Talented Huskers Open 2012 Season in Arizona

The Nebraska softball team kicks off its inaugural season in the Big Ten Conference this week by playing six games in four days at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. The Huskers face a challenging schedule in the desert, opening the 2012 season with back-to-back games against top-15 teams.

Overall, Nebraska will face three teams ranked in the preseason ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, meeting No. 12 Washington on Thursday at 3 p.m. (Central) in the season opener, No. 8 Arizona on Friday and 23rd-ranked Georgia Tech on Sunday. The Huskers are ranked 20th in the poll, marking their first appearance in the preseason poll since 2007.

The Huskers finished with a 41-14 record, a No. 21 national ranking and an appearance in an NCAA Regional final last season. Nebraska lost only two significant contributors from last season in four-year starters Julie Brechtel and Heidi Foland, who are still with the team as fifth-year undergraduate coaches. The Huskers return eight position players who started at least 25 games last season, including  a talented group of six players who each started at least 52 games in 2011.

That core group of six everyday starters includes five players who have earned all-conference accolades in their careers, two players who have been all-region performers and one All-American. Taylor Edwards enters her sophomore season after earning third-team All-America honors, second-team All-Big 12 accolades and one of 25 finalists for USA Softball Player of the Year as a freshman. Her twin sister Tatum also returns for her sophomore season after earning second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2011. Seniors Ashley Guile and Nikki Haget, along with junior Brooke Thomason, were each All-Big 12 selections in 2010, and Guile also made the all-region team that season.

In the circle, Nebraska's entire pitching staff returns from last season, led by senior right-hander Ashley Hagemann. Hagemann was a first-team All-Big 12 selection and second-team all-region honoree in 2011, ranking eighth nationally in strikeouts and 10th in wins. Hagemann's return gives NU a total of six returning all-conference players, the highest total to begin a season in school history.

Overall, Nebraska's 10 returning offensive players have combined for a .295 batting average in their Husker careers, while their combined returning home run, RBI and run totals from last season each rank among the top two returning totals from one season to the next in school history. The pitching staff has combined for a 62-34 record at Nebraska with a 2.53 ERA and an average of 8.2 strikeouts per game.

Scouting No. 12 Washington (0-0)

Washington ended the 2011 season with a 37-16 record, a No. 12 national ranking and an appearance in an NCAA Super Regional at Missouri. Heather Tarr, in her eighth season with the Huskies, returns the majority of her roster from last season, needing only to replace two starters. Both losses are significant though, as Jenn Salling was a three-year starter and a 2011 All-American, while Morgan Stuart was a four-year starter and earned honorable-mention All-Pac-12 honors three times.

Offensively, UW returns several outstanding hitters, led by Nikia Williams, who earned second-team All-America honors last spring. Williams batted .364 with 12 doubles, 14 home runs and 56 RBIs in 2011, while reaching base nearly 50 percent of the time. Kimi Pohlman returns after leading the Huskies' starters with a .432 batting average last fall and adding 57 runs scored and 25 stolen bases. Taylor Smith looks to return to full health after batting .444 with 10 home runs and 32 RBIs in the first 27 games of last season, before a back injury kept her out for the remainder of the year. Kaitlin Inglesby is also back after batting .422 with 11 home runs and 40 RBIs.

Ingelsby also leads Washington's pitching staff, which returns three pitchers from last season. Inglesby was 25-10 with a 2.38 ERA in 217.2 innings in 2011. Jenna Clifton (2-1, 4.41 ERA in 27.0 IP) and Bryana Walker (3-5, 5.07 ERA in 40.0 IP) also return.

Thursday's season opener for both teams marks the first of two meetings between Nebraska and Washington this season. The programs will also face each other in the final game of the Cathedral City Classic on Feb. 26. The Huskies lead the all-time series, 6-3. Washington has won six of the last seven meetings, including a 6-0 victory in 2009. Nebraska's last win came during the 2005 regular season.

