POCATELLO — The Idaho State Bengals won a program record 37 games this season. One of those wins came on Feb. 28, at College Station, Texas, against the eventual national runners-up Texas Tech Red Raiders.
In a season full of exciting wins, that win was perhaps the most impressive. It showed that the 2025 Bengals were capable of not just competing with the very best in the country, but that they were capable of beating those elite teams.
Now, with the season over and the Texas Longhorns beating those same Red Raiders for the granddaddy of softball championships, D1 Softball has announced its end-of-the-season rankings. And the Bengals are among that elite group.
According to the
D1 Softball Mid Major Final rankings
, ISU is 23rd among a list of programs highlighted by Liberty University (No. 1), Grand Canyon University (No. 2) and Florida Atlantic University (No. 3).
The 23rd-ranked mid major team in the country will lose lead-off hitter extraordinaire Gracie Smith. But the Bengals have already announced additions.
✍️ Welcome to Pocatello,
@grovesyy00
!
The Meridian, Idaho native joins the Bengals from Boise State.?
➡️
@64Analytics_Sfb
No. 14 Transfer
➡️ .313 career avg with 37 home runs
➡️ 2024 NFCA All-Pacific Region First Team
pic.twitter.com/C9p9GyQxHO
— Idaho State Softball (@IdahoStateSB)
May 28, 2025
Meridian native and Boise State Bronco transfer Sydney Groves has signed with the Bengals. The No. 14-ranked transfer brings with her a career .313 batting average and 37 homers.
Groves will joins a lineup that returns Alyssa Yee, Jenna Kearns and ISU single-season home run record-holder Ava Brown.
Brown was recently named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region Second-Teamer. Groves was named to the NFCA All-Region First Team in 2024.
The revamped Bengals will return to the field next February.
