Huskers Host Creighton Before Opening Big 12 Play

The 18th-ranked Nebraska softball team (20-8) hosts its first home game of the season on Wednesday against in-state rival Creighton before opening Big 12 Conference play at Texas A&M on Friday and Saturday.

Nebraska will be seeking its 16th consecutive victory over the Bluejays on Wednesday and its 24th victory in the last 25 games against Creighton.

NU is coming off a 3-3 weekend at the Kia Klassic, where the Huskers earned second place in the consolation bracket. Although Nebraska struggled at times in the tournament, the weekend was highlighted by a 4-1 victory over 14th-ranked Washington and the individual performances of senior Anne Steffan and sophomore Ashley DeBuhr.

Steffan hit safely in each of the Huskers' six games last weekend including a 3-for-4 night against Washington. Against the Huskies, Steffan extended her hitting streak to 20 straight games, breaking the school record of 19 set by Ali Viola. In the final game of the Klassic, Steffan singled in her final at bat to extend her streak to its current total of 25 consecutive games.

In the circle, DeBuhr was dominant in tossing 31.1 of the Huskers' 41.1 innings. She allowed just 19 hits and four earned runs for an ERA of 0.89 and an opponent batting average of .174. DeBuhr also racked up 48 strikeouts against just six walks, an incredible 8-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Also at the Kia Klassic, Head Coach Rhonda Revelle picked up her 500th career victory when the Huskers' shut out host Cal-State Fullerton 8-0 in the opening round of the consolation bracket late Saturday. Revelle needs just seven victories to reach 500 wins at Nebraska.

Scouting Creighton (19-3)
Creighton is off to a tremendous start this season, winning 19 of its first 22 games, including 13 straight. The Bluejays have played five games against ranked teams, posting victories over 18th-ranked Oregon (4-1) and No. 7 Alabama (6-4). Their only losses of the season are to No. 8 Oklahoma (twice) and fifth-ranked Michigan.

Offensively, Creighton is led by Melanie Dorsey who is hitting .458 with 21 runs scored and 12 stolen bases. Abby Johnson leads the team with 20 RBIs and eight doubles while hitting .318. As a team, the Bluejays are batting .321 and have scored 109 runs in just 22 games.

In the circle, Tammy Nielsen has logged the most innings of Creighton's three pitchers. Nielsen is 12-2 this season with a 1.53 ERA. She has struck out 129 batters and opponents are hitting just .148 against her. Johnson (7-1) has thrown 43 innings this season, posting a 1.30 ERA.

Nebraska and Creighton met four times last season, with NU earning four victories. The Bluejays were shut out in three of the four meetings as the Huskers won by a combined score of 8-1. NU leads the all-time series 70-29 and has lost just once since 1999.

Last Year's Meetings
In four meetings last year, senior Anne Steffan went 6-for-14 (.429) to pace Nebraska's offensive attack against Creighton. As a team, NU hit just .216, but the Bluejays were held to a team average of .110.

Junior Trisha Tannahill hit .300 against Creighton a year ago and junior Katie Linke and sophomores Carmen Kier and Jamie Waldecker produced four of Nebraska's seven RBIs against CU last season.

In the circle, Peaches James gave the Creighton lineup fits, but sophomore right-hander Ashley DeBuhr started the team's first meeting, a 1-0 extra-inning victory for the Big Red. In four innings, DeBuhr surrendered just two hits and struck out three.

Scouting Texas A&M (28-2)
Texas A&M, like Creighton, is off to a blazing start, winning 28 games against just two losses. Included in those 28 victories are a 10-0 win over then-No. 12 Washington and a 5-2 victory over then-top-ranked California. The Aggies' only losses have come at the hands of Mississippi (2-0) and then-No. 23 Long Beach State (9-1). A&M is 15-1 at home this season.

Freshman Megan Gibson has made a huge impact on the Aggies' offense, hitting a team-best .438 with a staggering 12 home runs and 35 RBIs. As a team, A&M leads the Big 12 Conference with a .357 average, .191 points higher than its opponents' .166 average. Four Aggies have produced at least 20 RBIs, while seven have tallied double-digit RBI totals. In comparison, NU has just one player with 20 or more RBIs and five players have at least 10.

A&M has also shown plenty of speed this season, going 84-for-91 in stolen base attempts. Three players have been perfect in more than 10 stolen base attempts, led by Sharonda McDonald who is 29-for-29 this season.

