Softball Begins Practice Monday

Lincoln -- The Nebraska softball team officially opens the 2004 season with its first day of practice Monday, Jan. 19. The Huskers work out at Cook Pavilion from 8:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. before an afternoon practice at Schulte Field House beginning at 2 p.m. and ending at 3:30 p.m. The Huskers’ regular weekly practice schedule is listed below.

The Nebraska softball team was voted eighth in the 2004 ESPN.com/USA Softball preseason poll released Jan. 14. The Huskers went 39-17 in 2003 and finished at No. 16 in the final USA Softball poll. NU returns 12 players from that squad, but suffered four key losses in lineup fixtures Amanda Buchhholz, Amber Burgess, Kim Ogee and Lisa Wangler. NU will feature two new starters in the outfield, as two-time All-Big 12 selection Nicole Trimboli is the only returnee. In the infield, the Huskers return first-team All-Big 12 second baseman Anne Steffan, but must replace four-year starters at catcher and shortstop.

The strength of the 2004 NU squad will be its pitching staff, where three-time All-Big 12 honoree Peaches James and sophomore Summer Tobias will be joined by Beatrice, Neb., native Ashley DeBuhr. James went 23-13 last year with a 1.55 ERA in 243.2 innings. James held opponents to a .171 average and produced six victories against top-25 teams. Tobias is coming off an impressive freshman season in which she posted a 15-4 record with a 1.51 ERA in 134.2 innings.

Nebraska will face one of the nation’s most difficult schedules that includes five games against 2003 Women’s College World Series participants. NU opens the season on Feb. 13 with a doubleheader against defending national champion UCLA and No. 14 DePaul. The Huskers also face Michigan twice, 20th-ranked Florida State and No. 19 Arizona State before entering the conference season. NU’s home opener is April 3 against Baylor at 2 p.m. at Bowlin Stadium.