BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Senior shortstop Olivia Tautges (Brainerd, Minn.) of the College of Saint Benedict softball team has been named the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Softball Offensive Player of the Week after a standout weekend at the plate.

 

Tautges batted .857 with two RBI as the Bennies had a road split with UW-Eau Claire, winning 12-0 and falling, 12-11, in eight innings. As a result, CSB is now 2-2 to open the 2026 season. The honor marks the fourth MIAC weekly award of her career for the two-time All-MIAC and two-time NFCA All-Region performer. In 2024 when she was third team NFCA All-American, Tautges earned the league's weekly honor three times (April 8, April 15 and April 29).

Against UW–Eau Claire, Tautges went 6-for-7 to lead CSB. She was a perfect 4-for-4 in a 12-0, run-rule shortened win in game one, blasting the 20th home run of her career. She drove in runs in both contests and added two hits in three at-bats in game two.

Through four games, Tautges is hitting a team-best .667 with a 1.765 OPS, including a 1.000 slugging percentage and a .765 on-base percentage. She has eight hits in 12 at-bats, drawn five walks and is a perfect 2-for-2 on stolen-base attempts.

In her career, she has recorded 31 multi-hit games and owns a .395 batting average with 117 hits in 99 games, along with 20 home runs, 78 RBI and a .696 slugging percentage.

Tautges and the Bennies return to action March 6–8 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.