Boise State’s softball team, currently holding an 8-8 record, will travel east for the first time this season to participate in the Wooo Pig Classic hosted by Arkansas from February 27 to March 1. The Broncos recently competed at the DeMarini Invitational hosted by Stanford, where they finished with two wins and three losses. Their victories included games against Santa Clara, last year’s West Coast Conference champion, and then-No. 10 ranked Stanford. All three losses were against teams ranked in the national top 15.
The Broncos are set to face Kansas (10-6) twice during the tournament, marking their first meetings with the Jayhawks. Boise State has a historical record of 4-18 against Big 12 opponents. They will also play host team No. 5 Arkansas (13-1), who advanced to an NCAA regional final last season and is currently ranked as high as fifth nationally according to Softball America.
Other scheduled matchups include Omaha (12-1), which defeated Boise State earlier this month and is receiving votes in national polls, and Charlotte (12-5), another team earning recognition in several major rankings. Boise State has a positive record against American Conference teams under head coach Justin Shults.
Live statistics for all games will be available on BroncoSports.com through Arkansas, and Friday’s game versus Arkansas will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
Freshman pitcher Loula-Rae McNamara leads the NCAA in appearances with outings in 15 of Boise State’s first 16 games. She holds a 2.57 ERA and a perfect win-loss record so far this season: “Loula-Rae McNamara has appeared in 15 of the Broncos’ 16 games in the circle…leads the NCAA in appearances…posted a 2.57 ERA with a 3-0 record in 30 innings of work…all but one outing has been in relief…allowed just two of 12 inherited runners to score.”
Junior second baseman Skylar Stroh shares the Mountain West lead with 17 runs batted in after hitting a decisive home run at Stanford: “Skylar Stroh is tied for the Mountain West lead with 17 RBI…hit game-winning three-run home run at No.10 Stanford, Feb.21…”
Pitcher Julianne Rose recorded a career-high ten strikeouts during her recent one-hit shutout performance: “Against FDU, Feb.13, Julianne Rose fired a one-hit shutout with a career-high ten strikeouts…”
Charley Duran earned Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Week honors earlier this month following standout performances that included multiple wins and effective relief outings: “Charley Duran was named Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Week (Feb.5-8) after going 2-0 with a .66 ERA…”
The Broncos set several school records during their game against CSUN on February 7th by scoring sixteen runs in one inning—also tying records for hits and doubles.
Notably, Boise State achieved its first-ever triple play during their victory over Mississippi on February sixth: “Against No.14 Mississippi, Feb.6, Boise State recorded a triple play in the sixth inning (first in school history)…Hollie Farmer fielded a ground ball at third base…”
This season marks new milestones for ranked wins; prior to this year they had not beaten any team ranked higher than twentieth nationally but have now defeated both No.14 Mississippi and No.10 Stanford.
The Broncos have demonstrated late-game resilience by scoring most of their runs from the fifth inning onward—52 out of their total eighty-three runs—and have driven home thirty-two runs with two outs.
Statistically through February twenty-fourth:
– Loula-Rae McNamara leads all pitchers nationwide for appearances.
– Charley Duran is tied twelfth nationally for saves.
– The team ranks fifteenth nationally for double plays turned.
Head Coach Justin Shults enters his fifth year needing twenty-four more victories to become Boise State’s all-time winningest coach: “Justin Shults…has won150 games…needs24 victories to set school record for career wins.”
Since2017,the program leads all Mountain West schools with293 wins.They’ve achieved six seasons exceeding thirty wins over nine years,and remain only MW program to win at least thirty-two games each of past four seasons.Boise State captured regular-season titles twice since2018,tied its single-season win mark,and made multiple NCAA regional appearances.
Seventeen players hail from California,and five trips west are planned this season totaling twenty-one games played there.Boise State’s schedule includes numerous contests against top-fifty Massey Ratings teams—including defending national champion Texas,six current or former conference champions,and several postseason participants from2025.The upcoming slate features eleven additional matchups versus highly-ranked opponents.
Tickets for both season packages and individual games are available via BroncoSports.com.
