Youthful Huskers Have High Expectations for 2008

The 2008 Nebraska softball season promises a youth movement for the Huskers, as NU is without a single senior for the first time in the 33-year history of the program. Instead, Nebraska will feature seven freshmen, eight newcomers and 10 underclassmen on the 17-player roster.

All of the fresh faces bring an added excitement and aura to this season, but what they don't bring are lowered expectations for the program, which is one of only nine programs nationally to appear in each of the last 13 NCAA tournaments.

Head Coach Rhonda Revelle is keenly aware of the potential challenges in fielding such a young squad, but she finds comfort in examining the Huskers' individual and collective talents.

Revelle has enough confidence in her young team's abilities to put them through a rigorous early season schedule that has the Huskers facing 2007 Women's College World Series qualifiers Arizona State and Northwestern, in addition to traditional Pac-10 power California on the opening weekend of the 2008 season.

"I am really excited about this schedule," Revelle said. "It almost doesn't matter what our record is because the competition is going to prepare us for the Big 12, especially the younger players."

Nebraska may feature as many as six new starters in the lineup at the same time this season, including five freshmen. Those newcomers are expected to include junior Amanda Duran, a first-year transfer from Pima (Ariz.) Community College, and freshman Ashley Guile, NU's most heralded recruits who have combined for a pair of first-team All-America honors each.

Other freshmen expected to earn or compete for starting positions include Julie Brechtel at second base, Heidi Foland at short, Abby Hughes at third and 2007 high school All-American Kelli Linke at designated player.

While the abundance of youth may warrant the majority of the headlines, the Huskers still have a veteran presence to rely upon as the newcomers continue to grow and mature.

Among these players is junior right-handed pitcher Molly Hill, the reigning Big 12 ERA champion after posting a miniscule 1.05 mark in 2007. Hill boasts a career record of 35-11 and gives NU a confident, stabilizing force from the sport's most important position.

Hill has shown a remarkable consistency to give her team a chance to win every time she takes the circle. In 49 career starts, Hill is 31-1 when her offense gives her two runs of support or more.

Behind Hill, a solid core of experienced juniors return in Crystal Carwile, Haley Long and Meghan Mullin, among others.

A two-time All-Big 12 performer, Carwile has been a force in the middle of the Nebraska lineup through her first two seasons, totaling more home runs (15) and RBIs (69) than every other Husker on the 2008 roster combined.

With Carwile anchoring the middle of the lineup, Mullin emerged last season as a table setter at the top of the order. She used her speed to lead the team with a .318 average and 12 stolen bases in 2007.

Joining Mullin in a veteran outfield is Long, who was also an all-conference honoree as a first-year transfer in 2007 after posting the Huskers' best average during Big 12 play.

Hill, Carwile and Long each earned All-Big 12 honors in 2007, as the Huskers had the most underclassmen in the league selected for all-conference accolades. Together, they anchor a junior class that has set a team-first attitude for the entire team.

"Our junior class made the decision that we all need each other," Revelle said. "It's all about the team as a whole and not each individual class. They are very inclusive and that will serve us well this season."