St. Thomas Looks To Build Off From 2025
There’s a different energy around St. Thomas softball this coming spring. After four years of waiting, the Tommies are finally eligible for the Summit League Tournament and they get to host it right in St. Paul.
For those who have followed the program, it’s been a whirlwind journey. Not long ago, the Tommies were running the table in the MIAC as a Division III powerhouse. Then came the leap straight from DIII to DI in 2021, something no one had ever done before. With that leap came growing pains, plenty of doubters, and a probation period that meant even last year’s Summit League champions couldn’t play for the tournament title. That changes in 2026.
Head coach Jennifer Trotter, now in her fifth season, has guided the Tommies every step of the way. Her 2025 squad went 33-17 overall, 14-4 in league play, ripped off a 12-game winning streak in April, and captured the Summit League regular season title. Picked fourth in the preseason poll, they stormed to the top with a +69 run differential in conference games and climbed as high as #83 in the RPI after finishing 2024 at #237.
The postseason hardware piled up: Trotter was named Coach of the Year, freshman pitcher Ava Kleinfeldt was honored as Freshman of the Year, and nine Tommies in total earned Summit recognition. That included five First Teamers, a Second Team pick, and one Honorable Mention.
Yes, St. Thomas graduated four seniors and lost one transfer, but they return eight starters and the incoming freshman class is as decorated as they come. One was named Minnesota Ms. Softball, and two others were finalists. For a team already stacked with experience, it’s a boost that makes this roster even deeper.
At the center of it all is sophomore pitcher Ava Kleinfeldt, who went a perfect 7-0 in conference starts with a 1.38 ERA, two shutouts, and no home runs allowed. She became the first pitcher in program history to earn First Team All-Summit. Alongside her is fifth-year grad student Ella Cook, a true two-way star who put up a 1.82 ERA in the circle while also driving in 15 runs and batting .311 as the Tommies’ cleanup hitter.
And then there’s senior center fielder Avery Wukawitz, one of the best players in program history. The three-time First Team All-Summit pick hit .443 in league play with six homers, 21 RBI, and eight stolen bases in 2025. She’s been the Tommies’ engine on offense and defense, and now she’ll try to close out her career by leading St. Thomas to its first Summit League Tournament title.
Shortstop Laken Lienhard is back after a monster season in which she slashed .412/.551/.843 from the leadoff spot and set a program record with a 1.394 OPS in conference play. She’ll once again set the tone at the top of the order. First baseman Abbi Stierlen and catcher Kameron Monson also return after earning career-first All-Summit honors last season, adding depth and balance across the lineup.
St. Thomas will miss the steady presence of Kaitlyn Raymond, who graduated after starting all 18 league games in 2025 and leaving as the program’s all-time leader in games started (200).
And then there’s senior second baseman Ruby Moore, the steady anchor of the infield. Moore started all 50 games last season, slashing .280 with 23 RBI while turning eight double plays including the championship-securing one to close out the regular season title against North Dakota State. Her defensive reliability and leadership make her just as vital as the big bats in the lineup. For a team full of talent, she’s the glue player who does all the little things right for this Tommies squad.
With Moore, Wukawitz, Cook, and other veterans blending with a wave of new talent, the Tommies have the leadership, the arms, and the bats to defend their Summit League crown. But this year, they get to do more than defend it, they finally get to chase it all the way into the postseason.
Hosting the Summit League Tournament isn’t just about home-field advantage. It’s about celebrating how far this program has come in such a short time. From Division III dominance to Division I champions, from probation to eligibility, St. Thomas has been rewriting the history books.
And as Coach Trotter leads her squad into 2026, one thing is clear: the Tommies aren’t just happy to be here. They’re here to win and make a deep 2026 postseason run.
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