Dakota Wesleyan University Softball is honored to announce that Renita “Toni” Closner has been named the 18th head coach of the program ahead of the 2026-27 school year.

Closner has experience in the NAIA as both a player and coach at Peru State College (Neb.), which also marks her most recent position as the softball program’s head coach from September 2022 through the 2026 season. During her three and-a-half years with the Bobcats, Closner helped grow the team’s roster to over 40 athletes while retaining a majority of her players, alongside emphasizing success in the classroom, as she helped produce multiple academic all-Americans. On the field of play, she helped the program improve competitively, including the program’s first weekly conference player awards since 2018. Director of Athletics Ross Cimpl exclaims his excitement for the move, given Closner’s NAIA experience and track record of positive momentum:

“We are extremely fortunate to be able to add Coach Closner to the DWU family. DWU Softball has made history the past two seasons, and Closner’s experience in the NAIA is something we believe will help embrace and build upon this recent history. She made an immediate impact during the interview process, and we cannot wait for her to officially get started. The anticipation for this season is at an all-time high.”

Coach Closner also stated her excitement regarding her new position, and is thrilled to plug into Dakota Wesleyan University and the Mitchell community:

“As soon as I toured Mitchell, I knew it was home. The community, the campus and the wonderful people at Dakota Wesleyan made it feel like a family. I’m incredibly grateful and humbled at this opportunity to continue adding on to the success this program has had and am looking forward to building relationships with the student athletes and campus community.”

Prior to her time at PSC, Closner served as the head softball coach for Lincoln Southeast High School (Neb.), alongside stints with Lincoln North Star High School, Nebraska Gold, and Nebraska Nemesis, helping elevate both school and club programs to new heights. During her time as a player with the Bobcats, Closner would start in all four seasons of her eligibility, and was named all-conference in 2015. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from her alma mater.

Closner will begin her duties on Monday, August 3rd.