Scouting No. 8 Arizona (0-0)
Arizona finished with a 43-17 record in 2011 and hosted an NCAA Super Regional before finishing 11th in the final NFCA poll. The Wildcats, who began the season ranked No. 1, failed to advance to the Women's College World Series for just the second time in the past 24 years and finished outside of the top 10 for the first time in the 17-year history of the poll. Mike Candrea, who is in his 27th season at Arizona, returns the majority of his roster, but the Wildcats must replace three four-year starters who combined to earn five All-America awards.

The Wildcat offense lost the services of All-Americans Brittany Lastrapes and Stacie Chambers to graduation, but returns All-American Brigette Del Ponte. Del Ponte batted .337 last season with 23 doubles, 17 home runs and 59 RBIs. Karissa Buchanan brings back the best average for Arizona, as the slapper batted .401 last year. The offense will also be bolstered by the addition of Jessica Spigner, a transfer from Tennessee. Spigner batted .332 with 40 doubles, 38 home runs and 159 RBIs in her three-year career as a Lady Vol.

In the circle, the Wildcats are led by two-time All-American Kenzie Fowler, the older sister of Husker freshman Mattie Fowler. The junior posted a 26-8 record last season with 237 strikeouts and a 1.76 ERA in 207.1 innings. Shelby Babcock returns for her sophomore season, after finishing 17-8 with a 3.98 ERA as a freshman. She struggled with her control last season, walking 129 and striking out only 117 in 170.2 innings.

Nebraska and Arizona met at last year's Kajikawa Classic, with the top-ranked Wildcats handing the Huskers their only loss of the tournament, 6-1. Arizona leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 13-2, and the Huskers have lost 11 straight in the series since earning a pair of one-run victories over the Wildcats in 1987.

Scouting Idaho State (0-0)
Idaho State finished 16-32 last season, its second-best record since bringing back the softball program in 2007. ISU must replace four position starters and its top pitcher from 2011.

Offensively, ISU returns five of its top six hitters from last spring. Terah Blackwell is back after leading the Bengals with a .356 batting average, 14 doubles, 10 home runs and 33 RBIs in 2011.

In the circle, ISU must replace ace Kandis Clesson who threw more than half of the team's innings last season and earned 31 of the team's 48 decisions. Christina Rayner is the top returning pitcher, as she posted a 3-6 record with a 4.58 ERA in 73.1 innings in 2011. Amanda Fitzsimmons (0-8, 6.40 ERA in 47.0 IP) also returns, while the Bengals add two new pitchers to their roster.

Nebraska defeated Idaho State, 5-3, at the 2008 Kajikawa Classic in the only previous meeting between the schools.

Scouting Cal State Northridge (0-0)

Cal State Northridge posted a 22-31 record under head coach Tairia Flowers in 2011. In Flowers' second season, CSUN returns the bulk of its lineup and nearly 100 percent of its innings pitched.

Offensively, the Matadors return their top three hitters from last season, all of whom hit above .300. Jaci Carlsen led the team with a .327 average and 12 doubles, while Mikayla Thielges hit .317 with a team-leading 12 home runs. Madeline Sale rounds out the group of returning .300 hitters, while no other returning player hit .200.

Pitchers Hannah Fraijo and Carly Wade return as CSUN's top two pitchers. Fraijo was 12-12 with a 4.97 ERA in 148.0 innings in 2011, while Wade was 7-15 with a 4.97 ERA in 136.2 innings.

Cal State Northridge leads the all-time series, 4-3. NU has won two of the last three meetings, including a 3-2 victory in 2006.

Scouting Oregon State (0-0)
Oregon State finished 19-28 in 2011, but the Beavers posted a 17-9 non-conference record. OSU lost only three players from last season, including just one starter. Led by six seniors, the Beavers expect to be improved in Kirk Walker's 18th season as head coach.

Offensively, Oregon State returns its top nine batting averages from last season. Erin Guzy leads the way after hitting .259 in 2011, while Mary Claire Brenner also returns after posting team-high totals of two home runs and 20 RBIs a season ago.

