NU Seeks First Big 12 Win against Jayhawks

The Nebraska softball team looks to snap a four-game losing streak and capture its first Big 12 Conference win when the Huskers travel to Lawrence, Kan., on Wednesday to take on the Kansas Jayhawks. The Huskers (20-11, 0-2 Big 12) dropped three tough games last weekend, including a pair to No. 12 Texas A&M in College Station to open league play.

The week began with a 6-5 loss to in-state rival Creighton in nine innings. Powered by a first-inning three-run home run off the bat of sophomore Jamie Waldecker, NU led 4-0 after four innings before the Bluejays mounted a two-out rally aided by a Nebraska error to take a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning.

Junior Trisha Tannahill sent the game into extra innings with a clutch two-out RBI double in the bottom of the seventh, but a lone run in the top of the ninth proved to be the game-winner for CU.

The Huskers opened Big 12 play at 12th-ranked Texas A&M, which entered the series with a 29-2 record. The Aggies used a pair of two-run innings to claim a 4-2 victory in the opener and overpowered the Huskers 6-0 in the series finale. The losses marked the first time in the 10-year history of the Big 12 Conference that NU began the conference season 0-2.

To avoid an 0-3 start to the season, NU will have to knock off a Jayhawk squad that has won nine of its last 12 games, including a 3-0 upset of No. 19 Arizona State. Since beginning the season 1-4, KU has posted a 14-6 record to reach its current record of 15-10. KU faced Texas to open Big 12 play last weekend, losing 4-1 to the fourth-ranked Longhorns. The second game of the series was canceled.

After the mid-week contest with Kansas, the Huskers return home to host fourth-ranked Texas in a two-game weekend series. First pitch for Saturday is set for 2 p.m. and the game will be televised live on NETV and CSTV. Sunday's game is scheduled for a Noon start.

Scouting Kansas (15-10, 0-1 Big 12)
Kansas enters the mid-week matchup against Nebraska with a 15-10 record and winners of nine of its last 12 games. The Jayhawks and Huskers share five common opponents this season. KU posted a 4-1 record against those teams, while NU went 5-0. Kansas outscored those opponents 23-11, while Nebraska outscored the same teams 35-4.

The Jayhawks are led offensively by Destiny Frankenstein who leads the team with a .382 average, 20 runs scored, 26 hits, six home runs, 15 RBIs, a .721 slugging percentage, 15 walks, .494 on-base percentage and six stolen bases. No other starter is hitting .300 or better and the team is hitting a collective .266.

In the circle, KU is limiting opposing hitters to a meager .219 average and has a collective ERA of 2.13. Serena Settlemier has thrown a team-high 65.2 innings, posting a 2.24 ERA and a 7-5 record. Christina Ross is 5-3 this season with a team-best 1.56 ERA and has struck out 47 batters in 54 innings. Kassie Humphreys is 3-2 this season and has a 2.64 ERA in 45 innings. Humphreys baffled Nebraska hitters last season, posting a 2-1 record against the Huskers. She did not allow an earned run in 20 innings against NU and posted two shutouts.

Nebraska and Kansas split last year's series. Each team won two games, including one in conference play. KU leads the all-time series 49-43 and is 16-15 against the Huskers in Lawrence.

Last Year's Meetings
Nebraska and Kansas split a pair of non-conference games at the Hampton Inn Classic in Lawrence last season and split the league series with each road team winning one.

In conference play, the Jayhawks' Kassie Humphreys tossed a pair of complete games in posting a 1-1 record. She did not allow an earned run on nine hits in the two games and posted one shutout.

Offensively for NU, senior Anne Steffan went 3-for-6 with a run scored and was the only returning Husker to hit safely in each of the two conference meetings. Sophomore Devin Porter and junior Jessica Yoachim each had one hit in the two league games.