In the circle, another freshman, Amanda Scarborough, has made an immediate impact, posting a 15-0 record this season with a 0.45 ERA. The staff has a collective 1.39 ERA and has posted 13 shutouts.

Last Year’s Meetings
Nebraska and Texas A&M met three times last season, once during the non-conference season and twice during Big 12 play, with each meeting going into extra innings. The Huskers lost the non-conference matchup, but swept the Aggies in league play, with the final victory clinching the Big 12 regular-season championship for NU.

Junior Trisha Tannahill and sophomores Carmen Kier and Jamie Waldecker each enjoyed an excellent weekend against A&M in conference play. Tannahill finished 3-for-8 with two runs scored and an RBI in the two games, while Waldecker finished 3-for-6 with two RBIs. Waldecker came to the plate in a tie game in the bottom of the 10th inning of the championship-clinching game and lined an 0-1 pitch into center field with the bases loaded to bring home the game-winning run and the conference championship for NU.

Kier finished just 1-for-5 in the series last season, but her one hit proved huge. Trailing by one in the bottom of the sixth in the second game of the series, Kier fell behind in the count 1-2 before sending an opposite-field shot over the wall in right field to force extra innings.

In the circle, departed senior Peaches James pitched all 18 innings of the series.

Settling In
Junior Katie Linke appears to have settled in as the Huskers’ designated player after starting five games at the position at last week’s Kia Klassic. Linke hit safely in each of her five starts and finished with a .333 average (5-for-15) at the tournament, third-best on the team. She also drove in three runs and led the team with two doubes while slugging .467 and reaching base at a .412 clip.

Linke is hitting .325 this season with seven RBIs. She also added the first stolen base of her career last weekend.

DeBuhr Emerging
Sophomore right-hander Ashley DeBuhr has emerged over the last two tournaments to become one of the top pitchers in the Big 12 Conference. DeBuhr is 11-6 this season with a 1.44 ERA. In 102.1 innings, DeBuhr has struck out 110 and has limited opposing batters to a paltry .184 average.

Last weekend at the Kia Klassic, DeBuhr was dominant against a tough field. Although she finished with a 3-2 record, DeBuhr allowed just four earned runs in 31.1 innings for a miniscule 0.89 ERA. A native of Beatrice, Neb., DeBuhr struck out 48 batters against just six walks, a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 8-to-1. Entering the weekend, DeBuhr had posted only one double-digit strikeout game in her career, but she picked up three more at the tournament, including a career-high 13 strikeouts against 14th-ranked Washington.

On the season, DeBuhr ranks 15th in the Big 12 Conference in wins (11), first in innings pitched (102.1), third in strikeouts (110), seventh in appearances (18), sixth in games started (13), third in complete games (10) and 10th in ERA (1.44).

Revelle Earns 500th Career Victory
Head Coach Rhonda Revelle won her 500th career game last weekend when the Huskers blanked Cal-State Fullerton 8-0 at the Kia Klassic. Revelle is one of 37 active coaches to reach the milestone and is one of just three all-time coaches across all sports at Nebraska to record 500 career victories.

Earlier this season, Revelle won her 475th game at Nebraska on Feb. 13 when NU defeated 16th-ranked Oregon State, 4-3, at the Louisville Slugger UNLV Desert Classic in Las Vegas, Nev.

Revelle's 475th victory also marked the 950th win in the history of Nebraska softball, with Revelle collecting exactly half of NU's all-time victories. She needs just seven more victories to record her 500th victory at Nebraska.

Connected to the Program
Head Coach Rhonda Revelle, who is in her 13th year in charge of the Husker program, and Associate Head Coach Lori Sippel, who is in her 16th year as an assistant, have been integral in the history of Nebraska softball. As both a player and coach, Revelle has been a part 570 of NU's 963 all-time victories. Throw in Sippel's four-year playing totals and four years she coached before Revelle arrived and Revelle and Sippel have been a part of 726 of the program's 963 victories.

Going Deep
Sophomore Jamie Waldecker returned to her home state of California last weekend for the Kia Klassic and put on a good show for the hometown fans. She belted two home runs in the first two games of the tournament and finished with a team-high three extra-base hits, two home runs, five RBIs, 11 total bases and a .550 slugging percentage.

Her two home runs increased her season total to three and her five RBIs pushed her season total from 10 up to 15. A solid middle-of-the-lineup hitter, Waldecker is second on the team in home runs and RBIs this season.

Offensive Surge
Through six tournaments and 28 games, Nebraska is hitting a blistering .317 as a team and has produced an average of nearly five runs per game.

