TAHLEQUAH – For the fourth straight season, Northeastern State Softball is kicking off its campaign at the Hawkins-McGhee Memorial Tournament in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

Friday
Northeastern State at Henderson State | 4 p.m. 
Northeastern State vs. Missouri S&T* | 6 p.m.
*at Henderson State 

Saturday
Northeastern State vs. Christian Brothers* | 11 a.m.
Northeastern State at Ouachita Baptist | 3 p.m.
*at Ouachita Baptist 

The 2025 RiverHawks roster will sport a fresh look with 14 newcomers under the guidance of second-year head coach Rachel Rhode. However, some familiar faces are back in action, including veterans Madison Heinle and Drew Hawkins, who are suiting up for their fourth season in the NSU Green and White.

The season opener is set for Friday at 4 p.m. against Henderson State. The Reddies, who finished 22-30 last year, are entering a new era with first-year head coach Joel Worthington. Despite being picked to finish eighth in the Great American Conference, Henderson State will look to challenge an NSU squad that dominated last year's meeting with an 8-1 victory.

After the opener, the RiverHawks will face Missouri S&T, another team with new leadership. The Miners, led by Summer Anagnostopoulos (hired in August), finished 27-34 last season and split a doubleheader against NSU in Tahlequah.

Saturday brings a matchup against Christian Brothers at 11 a.m.—the first meeting between the two programs since 2018. The Bucs, picked to finish 11th in the Gulf South Conference, wrapped up last season at 18-30. Fun fact: their head coach, Tara Wheeler, is a 2014 graduate of Northeastern State.

NSU wraps up the weekend by taking on Ouachita Baptist. The Tigers, projected 11th in the Great American Conference, went 15-37 last year. Northeastern State has had their number recently, winning the previous three matchups, including a wild 16-13 slugfest last season.