LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The College of Saint Benedict softball team ended the 2026 season ranked No. 19 in the final NFCA/GoRout poll released on June 9. CSB received 70 votes and has been ranked in all but two seasons since 2016.

Two other schools in the NCAA's Region IX were featured in the top 25: No. 3 Simpson (Iowa) and No. 11 Saint Mary's. Wartburg (Iowa), who was awarded an NCAA host site as the No. 17 seed ahead of No. 18 CSB, received one vote in the polling.

CSB (36-11, 21-1 MIAC) swept both MIAC titles for the first time in program history in 2026. The Bennies won their fifth MIAC regular-season championship and first outright since 1993, as well as the program's first MIAC playoff championship. The Bennies earned a spot in their seventh NCAA Division III Tournament and fourth since 2019.

The regular-season title was the second for head coach Rachael Click, who was named MIAC Coach of the Year for the first time in her career. She also became the first MIAC student-athlete of any gender or sport to be named MIAC Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year and Coach of the Year in her athletic career.

Individually, senior shortstop Olivia Tautges (Brainerd, Minn.) became CSB's second All-America first-team selection. She is the fourth Bennie to be named an All-American in any right and fifth All-America selection in the last six season. She was also one of three Bennies to earn NFCA All-Region IX honors, joined by senior pitcher Ellie Peterson (St. Anthony Village, Minn.) and sophomore right fielder Lily Treml (Shakopee, Minn.).

A three-time (2024-26) All-MIAC selection and two-time MIAC Player of the Year (2024 and 2026), Tautges led the league in runs (62), hits (59), RBI (47), home runs (13), walks (52) and total bases (114). She was first on the team in batting (.440), slugging (.851), extra-base hits (26), on-base percentage (.600) and OPS (1.451). She was second on the team with 10 doubles and three triples for an offense that ranked 12th in NCAA Division III in RBI and 13th in runs scored at the end of its season. 

Tautges started all 47 of CSB's games at shortstop and finished fifth in the nation in on-base percentage, 10th in both home runs and runs, and 18th in total bases and runs per game (1.32). She led the nation in walks (52) and walks per game (1.11). During the second half of the season (April 12-May 16), Tautges was walked 35 times, which accounted for 37 percent of her plate appearances. 

Tautges ended her career as the program's all-time leader in home runs (32) and walks (76). She set a single-season record for runs (62), tied her own record for RBI in a season (47) and surpassed the single-season walk record by 29.

Peterson joined Tautges as a MIAC major-award winner, collecting her second MIAC Pitcher of the Year honor in the last three seasons (2024 and 2026). One of 34 four-time All-MIAC selections in conference history, Peterson was also named to the All-MIAC Playoff Team for the third time (2023, 2025, 2026). 

She posted an 18-6 record with a 1.79 ERA in 28 appearances. Peterson ended her season 12th in NCAA Division III in complete games (19), 16th in innings pitched (156.0), 20th in wins (18-6) and 30th in shutouts (5). A four-year starter, Peterson claimed the program's career win record (58-22) and single-season win record (18-6). She also ended her career first in program history in complete games (55), starts (83), appearances (98) and innings pitched (516.0).

Peterson received the department's Presidential Award, awarded to a senior student-athlete that has exemplified superior achievements in the classroom, on the field and in the community. An exercise and health science major with a 3.83 GPA, Peterson earned her third College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team selection and is on the ballot for Academic All-America contention. 

Tautges and Peterson were joined by Treml, senior first baseman Cat Smetana (Lake Elmo, Minn.) and senior pitcher Olivia Wallace (Maple Grove, Minn.) on the All-MIAC team. Senior outfielder Tuscany Ballot (St. Anthony Village, Minn.), sophomore second baseman Lauren Freeberg (Rogers, Minn.) and senior center fielder Olivia Van Hout (Mahtomedi, Minn.) received honorable mention honors. Senior catcher Bryn Ruhberg (Lino Lakes, Minn.), who led all of DIII softball with 16 batters caught stealing, and senior third baseman Sammy Muetzel (Woodbury, Minn.) joined Peterson on the All-Playoff team. 

The Bennies ended their season ranked second in Division III in walks (216), 12th in RBI (302), 13th in total runs (333) and 19th in home runs (34). Saint Benedict won three NCAA tournament games en route to the regional championship, where they fell to eventual national semifinalist Simpson (Iowa) by one run.