Minot Honeybees & Northwoods Softball League to Debut in Bismarck on Saturday, July 20
July 18, 2024 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Bismarck Larks News Release
(Bismarck, ND) - The city of Bismarck will host a first-of-its-kind women's collegiate softball doubleheader named the "The Capital City Classic" at Cottonwood Park on July 20th, 2024.
The Minot Honeybees will take on the Madison Nightmares, a showdown between two of the first teams in the new Northwoods Softball League (NWLS). The game will also feature in-game entertainment, post-game autographs, concessions, beer sales, and inflatables.
The Northwoods Softball League is the first for-profit Women's Summer Collegiate Softball League beginning play in the upper midwest this summer. The purpose of the league is to develop players for their college, Olympic, and future professional play.
Some of the best stars in collegiate softball are coming to Bismarck this month including; Cairah Curran (Santa Clara University), Trinity Gregg (University of Jamestown) and other stars.
"Local sports fans should be excited about this opportunity to see some of the top collegiate softball players in the country compete for the first time in Bismarck," Larks Owner and CEO John Bollinger said. "Not only are these women amazing athletes but they'll be surrounded by a family-friendly atmosphere- similar to a Larks game. This makes it fun for the players, fans, and families."
The Minot Honeybees got their name honoring North Dakota's status as the leading honey producer in the US. The signature queen bee symbolizes female empowerment, embodying leadership, resilience, and unity within the team, the NWLS, and the future of female sports.
"We know people worldwide want to see women's sports and they want to see this product- it's fast, it's quick, and there's tons of action," Honeybees General Manager Monica Hocking said. "If you want to watch high-level college softball, this will be incredible."
The head coach for the Honeybees is Craig Montividas, whose remarkable coaching career spans over 40 years and includes a reputation for globalizing the sport of softball. Craig was the strategic mind behind successful teams like the Netherlands National Team and the now-defunct Pennsylvania Rebellion of the National Pro Fastball Pitch League.
The Honeybees will play 42 games with the two in Bismarck as a pair of home games for the team. The first game of the doubleheader is already sold out as the Bismarck Youth Fastpitch Softball Association has purchased all tickets for their athletes and parents of athletes to attend. The 5:35 p.m. game only has 250 tickets still available.
Each team has 16 athletes on the roster (typically four pitchers, three catchers, four infielders, four outfielders, and a utility/designated hitter). All athletes who have softball college eligibility and select graduated high school players are eligible to compete in the Northwoods Softball League.
The sport of softball originated at the Farragut Boat Club gym on Thanksgiving Day 1887 as Harvard and Yale alumni awaited the results of a football game that day. The equipment originally used was a stick and a tied-up boxing glove. A local reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, George Hancock coined the sport as "indoor baseball" and the sport took off from there.
The game went outdoors a year later and took off after the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. According to the CDC, over 40 million people play softball with over 250 NCAA DI women's softball teams. In addition, the NCAA Women's College World Series Finals between Texas and Oklahoma hit a record high of two million viewers (ESPN Press Room).
Fans can look for available tickets here:
https://bismarck-larks.nwltickets.com/SingleGame/Tickets/SelectSeats/7118
For more information, fans can read the full website:
https://northwoodsleague.com/bismarck-larks/honeybees/
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