High school softball 2024: Meet 25 Twin Cities stars, then check out the bonus

Pitchers

Madelyn Anthony, North St. Paul, junior. College: undecided

Kendra Behrens, St. Michael-Albertville, junior. College: undecided

Anna Corbid, Stillwater, senior. College: College of St. Benedict

Jordyn Marsh, New Prague, senior. College: Southwest Minnesota State

Avery Muellner, Forest Lake, sophomore. College: undecided

Brooke Nesdahl, Cretin-Derham Hall, junior. College: undecided

Madeline Nutter, Lakeville South, senior. College: St. Cloud State

Riley O’Connell, Centennial, junior. College: undecided

Carter Raymond, Randolph, junior. College: undecided

Sylvia Shromoff, Shakopee, senior. College: South Dakota State

Hannah Tong, Forest Lake, senior. College: MSU Mankato

Catchers

Heidi Barber, White Bear Lake, senior. College: UConn

Cameron Chard, Belle Plaine, senior. College: Minnesota

Sarah Dollerschell, Stillwater, senior. College: Colorado Christian

Katie Klotz, Farmington, senior. College: Concordia (St. Paul)

Lily Treml, Shakopee, senior. College: College of St. Benedict

Fielders

Ariana Princl, Rosemount, 2B/SS, senior. College: Creighton

Nora Brandt, Lakeville North, INF/P, senior. College: Winona State

Addison Coffey, Stillwater, 3B, senior. College: St. Thomas

Lexi Goring, Farmington, OF, junior. College: undecided

Maddy Freking, Anoka, SS, junior. College: St. Thomas

Cece Hansen, Rosemount, OF, senior. College: South Dakota State

Carly Kimmes, Randolph, SS, senior. College: MSU Mankato

Izzy Guttenfelder, Minnetonka, INF, senior. College: St. Benedict

Susie Tollefson, Chanhassen, 3B, junior. College: Augustana

And one beyond-the-Twin-Cities star we cannot overlook

Kylinn Stangl, Mankato East, RHP, junior. College: Minnesota

Two of the players in the 25+1 group are committed to the Gophers for college. Mankato East pitcher Kylinn Stangl, a junior, went 19-3 last season with 149 strikeouts, She passed on offers from such standout programs as Florida State and Washington and committed to play for her home-state program. The Gophers also have a commitment from Belle Plaine catcher Cameron Chard, perhaps the state’s top power hitter. She hit nine home runs with 36 RBI in 2023.

Pat Bowlin became Minnesota’s all-time leader in softball coaching victories when Winona Cotter defeated Caledonia 6-5 on Friday in Winona. The victory, in Cotter’s season opener, was the 803rd for Bowlin, who is in his 40th season as the Cotter coach. He went into the season tied with former New Ulm Cathedral coach Bob Mertz, who had 802 career victories in 39 seasons before retiring in 2018.

Bowlin began his coaching career at St. Bernard’s in St. Paul in 1984 after graduating from St. Thomas. In his eight years at St. Bernard’s, his softball teams made six consecutive trips to the state tournament and won Class 1A state titles in 1985, 1989 and 1990. St. Bernard’s was the runner-up in 1987.

Bowlin has coached Cotter to 11 state tournament berths, winning the Class 2A state title in 2003 and 2006.

Bowlin also has 698 career victories as Cotter’s girls basketball coach. Only three girls basketball coaches in state history have 700 or more career victories. Bowlin was also the Cotter football coach for 10 years.

JOEL RIPPEL

The MSHSL has added a day to the state tournament this year. It will begin Wednesday, June 5, with finals on June 7. In years past, holding a four-class tournament over its normal two-day run meant trying to squeeze 32 games into Day 1 of the tournament (championship and consolation rounds), with the final games commonly beginning after 9 p.m. Adding a third day spaces things out and allows for rest between games. As usual, the softball state tournament will be held at Caswell Field in North Mankato.