Huskers Have High Hopes for 2015

Outside of the Husker locker room, much of the story for the 2015 Nebraska softball team centers on how well NU can replace the production it lost from last season.

It's a fair question for a team that lost its top statistical pitcher and top three statistical hitters from 2014. After all, Nebraska must replace a pair of two-time All-Americans in Tatum and Taylor Edwards, and the Huskers will be without the services of three of their four 2014 first-team all-region honorees.

Head Coach Rhonda Revelle, in her 23rd season at Nebraska, understands why the focus is on what the Huskers lost, but she is focused on what the Huskers have.

"If we focus on the talent we're replacing, we're keeping ourselves stuck in the past," Revelle said. "All of our energy and focus needs to be on helping our talent gain confidence and comfort at this level. What we lack is experience, not talent. We have six players who were their state's high school player of the year."

Revelle admits there may be growing pains for this year's Huskers, but she also expects great growth from a Nebraska team that features eight newcomers among its 19 members. With that growth, Revelle hopes her team will be ready to defend its Big Ten Conference title while seeking a third consecutive NCAA Regional crown.

"I expect this team to grow a lot throughout the season," she said. "I think we'll see that growth in spurts. This is a very talented team, and as they gain confidence that's when you're going to see the jumps."

Talented is an apt descriptor for the 2015 Huskers. The group includes one All-American - senior transfer Steph Pasquale - and three all-region performers in Pasquale, junior Emily Lockman and sophomore transfer Cassie McClure. Junior Alicia Armstrong and sophomore MJ Knighten also return this spring, with Armstrong having earned a pair of All-Big Ten accolades and Knighten claiming All-Big Ten honors as a freshman.

In addition to the five players who have earned all-conference, all-region or All-America recognition on the collegiate level, the Huskers boast a pair of juniors in Mattie Fowler and Kiki Stokes who were high school All-Americans. Both could be poised for breakout seasons, as Fowler was batting .357 in 2014 before suffering a season-ending injury, and Stokes showed great improvement from her freshman to sophomore season, batting .297 with career-high totals of seven doubles, four triples, four homers and 24 RBIs in 2014.

Overall, the Huskers feature eight position players with starting experience, including four all-conference hitters. Nebraska also adds to the fold freshmen Kaylan Jablonski and Madi Unzicker, the 2013 and 2012 Nebraska Gatorade Players of the Year, respectively. Jablonski posted the highest career batting average in the history of Nebraska high school softball, while Unzicker is the state's all-time home run leader.

The mix of proven hitters, hitters who have shown yearly improvement and the addition of talented new bats should help NU boast another impressive offense in 2015. Overall, the 13 Huskers with collegiate experience have combined to post a .302 career average.

"We expect to have another strong lineup in 2015," Revelle said. "We have a core of hitters who have been in the program for two or three years and have gotten better every year and understand our concept of team offense. We've also been fortunate to add two transfers who are tremendous hitters, and we feel that several freshmen have the ability to help our lineup this season."

In the circle, NU will feature a four-pitcher staff in 2015, including three underclassmen. Junior right-hander Emily Lockman is the only one of that group who has thrown a pitch for Nebraska. McClure is the only other pitcher who has competed at the collegiate level, but injuries limited her to just 12.1 innings as a freshman at Texas Tech in 2014.

The staff may be more inexperienced than the lineup, but it may also be more talented.
"Our pitching staff is one that if you follow our team, you're going to see great growth throughout the year," Revelle said. "It's going to be fun to watch them blossom. They are a talented group as three of them were their state's high school player of the year. As they get collegiate innings, the growth curve is going to be quick."

Lockman headlines the staff as one of only four pitchers nationally who has earned back-to-back first-team all-region accolades. Also a two-time All-Big Ten selection, Lockman has won more than 75 percent of her games at Nebraska, with her 35 wins over her first two seasons ranking as the third-highest total in school history.

While Lockman was named the top high school player in California as a senior, the battle to be the Huskers' top backup will come down to two more players who were their state's player of the year. McClure, the 2013 Texas 4A-5A Player of the Year, did not allow an earned run in six of her nine appearances for Texas Tech in 2014. Jablonski, the 2013 Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year, compiled an 81-14 career record with a 1.50 ERA while winning two state championships at Omaha Skutt High School.

Nebraska's 2015 roster carries plenty of talent. Enough talent that the Huskers hope that attention will quickly turn away from what they lost from last season to what they have to look forward to this spring.