In the circle, the Beavers return each of their three pitchers from last season. Tina Andreana (6-16, 3.39 ERA in 122.0 IP) logged the most innings, while Paige Hall (6-6, 2.80 ERA in 102.2 IP) and Marina Demore (7-6, 3.42 ERA in 86.0 IP) also saw extensive action.

Nebraska leads the all-time series 10-3 after defeating Oregon State 4-1 at last year's Kajikawa Classic. The Huskers have won three straight in the series and seven of the last eight overall.

Scouting No. 23 Georgia Tech (0-0)

Georgia Tech posted a 45-12 record last season, won the ACC regular-season title, advanced to an NCAA Regional and finished the year with a No. 24 national ranking. This season, Tech must replace its top pitcher and three of its top four hitters.

Although Georgia Tech must replace three hitters that batted over .340 last season, seven other .300 hitters return. All-American Kelsi Weseman headlines that list after batting .424 with 17 doubles, 21 home runs and 65 RBIs in 2011. Tech also returns four players who hit at least 12 home runs last season, when the Yellow Jackets ranked second nationally in home runs per game.

In the circle, Tech must replace Kristen Adkins, who was 20-6 last season. Hope Rush, a 2010 All-American, posted a 12-4 record with a 3.10 ERA in 104.0 innings in 2011, while Lindsey Anderson was 13-2 with a 2.85 ERA in 108.0 innings.

Nebraska has won two of the three all-time meetings with Georgia Tech. The Huskers have won the last two meetings, including a 2-0 upset of No. 8 Georgia Tech in 2010.

Quick Hitters

The information below provides a quick glimpse of a few statistics and brief notes of interest as the Huskers open their 2012 season with six games in four days at the Kajikawa Classic.

• After winning last year's season opener, Nebraska is 22-13 all-time in season openers and 12-7 under Head Coach Rhonda Revelle.
• The Huskers are 142-77 (.631) all-time in the month of February, including a 14-2 record last season. Nebraska's 14 wins last February were its most wins ever in the month.
• Nebraska has posted a winning month of February in nine of the last 10 seasons (3-6 in 2008).
• Under Revelle, Nebraska is 133-62 (.682) in February. She has posted a winning month of February 14 times in 18 seasons (the Huskers did not play a game in February of 1993, Revelle's first season).
• Entering the 2012 season, Nebraska's 12 returning players have combined for 1,094 career games played at NU, including 901 starts.
• Nebraska is ranked 21st in the NFCA preseason poll, marking the first time the Huskers have been ranked in the preseason poll since the 2007 season. All-time, NU has been ranked in 12 of the 18 preseason polls.
• Among Nebraska's 10 returning hitters, five hit over .300 in the month of February last season. Taylor Edwards led the way, batting .420 with five doubles, seven homers and 22 RBIs in 16 games. Her twin sister Tatum added four home runs.

Huskers Boast Most Returning All-Conference Players in School History

This spring, Nebraska returns a total of six players who have earned all-conference recognition in their careers, the highest total to begin a season in school history. In both 1998 and 2003, the Huskers began the season with five returning all-conference players. In 1998, Nebraska used that talent to set school records for winning percentage (.800, 48-12), home runs (62) and NFCA All-Americans (3), while advancing to the Women's College World Series and finishing with a No. 5 national ranking. In 2003, the returning talent pushed Nebraska to the highest ranking in school history (No. 3), the longest winning streak in Husker history (23) and a No. 13 final ranking.

Four of Nebraska's six returning all-conference players have also earned all-region accolades in their careers, while sophomore Taylor Edwards is Nebraska's lone returning All-American. Joining the talented returners are freshmen Jordan Bettiol and Mattie Fowler, along with junior Courtney Breault, a transfer from Arkansas. Bettiol and Fowler were both first-team high school All-Americans as seniors last spring, while Breault earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team in 2010.

Huskers Welcome Three Talented Newcomers to Roster

Nebraska returns nine players who made at least 25 starts last season, but even with the returning experience the Huskers' talented trio of newcomers are expected to make major contributions this spring. Freshmen Jordan Bettiol and Mattie Fowler, along with junior transfer Courtney Breault, are all poised to not only see the field, but are top candidates to earn a starting spot at their positions.

