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North Dakota State University

NDSU Dept 1200
 PO Box 6050 Fargo, ND 581086050
Division 1 North Dakota Midwest
Public Large National competitor
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Darren Mueller

Darren Mueller is in his 17th season as the North Dakota State University head softball coach. He has a record of 571-315 in 16 seasons. The Bison have won at least 30 games in 10 of the past 11 seasons. Mueller reached career win No. 550 at Stetson (3-10-17).


Mueller has led North Dakota State to eight Summit League tournament championships over the past nine years including last season. The Bison knocked off eventual national champion Oklahoma 3-2 in nine innings in the 2017 NCAA Norman Regional opener. NDSU has won at least one tournament game for the fourh straight season.


North Dakota State received votes toward the final USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 and was ranked No. 138 in the final NCAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI). NDSU finished No. 41 in 2015 to achieve the highest ranking in the softball program's history.


The 2009 season proved to be an eventful one. In its first year of Division I postseason eligibility, Mueller directed North Dakota State to The Summit League tournament championship, the NCAA Division I Norman Region championship and berth in the NCAA Division I Super Regional played against Arizona State in Tempe.


“I believe we’ll keep the program moving forward,” said Mueller. The NDSU coaching staff received the 2016, 2015 and 2009 NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) Division I Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year award; 2002 and 2003 NFCA Division II North Central Region Coaching Staff of the Year award; 2015 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2008 Summit League Coaching of the Year; 2007 and 2006 Division I Independent Coaching Staff of the Year, and the 2002 North Central Conference Co-Coaching Staff of the Year.


“I’m looking forward to the challenge and I think our team is ready to go out on the field and see what happens. We have a lot of talent.”


Mueller is in his 24th year with the NDSU softball program. For seven seasons alongside Mitch Hanson, Mueller was responsible for coordinating recruiting and working with the hitters and catchers. The Bison were among the NCAA hitting leaders over a six-year period from 1998-2003 and connected for a school record .357 batting average in 1998. NDSU also hit for power, clubbing a school-record 58 home runs in 2003.


“I like working with the players and seeing them get better, knowing they’re learning something and having fun doing it,” said Mueller.


The 12th coach in the program’s 43-year history, Mueller was part of a coaching staff that guided the Bison to a seven-year record of 339-125 and six straight winning seasons. The 2000 NCAA national championship team posted a 68-10 ledger to set a Division II record for most wins in a season.


North Dakota State made five straight NCAA tournament appearances from 1998 to 2003, including back-to-back national tourney trips in 1999 and 2000 and again in 2002 and 2003. Mueller, assistant Mike McLeod and Hanson were selected the 2000 Speedline Division II National Coaching Staff of the Year. The trio was also named the 1999 and 2000 Speedline Division II North Central Regional Coaching Staff of the Year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.


Mueller knows the importance of team chemistry and staying positive. He set the tone his first day on the new job.


“I just told the players that I wanted them to learn something new every day. Don’t worry about the wins and the losses, they will come,” said Mueller.


“The challenge is learning something new every day because that’s what is going to make you a better player. You can’t worry about failure because everybody is going to fail at one point or another. Learn from your mistakes and move on.”


Mueller will also challenge the student-athletes to excel in the classroom. Six NDSU players, Melissa Chmielewski, Sarah Schmitz, Michelle Wiest, Aimee Enzler, Jackie Stifter and Krista Menke have been selected CoSIDA Academic All-Americans. Since 1995, 39 Bison players have earned 75 NFCA Academic Scholar-Athlete awards (3.50 grade-point average or higher).


“One of the first things we talk about is striving for a high grade-point average. I think that’s a goal of any team who wants to succeed, to make sure they first achieve success in the classroom,” said Mueller.


“When you come to NDSU, you’re coming here to become a part of a great academic and athletic tradition.”


Mueller has authored many articles for the NFCA and produced four videos on hitting. He has coached internationally in Holland and Australia with USA all-star teams that have competed against the Dutch National and numerous all-star teams.


Mueller is a Fargo native. He earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from NDSU in 1994 and master’s degree in 2006.

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Gerice Olson

Gerice Olson is in her second season as assistant coach for the NDSU softball team.


Olson has spent the past four years at Buffalo (Minn.) High School. She was an assistant coach for the Buffalo softball team that finished runner-up in the state tournament this past spring. The Bison qualified for the state tournament for the first time in program history in 2015.


“I am extremely grateful and honored to be given this opportunity to be a part of the winning tradition at NDSU,” said Olson.


“The successes the team has had, both on and off the field, shows the commitment and dedication from the administration, coaches, and players. I am excited to be back at my alma mater and a part of the Bison family.”


Prior to heading back to her hometown of Buffalo, Minn., Olson spent two seasons at UCF in Orlando, Fla., where the Knights compiled 61-51 record including a 26-22 ledger in Conference USA. The 2011 UCF team went 39-19 and advanced to the NCAA regional.


Olson spent five years (2006-10) as the head coach at NCAA Division II University of Mary, where she posted an overall record of 133-132 and led the Marauders to two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference postseason tournaments. She registered a winning record in four of the five seasons and a pair of student-athletes earned NFCA All-America honors.


Olson's head coaching career began at Dakota State University in Madison, S.D., where she posted a 12-26 record in 2005. Olson served as a graduate assistant and then an assistant coach at South Dakota State University from 2002-04.


Her coaching resume includes a stop as the head girls’ softball coach at Buffalo High School in 2002, while also having been a student assistant coach at North Dakota State, a two-time assistant with USA Athletes International and a camp instructor at both Fastpitch Softball Development and Triple Crown Sports.


Olson played softball at North Dakota State from 1997-2000 and was one of two seniors on NDSU’s 2000 NCAA Division II national championship team. Olson earned a spot on the national championship and regional all-tournament teams. She was also a North Central Conference (NCC) Player of the Week for the Bison, and was a two-time CoSIDA Academic all-district second team selection, a four-time NFCA Scholar-Athlete and earned Academic All-NCC honors.


Olson graduated from North Dakota State in 2000 with a bachelor's of science in physical education and earned her masters of arts in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University at Irvine (Calif.).

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