BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Senior shortstop Olivia Tautges (Brainerd, Minn.) earned MIAC Player of the Week honors after a dominant performance at the plate, leading the College of Saint Benedict softball team (17-9, 7-1 MIAC) to seven wins in eight games, including six straight.

 

The honor marks the third time this season Tautges has earned MIAC Player of the Week recognition and the sixth time in her career. A two-time All-MIAC and two-time NFCA All-Region selection, Tautges also earned third team All-American honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association in 2024, when she claimed the weekly award three times in April. This season, she has now been recognized on March 2, March 9 and April 13.

This week Tautges had another exceptional offensive stretch. She hit .516 with a 1.065 slugging percentage and a .591 on-base percentage for a 1.636 OPS. In 31 at-bats, she collected 16 hits, including four home runs to bring her season total to 12 — leading the MIAC and ranking second nationally. She also scored 11 runs, drove in 14, added three doubles and a triple, walked four times and struck out just twice.

She recorded seven multi-hit games in the eight contests, helping the Bennies improve to 17-9 overall and 7-1 in conference play (third place).

On the season, Tautges is hitting .500, which ranks first in the MIAC and 30th in NCAA Division III, while posting a 1.630 OPS. She also set a program record earlier this season with her 31st career home run against Concordia.

Her national and conference rankings continue to highlight her elite production. Tautges leads the MIAC and ranks second in Division III with 12 home runs, is third nationally and first in the MIAC in slugging percentage at 1.045, and ranks fourth in Division III and first in the MIAC with 92 total bases. She is also 16th nationally and first in the MIAC in on-base percentage at .585, while leading the conference in RBI (33), runs scored (35) and hits (44). She has recorded 15 multi-hit games this season.

Saint Benedict returns to action April 15 with a road doubleheader against Augsburg in Minneapolis.