By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Sophomore Makenzie Sais has helped lead Washburn softball to a 21-4 record in 2026, leading the nation with 50 stolen bases. [File photo/TSN]Washburn will open the tournament at 3 p.m. Friday against Illinois-Springfield and will take on Lincoln at 5 p.m.
Washburn received votes for the second straight week in the NFCA Top 25 coaches poll.
The Ichabods went 4-1 last weekend at the Midwest College Classic in Shawnee and will enter this weekend on a three-game winning streak.
The Ichabods have hit the 30-win mark for four straight seasons dating back to the 2022 season, the longest streak of 30 wins since a run between the 2002-07 seasons when the Ichabods recorded 30 wins six seasons in a row.
Brenda Holaday is in her 10th season as the Ichabod softball coach, recording a 304-174 overall record while going 136-74 in MIAA contests and leading the Ichabods to two MIAA regular-season titles (2018, 2022) and three NCAA Central Regional berths (2018, 2022, 2024). Holaday became Washburn's all-time winningest coach with a 13-0 win over Illinois-Springfield on Feb. 8, 2025.
Sophomore Makenzie Sais became the Ichabod single-season leader in stolen bases against Montana State Billings with her 34th and she enters the weekend with a nation-best 50 stolen bases, 26 ahead of the No. 2-ranked player on the chart.
Sais' stolen bases total is also 24 more than the NCAA Division I leader and 29 ahead of the NCAA Division III leader.
Sais is also second in the nation in hits with 37 and second in runs scored with 30.Dalaney Anderson leads the nation in RBI with 36 and she is 11th in home runs with seven. Anderson also ranks 13th in hits with 32 and 18th in runs scored.
Pitcher Sadie Walker is third in the nation in shutouts and she is seventh in strikeouts with 71. Jenna Sprague is seventh in the nation in saves.
Washburn will return back to Topeka next weekend, opening MIAA play with contests against Northeastern State and Rogers State on March 13 and March 14.
