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Jun. 2—MITCHELL — After guiding Dakota Wesleyan softball to the most successful season in program history, head coach Stephen Oswald Jr. is departing the Tigers after one season at the helm.
Oswald's lone campaign in Mitchell proved to be a solid season, as he helped the Tigers compile a 35-17 overall record and advance to the Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament.
The 35 victories marked the highest single-season win total in school history and helped Dakota Wesleyan finish the year ranked 36th out of 191 NAIA programs in the final RPI standings. Nine DWU players earned all-GPAC honors following the season, and eight of those athletes are projected to return for the 2027 campaign.
Oswald, when reached by the Mitchell Republic on Tuesday, didn't disclose his next career move. He said he is evaluating whether to continue coaching or pursue opportunities outside the profession. While remaining in coaching is a possibility, he said he didn't have a specific job lined up.
Oswald, a Beresford native, joined the Tiger coaching staff after serving as an assistant softball coach at Division II Ohio Dominican University. He played college baseball at Mount Marty University in Yankton until he graduated in 2020. Oswald replaced Tommy Downs, who departed DWU in 2025 after three seasons and became the University of Sioux Falls' head coach.
Dakota Wesleyan Athletic Director Ross Cimpl expressed gratitude for Oswald's contributions in a press release.
"I would like to thank Coach Oswald Jr. for his time and dedication to DWU softball," Cimpl said. "What he accomplished in a short amount of time at DWU is impressive, and has helped put our softball program in a position to continue along the positive path it has been on for the past couple of years. We wish him well in his future endeavors, and look forward to the future of our own program in terms of momentum."
Cimpl also pointed to the sustained growth of the program, noting that the Tigers have established new standards over the past two seasons.
"The past two seasons have been the best in school history in terms of wins, and DWU has a great group of young women that are the foundation of that success and have raised the standards and expectations for our entire program," he added.
The Tigers have posted a combined 69-33 record over the past two seasons, while earning 19 all-conference distinctions and securing back-to-back GPAC tournament appearances.
Continue reading...
Oswald's lone campaign in Mitchell proved to be a solid season, as he helped the Tigers compile a 35-17 overall record and advance to the Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament.
The 35 victories marked the highest single-season win total in school history and helped Dakota Wesleyan finish the year ranked 36th out of 191 NAIA programs in the final RPI standings. Nine DWU players earned all-GPAC honors following the season, and eight of those athletes are projected to return for the 2027 campaign.
Oswald, when reached by the Mitchell Republic on Tuesday, didn't disclose his next career move. He said he is evaluating whether to continue coaching or pursue opportunities outside the profession. While remaining in coaching is a possibility, he said he didn't have a specific job lined up.
Oswald, a Beresford native, joined the Tiger coaching staff after serving as an assistant softball coach at Division II Ohio Dominican University. He played college baseball at Mount Marty University in Yankton until he graduated in 2020. Oswald replaced Tommy Downs, who departed DWU in 2025 after three seasons and became the University of Sioux Falls' head coach.
Dakota Wesleyan Athletic Director Ross Cimpl expressed gratitude for Oswald's contributions in a press release.
"I would like to thank Coach Oswald Jr. for his time and dedication to DWU softball," Cimpl said. "What he accomplished in a short amount of time at DWU is impressive, and has helped put our softball program in a position to continue along the positive path it has been on for the past couple of years. We wish him well in his future endeavors, and look forward to the future of our own program in terms of momentum."
Cimpl also pointed to the sustained growth of the program, noting that the Tigers have established new standards over the past two seasons.
"The past two seasons have been the best in school history in terms of wins, and DWU has a great group of young women that are the foundation of that success and have raised the standards and expectations for our entire program," he added.
The Tigers have posted a combined 69-33 record over the past two seasons, while earning 19 all-conference distinctions and securing back-to-back GPAC tournament appearances.
Continue reading...