Nebraska has recorded at least 10 hits in 10 games this season after totaling only 13 double-digit hit games in 62 games last season.

Two players are hitting .400 or better this season. Senior Anne Steffan leads the team with a .520 average, while junior Elizabeth Rock is hitting .458. Three other Huskers, senior Sheena Lawrick (.397), and juniors Jessica Yoachim (.349) and Katie Linke (.325) are hitting better than .300.

For the year, Nebraska's average is 118 points higher than its opponents (.209). The Huskers are also on pace to become only the third team in program history to hit .300 or better.

In the Clutch
Sophomore Devin Porter has provided several clutch hits for the Nebraska softball team this season. Porter recorded the game-winning RBI in four of the Huskers' five games at the Shocker Invitational March 11-13 and leads the team with six game-winning RBIs this season. On the season, Porter ranks third on the team with 13 RBIs.

Last season Porter had only two game-winning RBIs and 10 total RBIs.

Tannahill Records 100th Hit
Junior Trisha Tannahill reached on a one-out single in the second inning against Wichita State on March 13, marking the 100th hit of her career.

Fellow junior Jessica Yoachim and senior Sheena Lawrick are also nearing the 100-hit plateau. Lawrick needs just three hits to reach 100, while Yoachim needs six.

Superb Seniors
Senior Sheena Lawrick is off to a tremendous start in her final year as a Husker. She has reached base safely in 25 of Nebraska's 28 games this season. She is third on the team with a .397 average and leads the team with eight doubles, five home runs, 29 RBIs, a .692 slugging percentage, 20 walks and is second with a .530 on-base percentage. Lawrick has also recorded a team-high eight multi-RBI games. Two times this season, Lawrick has reached base safely on seven consecutive at bats.

Lawrick currently ranks in the top 10 in the Big 12 Conference in four different offensive categories. She is tied for first in the league in walks (20), fourth in on-base percentage (.530), sixth in doubles (8) and ninth in RBIs (29). She is also 13th in the league with a .397 average.

Senior Anne Steffan is also enjoying a fast start to the 2005 season. Steffan leads the team with a .520 average, 28 runs scored, 23 stolen bases and a .561 on-base percentage. On pace to put her name on several single-season school records, Steffan has hit safely in all but one game this season, including a curent 25-game hitting streak that broke the previous school record of 19. She leads the team with 18 multi-hit games this season and has had at least two hits in 17 of the last 22 games. She drew a walk in the only game where she failed to record a hit, meaning she has reached base safely in each of the Huskers' 28 games this season.

Steffan ranks in the top five in the conference in four offensive categories and in the top 10 in six. She ranks second in average (.520), hits (51), stolen bases (23) and on-base percentage (.561), while also ranking eighth in runs scored (28).

Career Year for Lawrick
Senior Sheena Lawrick is enjoying a career season through 28 games in 2005. Lawrick, who is third on the team with a .397 average, has already set single-season career highs in home runs (5), RBIs (29) and stolen bases (7). Her five home runs are one more than she had in each the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Lawrick’s 29 RBIs are five more than she had in 36 games last season and her seven stolen bases are six more than her previous career high, and are five more than her three-year career total before this season.

Lawrick, who missed half of last season after suffering a torn ACL, is on pace to set career highs in nearly every category. She needs just one run, two hits, two total bases and 10 walks to break her previous highs, all set last season.

In addition, her .397 average, .692 slugging percentage and .530 on-base percentage would also be career highs. Lawrick also hit safely in a career-high eight games earlier this season.

Big Innings
Nebraska has been prone to producing big innings this season. In total, NU has scored in 65 innings in 2005 and has produced three or more runs in 21 of those frames. When the Huskers score a run in an inning, 32 percent of the time they add at least two more runs in that inning. Nebraska has also added five innings where five or more runs have crossed the plate.

Record-Setting Day
On Feb. 19, two Nebraska single-game records fell in the same game as NU defeated Texas-San Antonio 14-6 in six innings.

Senior Sheena Lawrick hit a three-run home run in her first at bat and then drew four consecutive walks. The four walks were a single-game Nebraska record, breaking the previous mark of three.

Not to be outdone, junior Jessica Yoachim went 5-for-5 against the Roadrunners to set the mark for the most hits in a game of seven innings or fewer. Yoachim broke the previous mark of four hits.

