Q&A With the Huskers' Newest Players

The Nebraska softball team welcomes three talented new players for the upcoming 2012 season. All three are contending for starting spots on a Husker squad that returns eight starters from a team that went 41-14 a season ago and ended the year ranked 21st.

Each of the three newcomers took their own unique path to becoming a Husker. Courtney Breault, a junior infielder, comes to Nebraska after spending the past two seasons as the starting second baseman at the University of Arkansas. Freshman outfielder Jordan Bettiol, a native of College Station, Texas, chose the Huskers as a late bloomer, after not going out for softball until her sophomore year of high school. Freshman Mattie Fowler is a Tucson, Ariz., native whose older sister, Kenzie, is a two-time All-American at Arizona, but Mattie chose to forge her own path more than 1,200 miles from home.

All three newcomers answered a series of questions for Huskers.com to give fans an glimpse of how they ended up at Nebraska and what they plan to accomplish now that they're here.

Courtney Breault, Jr., INF
After offseason surgery, how is your shoulder feeling and how is the rehabilitation going? When can fans expect to see you on the field?
"At this point, my shoulder is feeling pretty good. Rehab as been going well, but unfortunately with this kind of surgery it's a long process. I don't know exactly when I will be ready to play, but I'm hoping that I can get on the field early in the season."

You are in the unique position of being at your second big-name school. After deciding to transfer from Arkansas, why did you choose Nebraska and how has the switch worked out for you so far?
"Leaving Arkansas was tough, but Nebraska seemed like it would be a good fit for me.  There were a lot of positives at Nebraska when compared to the other schools I considered. