Huskers Enjoyed Highlight-Filled Season in 2016

The 2016 season was filled with successes for the Nebraska softball team, as the Huskers won 35 games, advanced to an NCAA Regional final, produced two All-Americans and one academic All-American and had one player selected in the first round of the National Pro Fastpitch College Draft.

There were many individual accomplishments achieved during the season from Alicia Armstrong's record-tying eight RBIs vs. UNO, to Kiki Stokes' school-record five runs scored at Maryland, to Kaylan Jablonski's no-hitter against Purdue. But the biggest storyline of the season was a Husker team that pulled together and fought to the end, coming from behind in 17 of its 35 victories, including eight walk-off wins.

Below are the highlights from the 41st season of Nebraska softball. Fans can also check out the 2016 Nebraska Softball Season Photo Gallery.

Huskers Post Another 35-Win Season

Nebraska finished with a 35-21 record in 2016, winning 35 games for the fourth consecutive season. Overall, Nebraska posted a 35-win season for the 16th time in the last 19 seasons, and NU won 30 games for the 18th time in that stretch. The 2016 Husker senior class averaged 40 wins per season during their career. The group left Nebraska with four NCAA Tournament appearances, two NCAA Regional titles, two NCAA Super Regional appearances, one Big Ten championship and one trip to the Women's College World Series.

 

Nebraska Heads Back to the NCAA Tournament

The Huskers earned an at-large selection into the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the postseason for the 24th time in school history, a total that ranks 11th in NCAA history. The Huskers made the NCAA Tournament for the 20th time in the last 22 seasons, while Head Coach Rhonda Revelle became just the fifth active Division I coach to take his or her current team to 20 NCAA Tournaments.

 

Huskers Record Another Top-20 National Finish

At the NCAA Tournament, Nebraska won two games before falling in the Regional Final. The Huskers made a regional final for the third time in four seasons, while NU won at least one game in the NCAA Tournament for the 23rd time in its 24 appearances. The top-20 national finish was Nebraska's fourth in the past six seasons and the 19th in school history.

 

More Multiple All-Americans for the Big Red

For the second time in three seasons, multiple Huskers were selected as All-Americans in 2016. MJ Knighten earned first-team All-America honors from the NFCA, becoming the seventh Husker to be named a first-team All-American. Kiki Stokes was a third-team selection for the second straight year, becoming the ninth Husker to earn multiple All-America awards. Nebraska has had five All-Americans in the past three seasons and seven in the last six years.

 

Impressive Pitching Streak Continues

In the circle, Cassie McClure earned first-team all-region accolades for the second time in her two seasons at Nebraska. McClure's selection stretched Nebraska's streak to six straight years with an all-region pitcher, including two seasons in that time when NU had two pitchers earn all-region accolades. Overall, Nebraska has produced 23 all-region pitchers in the last 22 seasons.

 

Another Academic All-American Extends Nebraska's National Lead

Mattie Fowler was named a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2016, becoming the seventh Husker to be recognized a first-team academic All-American. Fowler's selection increased Nebraska's nation-leading total to 30 all-time academic All-Americans. The Husker softball program is one of only three female teams in any sport in NCAA history to produce 30 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.

 

Nebraska Knocks Off No. 1 Again

Nebraska knocked off the nation's No. 1 team for the third time in six seasons in 2016 with a 1-0 victory over top-ranked Michigan on April 8 at Bowlin Stadium. The win was a first for the Huskers on two fronts, as it marked Nebraska's first win over a No. 1 team at home and marked the first time the Huskers had defeated a top-ranked conference opponent as Nebraska's previous two victories over the No. 1 team (Florida in 2011 and Oklahoma in 2013) both came during non-conference play.

 

Huskers Defeat Three Top-10 Teams

Including the thrilling victory over No. 1 Michigan, Nebraska earned wins over top-10 teams in 2016. The Huskers also defeated No. 7 Oregon (6-5) on Feb. 26 and No. 9 James Madison (8-4) on March 11. Nebraska owns 14 victories over top-10 teams in the past six seasons. Cassie McClure earned all three wins against top-10 foes in 2016, becoming the third different Husker pitcher in the last six seasons to record at least three wins vs. top-10 teams.

 

Rhonda Revelle Earns 900th Victories

Head Coach Rhonda Revelle earned both her 900th career victory and win No. 900 at Nebraska in 2016. Revelle's 900th career win came on March 12, when the Huskers rallied to defeat Ohio State, 5-4, in non-conference play. Her 900th win at Nebraska came on April 3, when the Huskers knocked off Maryland, 26-4 in five innings. Revelle is one of only 12 active Division I coaches who has won 900 or more games at his or her current school.

 

Records Fall in 26-4 Win at Maryland

Rhonda Revelle's 900th win at Nebraska was memorable in more ways than one, as the milestone victory came in record-breaking fashion. The Huskers defeated Maryland, 26-4 (5), setting school records for runs scored and RBIs (23) while producing the biggest margin of victory in a conference game in school history. The 22-run victory was Nebraska's second-largest win overall, while the Huskers' 21 hits were one shy of the school record. NU scored in every inning, including 11 runs in the second and eight more in the third. Six Huskers had at least three hits, five had at least three RBIs and nine scored multiple runs.

 

Big Red Post Another Big Offensive Season

Nebraska enjoyed another big offensive season in 2016. After setting more than a dozen team records the previous two seasons, the Huskers hit .294 in 2016 with 75 doubles, 65 homers, 321 runs, a .474 slugging percentage and a .390 on-base percentage. NU finished with the second-most home runs in school history, the third-highest on-base and slugging percentages, the fourth-most RBIs and extra-base hits and the fifth-most runs. Nebraska scored 300 runs for the fourth consecutive season, after scoring 300 runs only three times in its first 37 seasons combined. The Huskers ranked in the top 50 nationally in scoring in 2016, becoming only the ninth school in the country to rank in the top 50 nationally in scoring in each of the last six seasons.

 

Single-Game Attendance Record Broken

After upsetting No. 1 Michigan on April 8, a school-record 2,302 fans came out to Bowlin Stadium to watch the Huskers take on the Wolverines the next day. The largest crowd in school history came just two years after Nebraska set a record with 2,204 fans who came out to see Nebraska sweep a doubleheader from Ohio State on April 19, 2014.

 

Season Attendance Record Broken

Fueled by the largest crowd in school history against Michigan, Nebraska averaged 1,006 fans per game at Bowlin Stadium in 2016. The Huskers posted their highest average attendance in school history, while averaging 1,000 fans per game for the first time ever. National attendance rankings for the 2016 season are currently unavailable, but in 2015, only 15 schools nationally averaged 1,000 fans per game.

 

MJ Knighten Posts Record Season

MJ Knighten put up terrific numbers en route to first-team All-America honors in 2016. Knighten finished with a .376 average, eight doubles, 21 home runs and 60 RBIs. She ranked second in school history in home runs, runs (61) and slugging percentage (.794). More impressively, Knighten finished with 64 hits, 61 runs and 60 RBIs, becoming the first player in Husker history to produce 60 hits, 60 runs and 60 RBIs in a season. Knighten averaged more than 1.0 hit, 1.0 run and 1.0 RBI per game, and she ended the regular season ranked second nationally in home runs, 10th in runs and RBIs and 15th in slugging percentage.

 

Kiki Stokes Becomes Highest Draft Pick in NU History

In addition to earning the second All-America award of her career in 2016, Kiki Stokes was the first outfielder taken in the 2016 National Pro Fastpitch College Draft. Stokes was taken in the first round with the No. 6 overall selection by the Scrap Yard Dawgs expansion franchise to become the highest NPF draft pick in school history. Stokes made her professional debut in the Dawgs' inaugural game on June 2 at Chicago, earning the start in right field and going 2-for-4 with a stolen base.