach in her 10th season at Washburn. The winninest coach in school history, Holaday is 296-172 overall entering the weekend.
Thrilled with the Ichabods' start to the 2026 season, Holaday and the Ichabods will be looking to continue to grow on the confidence they've built moving forward.
"In 15 games we've played one bad game and one bad half inning, and that's kind of the way you have to look at it,'' Holaday said. "I think this group is more mature, more resilient, and I think they're more confident because they've put the work in.
"So their ability to bounce back when they individually have a bad outing or as a team we have a bad outing, we're just a more mature team and I think that comes from the work. You build a lot of confidence in this game with the extra work. That sounds a little cliche, but that's really the difference in this team.''
The Ichabods, 27-3 all-time in their home invitational, will open its weekend with a 2 p.m. Friday game against Montana State, followed by a 4 o'clock contest against Wayne State.
On Saturday Washburn will take on Minnesota State at 2 p.m. and Drury at 6 o'clock before closing out the weekend on Sunday with a 12 p.m. game against Minnesota-Crookston and a 4 p.m. game against Lincoln.
"I know they're excited to play in front of their fans, even thought it's going to be a little chilly out,'' Holaday said.
Washburn sophomore Makenzie Sais leads the nation with 31 stolen bases, 15 ahead of the No. 2-ranked player on the chart. Sais' 31 stolen bases are two shy of tying the Ichabod single-season record only 15 games into the season.
The Washburn single-season record has stood since 1999 when Torrie Beauchamp went 33 of 37 in stolen base attempts. Sais is currently tied for second on the single-season chart with Samantha Stallbaumer, who stole 31 bases in 2018 and 2019.
As a team the Ichabods are ranked second in the NCAA with 44 total stolen bases, behind Missouri Southern's 49.
Sais is also fifth in the nation in hits with 23 and 12th in runs scored with 16.
Washburn's Dalaney Anderson ranks fourth in the NCAA ranks and tied for the MIAA lead with 21 runs batted in and her four home runs are 16th in the national stats.
Pitcher Kierra Goos leads the nation in starts with eight and senior Sadie Walker is 16th with six starts.
Senior pitcher Sadie Walker ranks among the national leaders in multiple categories for the 13-2 Ichabods. [File photo/TSN]Walker is fourth nationally in innings pitched (45.6), fifth in appearances (10), first in shutouts (3), ninth in strikeouts (45) and second in wins (7).
In the NCAA team rankings the Ichabods are fourth in doubles with 31, 11th in fielding percentage (.982), 11th in hits (130), eighth in RBI (92), fourth in shutouts (4) and third in walks (65).
Montana State is 2-8 this season and has dropped its last five games, going 0-4 against MSU-Denver and Colorado Mines last weekend in a pair of doubleheaders.
The Ichabods are 0-1 all-time against the Yellowjackets, falling 10-2 in 2022 in Arizona.
Wayne State is 5-1 after splitting a doubleheader with Dordt last time out. The Wildcats won a pair of games to open the season against Nebraska-Kearney.
Wayne State is 5-1 after splitting a doubleheader with Dordt last time out. The Wildcats won a pair of games to open the season against Nebraska-Kearney.
The Ichabods lead the all-time series with Wayne State 25-13 and have won six of the last seven after the Wildcats won 6-2 last season at the Washburn Invitational.
Minnesota State is 3-1 after splitting a doubleheader with Southwest Minnesota State and sweeping Minnesota Duluth at the Dome Classic.
The Ichabods trail the all-time series 15-12 and snapped a six-game losing streak to the Mavericks last season in Topeka with a 2-1 win.
Drury is 4-5 this season and has won their last three games. The Panthers fell to Central Missouri 4-2 and topped then No. 24-ranked Missouri Southern, 2-1.
The Ichabods and the Panthers are tied 2-2 all-time and have not played since a 5-4 Drury win in 11 innings on Feb. 17, 2017.
Minnesota-Crookston is looking for its first win of the season as they will arrive in Topeka with an 0-9 record. The Golden Eagles will face Fort Hays State, Newman, Central Missouri and Emporia State before ending their weekend with the Ichabods on Sunday.
The Ichabods are 6-0 all-time against the Golden Eagles, winning last season in Topeka, 2-1.
Lincoln is 2-0 after sweeping Stephens to open the season on Feb. 15 in a doubleheader.
The Ichabods are 41-6 all-time against the Blue Tigers, a former MIAA member. Overall, the Ichabods have won the last 18 meetings, not losing since being swept by Lincoln in a doubleheader on April 25, 2014 in Jefferson City.
Washburn is 1,360-993-1 in its 56th year of softball.
The Ichabods will return to action Feb. 27-March 1 at the Midwest College Classic in Shawnee, with five games over three days, and will travel to Branson, Mo. March 6-7 for the Grand Slam Classic with four games.
Washburn will return to Topeka to open MIAA play with contests against Northeastern State and Rogers State on March 13 and 14.
