Beyond Nebraska

Beyond Nebraska

The success and legacy of the Nebraska softball program are not limited to the Cornhusker State or a four-year college career. Using the training and tools taught at NU, former players have gone on to continue their playing careers on both the professional and international levels. A pair of Huskers competed at both the professional and international levels. A pair of Huskers competed at both the 2004 Sydney Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics. Lori Sippel, a pitcher for Team Canada in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, also coached the Canadians in Beijing. In January of 2018, former Husker Taylor Edwards earned a spot on the USA Softball World Championship Team. Taylor Edwards served as an alternate in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

In the professional ranks, Nebraska had more players selected for the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league’s inaugural All-Star game in 2005 than any other collegiate program except UCLA. Tatum and Taylor Edwards have won back-to-back NPF titles with the Chicago Bandits in 2015 and 2016, while Kiki Stokes was one of the league’s top rookies in 2016 with the Scrap Yard Dawgs. In 2017, Stokes, along with Taylor Edwards and MJ Knighten, helped the Dawgs to their first NPF title.

Huskers in the Olympics        
Year Name Country Position Honors

1996, Athens, Ga., USA

Lori Sippel Canada Pitcher

Fifth-Place Finish

2004, Athens, Greece

Sheena Lawrick Canada Infielder Fourth-Place Finish

2004, Athens, Greece

Stephanie Skegas Maxwell Greece Pitcher Seventh-Place Finish

2008, Beijing, China

Sheena Lawrick Canada Infielder Fifth-Place Finish

2008, Beijing, China

Robin Mackin Canada Pitcher Fourth-Place Finish

2020, Tokoyo, Japan

Taylor Edwards* United States Catcher  

*Replacement Player

Huskers in the Pros        
Name Team Years Position Honors
Kim Ogee Denver Altitude (NPF) 2003 Outfielder  
Amanda Buchholz Texas Thunder (NPF) 2003 Infielder  
Leigh Ann Walker Arizona Heat (NPF) 2004 Pitcher  
Peaches James

Texas Thunder (NPF)

NY/NJ Juggernaut (NPF)

2004

2005

Pitcher

15th Pick in 2004 NPF Draft

2004 NPF All-Star

2005 NPF All-Star*

Anne Steffan Chicago Bandits (NPF) 2005-06 Infielder

19th Pick in 2005 NPF Draft

2005 NPF All-Star*

2006 NPF All-Star

Nicole Trimboli

Colorado Altitude (NPF)

Akron Racers (NPF)

Chicago Bandits (NPF)

USSSA Pride (NPF)

Akron Racers (NPF)

2004

2004-05

2006-09

2010-11

2011-12

Outfielder

20th Pick in 2004 NPF Draft

2004 NPF All-Star

2005 NPF All-Star*

2005 NPF Champion

2008 NPF Champion

2008 NPF Championship MVP

2011 NPF All-Star

Tatum Edwards

Chicago Bandits (NPF)

Athletes Unlimited

2015-16

2022-present

Pitcher

Facilitator

2016 NPF Champion
Taylor Edwards

Pennsylvania Rebellion (NPF)

Chicago Bandits (NPF)

Scrap Yard Dawgs (NPF)

Scrap Yard Dawgs (Independent)

Athletes Unlimited

2014

2015-16

2017

2018-20

2021-present

Catcher 

8th Pick in 2014 NPF Draft

2015 NPF Champion

2015 All-NPF Team

2016 NPF Champion

2016 All-NPF Team

2017 NPF Champion

Kiki Stokes

Scrap Yard Dawgs (NPF)

Scrap Yard Dawgs (Independent)

Athletes Unlimited

2016-17

2018-20

2022-present

Outfielder

6th Pick in 2016 NPF Draft

2017 NPF Champion

MJ Knighten

Scrap Yard Dawgs (NPF)

Scrap Yard Dawgs (Independent)

2017

2018

Infielder

25th Pick in 2017 NPF Draft

2017 NPF Champion

*The 2005 season was the only year the NPF staged an All-Star game. However, the NPF named All-Star Teams during other years and later moved to naming All-NPF Teams.