Career Fair
Senior Kira Boerkircher and juniors Katie Linke KoKo Tacha have already established single-season career highs in several categories only 28 games into the year.

Boerkircher has not only surpassed her previous career highs, but has also surpassed some of her previous career totals, as she has seen the most playing time of her career in 2005.

Her 11 starts, 33 at bats and five RBIs are more than her previous three seasons combined. Her four hits are a new single-season career high, as are her four total bases. She also needs just one walk to tie her career high for walks in a season.

Linke has hit two doubles this season, which tied her previous career total. Her .325 average, .400 on-base percentage and .375 slugging percentage would also be career highs. Linke is also nearing career highs in several categories. She needs just one walk, three runs, three RBIs and three total bases to set career highs in each respective category.

Tacha has set career highs of 15 starts, 43 at bats, 10 hits, one home run, 14 total bases, five walks, nine put outs and one assist, and four RBIs to reach her career highs in that category.

Stealing an Advantage
Through 28 games this season, Nebraska is 52-for-62 in stolen base attempts.

NU enjoys a remarkable edge in stolen bases over its opponents. While Nebraska has stolen 52 bases, opponents have stolen just four bases in only nine attempts this season.

Steffan Reaches Milestones
Senior Anne Steffan reached a pair of milestones in Nebraska's 4-2 win over New Mexico State on Feb. 20.

Steffan went 3-for-4 at the plate and her third hit was the 150th of her career. Steffan also scored one run in the game, the 100th run scored of her career.

Sippel Named Head Coach of Canadian National Team
Nebraska Associate Head Softball Coach Lori Sippel was named head coach of the Canadian National Team, Softball Canada announced on March 14.

The position extends from the spring of this year until Nov. 1, 2008, however Sippel will remain Associate Head Coach at Nebraska. The majority of Team Canada’s competitions will take place during the summer months.

Sippel was a four-time All-Big Eight and two-time second-team All-American selection during her playing career at Nebraska from 1985 to 1988. A four-time Big Eight champion, Sippel was also named the 1988 GTE Academic All-American of the Year, as well as being a Honda Broderick award nominee.

Sippel has had plenty of experiencing with the Canadian National Team. She was a member of the team for 16 years, including participating in the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, softball’s debut as an Olympic sport. After her playing days, Sippel has continued to be involved with Softball Canada, most recently serving as a color commentator for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s telecasts of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

For her service to the Canadian National Team, Sippel’s No. 16 was retired by Softball Canada in 1999 and she was inducted into Softball Canada’s Hall of Fame in 2000.

Sippel will first lead the Canadian National Team at the Pacific Rim Summit in Seattle, Wash., from June 6-13. At the tournament, Sippel will join senior Sheena Lawrick as Huskers with connections to the Canadian National Team.

Nine Huskers Make Honor Roll
Nine members of the Nebraska softball team and two former players were named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the Fall 2004 semester.

Six Huskers made repeat appearances on the list, led by senior Kira Boerkircher who was honored for the fifth time in her career, and junior KoKo Tacha who also made the list for the fifth time in her career. Tacha has carried a perfect 4.0 grade-point average through her first five semesters of college.

Juniors Trisha Tannahill and Jessica Yoachim each earned their fourth appearance on the list, while sophomore Jaime Borg has appeared on the Honor Roll in each of her first three semesters. Senior Sheena Lawrick made the list for the second time in her career.

Junior Elizabeth Rock, a transfer this season from Mt. San Antonio College, and freshmen Jordan Keen and Cassie Kleinsmith were each honored for the first time in their career in their first semester of eligibility.

Former Huskers Peaches James and Liz Lawhorn, who completed their eligibility in 2004, were also named to the Honor Roll.

Huskers on Radio and TV
At least 11 Nebraska softball games will be carried by the Pinnacle Sports Network on Lincoln station KKUL 105.3 FM and two Husker games will be televised by NET Sports (formerly NETV) and College Sports Television (CSTV).

Nebraska’s radio schedule features nine regular-season games, including road games at Creighton, Iowa State and a pair of games at 2004 Women’s College World Series qualifier Oklahoma. The first two days of the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City, Okla., will also be carried on KKUL.

Nate Rohr will handle play-by-play duties, while Theresa Becker will add color commentary for most games.

A marquee matchup with Texas on Saturday, April 2 highlights the Huskers’ television schedule. The Texas game and NU’s game on Sunday, April 24 with Oklahoma State will be televised live by NET Sports and CSTV.