Bettiol, a native of College Station, Texas, has the biggest obstacle to earn a starting spot, as she battles for playing time in a crowded Husker outfield that returns intact from last season and features three all-conference performers with starting experience. But Bettiol performed well during the Huskers' fall season, leading the team with a .545 average, 12 hits and five doubles. She is expected to be in Nebraska's opening-day starting lineup, after earning first-team high school All-America honors from the NFCA as a senior.

On the infield, Fowler and Breault are expected to fill the void left by four-year starters Julie Brechtel and Heidi Foland. Fowler will start at third base for the Huskers - making the move from an outstanding prep career at shortstop - and will also see time in the circle. A native of Tucson, Ariz., Fowler was the Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior, a finalist for national player of the year and an Under Armour All-American. She batted .370 in the fall season, with four of her 10 hits going for extra bases.

After playing her first two seasons at Arkansas, Breault is the top candidate to replace Brechtel at second base. Breault was Arkansas' starting second baseman the past two seasons, although a shoulder injury limited her productivity last season. The injury required offseason surgery and Breault could see her playing time limited early as she continues her recovery. When healthy, Breault adds another powerful bat to the Husker lineup, as she batted .272 with nine home runs, 51 RBIs and a .429 slugging percentage in her two-year career as a Razorback. She earned SEC All-Freshman team honors in 2010.

Nebraska Posted Fantastic February in 2011

Last season, Nebraska finished 14-2 in the month of February to vault into the top 25 for the first time in four years. The Huskers' 14 wins were the most by any Nebraska team in the month of February, eclipsing the previous record of 12 in 2003. The 2011 Huskers also posted a 10-game winning streak in February, the longest February win streak in school history. Leading the way for the fast start was right-hander Ashley Hagemann, who became the nation's first pitcher to 10 wins in 2011 by posting an 11-1 record in the month.

Nebraska's History with the Season Opener
Nebraska has won 22 of its 35 all-time season openers, a winning percentage of .629. The Huskers won their season opener in 2011 for the first time in three seasons while winning a season opener at an Arizona State tournament for the first time since 2003.

Head Coach Rhonda Revelle owns a 12-7 record in her 19 season openers.

   
Husker Offense Sets Sights on Record-Breaking Season

The pieces appear to be in place for a potential record-breaking season for the Nebraska offense. The Huskers must replace two hitters who made major contributions the past four years, but added to the lineup are  a pair of first-team high school All-Americans and a transfer who was among Arkansas' leading hitters the past two seasons.

Overall, Nebraska's 10 returning hitters boast a collective .295 career batting average, a .390 on-base percentage and a .443 slugging percentage. Looking at last season only, the numbers improve to a .302 average, a .391 on-base percentage and a .470 slugging percentage. Nebraska returns five all-conference hitters.

With the majority of its hitters returning, the offense is looking to improve upon last season's impressive numbers. Nebraska posted the best on-base percentage (.391) and slugging percentage (.467) in school history last season, while recording the third-best batting average (.301). Overall, the offense posted top-five marks in school history in 12 categories last spring.

Returning Offensive Totals Among the Best in School History

The Husker offense boasts plenty of returning talent, as the lineup returns all but two starters, including one All-American, three all-region hitters and five all-conference performers. Overall, the combined totals from last season of Nebraska's 10 returning hitters rank among the highest returning totals in school history. The Huskers return the most home run production from one season to the next in school history, while ranking second in returning RBI and run production, third in total bases and fourth in hits.

Overall, Nebraska returns more than two-thirds of its 2011 offensive production in every category, including 81 percent of its home run total, 79 percent of its walks, 78 percent of its hits and walks and 77 percent of its RBIs.