NU won the matchup in Lawrence in an odd game. The game lasted 2:42 before it was called due to darkness, as Arrocha Ballpark does not have lights. The game was scoreless until the top of the sixth, when Porter walked, Yoachim reached on an error and Steffan reached on a fielder's choice and everybody was safe on the play. Departed senior Nicole Trimboli then doubled to center field to score two and senior Sheena Lawrick recorded an RBI ground out.

School-Record Streak Ends
Senior Anne Steffan went 0-for-4 on Friday against Texas A&M to end her school-record 27-game hitting streak. She quickly responded by going 2-for-3 in the series finale, her 20th multi-hit game in just 31 contests this season.

Steffan leads the team and is second in the Big 12 with a .505 average in 2005. She has hit safely in all but two games this season and has reached base safely in all but one game.

Stat of the Week
Nebraska is 20-0 this season when it out-hits its opponents. The Huskers are also 16-1 when they score four or more runs, and 11-1 when they score five or more runs this seasson and are 17-1 when they lead after four innings. NU was perfect in each of those categories before the loss to Creighton.

Settling In
Junior Katie Linke appears to have settled in as the Huskers’ designated player, as she has started the last seven games at the position. Linke hit safely in a career-high six games and batted .333 (5-for-15) at the Kia Klassic March 16-20, third-best on the team. She also drove in three runs and led the team with two doubles while slugging .467 and reaching base at a .412 clip.

Linke is hitting .280 overall this season with seven RBIs.

Revelle Earns 500th Career Victory
Head Coach Rhonda Revelle won her 500th career game on March 19 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.

Breaking Through
Junior Trisha Tannahill appears poised to break out of a recent slump. Tannahill, who is hitting .257 this season, hit the ball well last week.

Against Creighton on Wednesday, she sent the game into extra innings with a clutch two-out double off the fence in center field in the bottom of the seventh.

Then against Texas A&M, the 2004 first-team All-Big 12 selection hit another double off the fence for one of the Huskers' three hits on Friday. Tannahill also narrowly missed her second home run of the season. With two on and two out in the first inning, she hit a ball to deep left field that A&M left fielder Jana James reached over the wall and brought back in to rob Tannahill of a home run.

Stealing an Advantage
Through 31 games this season, Nebraska is 56-for-67 in stolen base attempts. NU enjoys a remarkable edge in stolen bases over its opponents. While Nebraska has stolen 56 bases, opponents have stolen just six bases in only 12 attempts this season.

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 two hits to reach 100, while Yoachim needs three.

Superb Seniors
Senior Sheena Lawrick is off to a tremendous start in her final year as a Husker. She has reached base safely in 28 of Nebraska's 31 games this season. She is third on the team with a .384 average while pacing NU with eight doubles, five home runs, 29 RBIs, a .651 slugging percentage, 23 walks and is second with a .523 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 two offensive categories. She leads the league with 23 walks and is fourth in on-base percentage (.523). She is also 16th in the league with a .384 average.

Senior Anne Steffan is also having a fine senior season. Steffan leads the team with a .505 average, 28 runs scored, 25 stolen bases and a .542 on-base percentage. On pace to put her name on several single-season school records, Steffan has hit safely in all but two games this season. She had her school-record 27-game hitting streak snapped last Friday against Texas A&M. Steffan leads the team with 20 multi-hit games this season and has had at least two hits in 19 of the last 24 games.

Steffan ranks in the top five in the conference in four offensive categories. She ranks second in average (.505), hits (55), stolen bases (25) and is third in on-base percentage (.542).

Career Year for Lawrick
Senior Sheena Lawrick is enjoying a career season through 31 games in 2005. Lawrick, who is third on the team with a .384 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 of 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 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 .384 average, .651 slugging percentage and .523 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 69 innings in 2005 and has produced three or more runs in 22 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 and KoKo Tacha have already established single-season career highs in several categories.

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 .357 on-base percentage would also be a career high. Linke is also nearing career highs in several categories. She needs just one walk, three runs, three RBIs and two 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.

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.