10,000th Hit
When junior KoKo Tacha singled in the second inning of Nebraska's 7-3 win over Loyola on Feb. 19, it marked the 10,000th hit in the history of Nebraska softball.

Husker softball began in 1976, but complete records are only available since the 1977 season.

15 NCAA Bids and Counting
Nebraska softball is in an elite class when it comes to postseason play. The Huskers are one of nine teams to appear in the past 10 NCAA Tournaments. Nebraska also has a strong history of earning high seeds in the tournament. For the past eight seasons, Nebraska has earned a No. 2 seed or higher in the NCAA Regional. The only other teams to accomplish that feat are Arizona, Michigan, Oklahoma and Washington.

Overall, NU has earned 15 NCAA Tournament bids, tying Texas A&M for the most NCAA berths of any Big 12 school. The Huskers have also advanced to the College World Series seven times. Nebraska's success has allowed the Huskers to host an NCAA Regional in each of the past two seasons.

Tough Schedule Ahead
Nebraska has grown accustomed to playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation, and 2005 will be no exception. NU will play at least 19 games against teams that earned 2004 NCAA Tournament bids.

The Huskers will also play at least three regular-season contests against teams that advanced to the 2004 NCAA Women's College World Series, including Washington and Oklahoma (twice).

Finally, Nebraska will play at least 14 regular-season games against eight teams ranked in the preseason 2004 USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll, including No. 6 Oklahoma (twice), No. 7 Washington, No. 15 Oregon State, No. 18 Tennessee and No. 19 Baylor (twice).

Big 12 Dominance
By capturing both the Big 12 regular-season and tournament crowns in 2004, the Nebraska softball program has claimed the most conference championships of any of the 10 league schools.

The Huskers have captured six overall titles, one more than Oklahoma and Texas. NU has won three regular-season championships and three tournament titles, both of which also tied for tops in the conference.

Nebraska is also the only school to boast a perfect record in league play since the Big 12 was formed in 1996. The Huskers went 16-0 in 1998. NU started 12-0 during last season's championship run before finishing with a 14-3 record.

Ranking Near the Top
Nebraska finished the 2004 season with a No. 14 final ranking in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll. The final ranking marked the 10th consecutive season the Huskers ended the year in the rankings in the 10-year history of the poll. Nebraska is one of only six teams in the nation - and one of only two in the Big 12 Conference - to be ranked in the final poll all 10 seasons.

Huskers in the Pros
Five former Huskers played in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league last summer.

Former Huskers Peaches James (2001-04), Nicole Trimboli (2001-04), Kim Ogee (2000-03), Amanda Buchholz (2000-03) and Leigh Ann Walker (1999-2001) all played in the six-team league.

James and Trimboli were each named to the 28-player NPF All-Star team. Only Arizona had more former players (four) named to the All-Star team than Nebraska.

James pitched for the Texas Thunder and finished the year with a 13-3 record and a microscopic 0.88 ERA. Trimboli hit .266 with a team-high 25 RBIs for the Akron Racers.

Among all NCAA softball programs, NU ranks second in producing professional players.

Olympic Connections
Senior Sheena Lawrick was selected to the 2004 Canadian Olympic Team despite recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament when the team was announced. Lawrick's knee healed a few weeks before Canada opened play in Athens, Greece. A native of Calgary, Alberta, Lawrick started two games for the Canadians, who finished the Olympics with a 3-4 record, which tied for the country's best showing ever.

Associate Head Coach Lori Sippel joined Lawrick at the Olympics as a broadcaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Sippel, who pitched for the Huskers from 1985 to 1988, was a member of the 1996 Canadian National Team that also went 3-4 in the inaugural softball competition at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga.

Home Sweet Home
The Husker softball team continued to receive tremendous fan support in 2004. Nebraska ranked fourth in the nation in Division I softball attendance with an average of 955 fans per game. The average was up 340 fans from the 2003 season, marking the highest increase in the nation.

Nebraska also finished third in overall attendance after drawing 19,103 fans in 20 home games last season. NU drew more than 1,000 fans for a game on seven occasions in 2004, including a season-high 1,585 fans for Nebraska's opening NCAA Tournament game against Lehigh.

NU was one of only 14 schools to total more than 10,000 fans for the entire season and was one of only three schools to draw more than 15,000.

Head of the Class
Nebraska leads all Division I softball programs with 22 CoSIDA Academic All-America awards won by 15 players.

NU is the only school with more than 20 academic All-America awards, and the only Big 12 school ranked in the top 10.