Noting Nebraska's Individual Returning Hitters

• Sophomore twins Tatum and Taylor Edwards return after combining for 31 home runs last season, the second-highest two-player total in school history. Taylor's 18 homers ranked second in Husker history, while Tatum's 13 homers tied for seventh.
• With the Edwards twins, the Huskers have two returning players coming off a 10-homer season for only the fourth time in school history, but for the second straight year. A total of three players on the 2012 roster have recorded a 10-homer season, as junior Brooke Thomason homered 11 times as a freshman in 2010. Only two players in school history (three-time All-Americans Jennifer Lizama and Ali Viola) have posted more than one 10-home run season in a career.
• In addition to ranking second in school history in home runs last season, Taylor Edwards also cracked the top 10 in RBIs (3rd, 67), slugging percentage (5th, .738), walks (t-5th, 37) and total bases (7th, 118).
• Senior Ashley Guile, junior Brooke Thomason and sophomore Taylor Edwards have each earned all-region honors in their careers, with Guile and Thomason earning their accolades in 2010 and Edwards being honored in 2011. The three returning all-region hitters ties for the highest total in school history. The Huskers also returned three all-region hitters in 1996, 1998, 2004 and 2011. 
• Senior Nikki Haget scored 51 runs last season, tying for the seventh-highest total in school history. She enters the 2012 season with 101 career runs scored, 19 shy of cracking Nebraska's all-time top 10. With another 50-run season, Haget would crack the top five and join two-time All-American Tobin Echo-Hawk and three-time All-American Jennifer Lizama as the only players in school history to score 50 runs in back-to-back seasons.
• Haget also ranks seventh in Husker history with a .343 career batting average.
• Senior Ashley Guile has a chance to move up several Nebraska career charts this season. She enters her final year ranked third in hit-by-pitches (22) and 17th in batting average (.308). Guile also has 27 career doubles and needs six more to claim the 10th spot in Husker history.
• Brooke Thomason enters her junior season with a .320 career average, which ranks 13th in school history, and a .550 slugging percentage that ranks fifth.
• Thomason has homered at least eight times in each of her first two seasons, joining three-time All-American Ali Viola as the only players in school history to accomplish that feat. No Husker has ever opened her career with three consecutive seasons with eight home runs or more.
• Thomason enters the year with 103 career hits, 72 RBIs and 59 runs scored. Only eight players in school history have produced career totals of 100 hits, 100 RBIs and 100 runs scored, and just two (Crystal Carwile and three-time All-American Ali Viola) have reached each milestone prior to their senior season.

Husker Pitching Staff Returns Intact

While the offense returns the majority of its production from 2011, the Nebraska pitching staff returns 100 percent of its production. Not only do the Huskers return all three pitchers from last season, but freshman right-hander Mattie Fowler is added to the mix. Sophomore right-hander Tatum Edwards and senior right-hander Haley Workman also return and figure to benefit from the experience gained in their first Division I seasons in 2011.

As a staff, Nebraska posted a 41-14 record last season with a 1.96 ERA, 13 shutouts, 435 strikeouts and a .192 opponent batting average. The staff allowed two runs or less in 34 of Nebraska's 55 games last year (62 percent), while posting the highest shutout total in five seasons, the highest strikeout mark in four years and the lowest opponent batting average in eight seasons.

Senior right-hander Ashley Hagemann was 31-13 with a 1.75 ERA, 344 strikeouts and eight shutouts in 276.1 innings. She ranked eighth nationally in strikeouts and 10th in wins, while earning first-team all-conference accolades, second-team all-region honors and second-team academic All-America recognition. Behind her, Edwards went 7-0 in her freshman season with a 2.40 ERA. In her nine starts, Edwards was 6-0 with a pair of shutouts and a 1.83 ERA. Workman saw the majority of her action in the first two months of last season, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.95 ERA and one save in 38.0 innings.

