The Cardinals had an historic season in 2024 after winning a share of the GLIAC Regular Season Championship and their third-straight GLIAC Tournament Title. Led by 2024 GLIAC Head Coach of the year, Ryan Schalk, SVSU finished with a 35-22 record, the third-straight 30-win season for the program.
Saginaw Vally State returns four All-GLIAC performers from a season ago including First-Team selection Aalana Kimble, Second-Team member Ella Reifschneider, and Honorable Mentions Mya Purdy and Emma Helvie.
Kimble tied for fourth-best on the team in hits with 48 during her freshman season. She has the most doubles of any returner from last year’s team as well. She brings experience in the circle for SVSU also with 105.0 innings pitched, and an 8-8 career record with four saves and seven complete games under her belt.
Reifschneider led the team in hits last season with 63 and had the best batting average with .399 in the leadoff spot for the Cardinals as a freshman. She collected seven doubles, a triple, 12 RBI and 18 stolen bases.
Purdy had the fifth-most hits with 45 in her debut season with three doubles, three triples, and five home runs on her stat line a season ago. Helvie contributed 15 hits, two doubles, a triple, a home run, and 10 RBI.
In total the Cardinals return 14 players from last year’s team with five players seeing significant time on the field. A total of nine newcomers join the team this year with five freshmen and four transfers including junior pitcher Macy Irelan and sophomore infielder Kenzie Bromley who both came from NCAA Division I Kent State University.