Hagemann Begins Chase for Husker All-Time Strikeout Record

Senior Ashley Hagemann struck out 344 batters last season, the second-highest total in school history and the top mark by a Husker junior. After ranking eighth nationally in strikeouts in 2011, Hagemann has her sights set on becoming Nebraska's all-time strikeout leader. She enters her final season with 668 career strikeouts, good for seventh place in school history. Hagemann needs only 51 strikeouts to move into the top five in school history and 278 strikeouts to claim the top spot. Needing to reach only 80 percent of her 2011 strikeout total to claim the record, Hagemann has an excellent chance at becoming the Huskers' all-time strikeout leader. Hagemann can also join Ashley DeBuhr as the only two pitchers in school history to record two 300-strikeout seasons in a career.

Husker Battery Ranks Among Nation's Best
Nebraska features one of the nation's top batteries in 2012 in senior right-hander Ashley Hagemann and sophomore catcher Taylor Edwards. Hagemann was a first-team all-conference pick and a second-team all-region selection in 2011, when she ranked eighth nationally in strikeouts and 10th in victories. Behind the plate, Edwards became Nebraska's first All-American catcher last season, earning third-team honors while being named one of 25 finalists for USA Softball Player of the Year.

Nebraska is one of only six teams in the country who return both a pitcher and catcher who earned a spot on a 2011 NFCA all-region team. The other four teams are Harvard, Illinois State, Oklahoma and Oregon. Edwards also each earned a spot on the 50-player 2012 USA Softball Player-of-the-Year watch list, one of only four catchers to make the list.

In addition to being among the nation's top batteries, Hagemann and Edwards are looking to become the first Nebraska pitcher and catcher to earn All-America honors in the same season. The Huskers have had more than one All-American in the same season five times in school history, but not since 1998.

Hagemann Looks For Another Fast Start
Ashley Hagemann set the tone for a dominating junior season with consistently outstanding outings in each of her 14 February appearances in 2011. Hagemann looks for another fast start in her senior season, as her pitching will be a key to Nebraska's overall success during the opening month, when half of the Huskers' games come against 2011 NCAA Tournament teams.

Last season, Hagemann went 11-1 in February with two shutouts, one save and a 1.21 ERA in 69.2 innings. Opponents hit only .152 against her and struck out 93 times, an average of more than nine strikeouts per game. Hagemann and Arizona All-American Kenzie Fowler - the older sister of Husker freshman Mattie Fowler - were the nation's only two pitchers to win 10 games in the month of February last season.

Hagemann also became the fastest Nebraska pitcher to post 10 wins, reaching the mark in the 15th game of the season, eclipsing the previous record of 21 games by All-American Jenny Voss in 1998. Hagemann's 10 February wins also exceeded Nebraska's team win total in all but two seasons in school history.

The strong start carried over into March, as Hagemann strung together a 14-game win streak and posted a pair of shutouts against top-10 teams in early March, including a two-hit shutout of top-ranked Florida on March 12. She went on to end her junior season with first-team all-conference honors, second-team all-region accolades and second-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.

Hagemann's history of fast starts extends further than just last season. In her career debut against North Dakota on Feb. 7, 2009, Hagemann tossed a one-hitter and struck out 19, a Nebraska record for a seven-inning game. For her efforts, Hagemann earned conference co-pitcher-of-the-week honors.

Thomason Bidding for Third Straight .300 Season

Junior Brooke Thomason is bidding to post a .300 batting average for the third straight season in 2012, after hitting .321 as a freshman in 2010 and .319 as a sophomore last season. Only five players in school history (Denise Day, Tobin Echo-Hawk, Jennifer Lizama, Kim Ogee and Ali Viola) have posted a .300 batting average in each of their freshman, sophomore and junior seasons. Each of those five players earned All-America honors in their Husker careers and four were multi-time All-Americans. Overall, that group combined for 11 total awards.

Revelle Set to Begin 20th Season at Nebraska

Rhonda Revelle begins her 20th season as Nebraska's head coach on Thursday against Washington. She is one of 22 active Division I coaches who are in at least their 20th season at their current school. Revelle enters the year with a 721-385 record at Nebraska and a career mark of 729-401. A member of the NFCA Hall of Fame, Revelle is one of only two coaches in any sport to win 700 games at Nebraska. She enters this year needing 47 victories to pass former baseball coach John Sanders as the all-time wins leader at Nebraska.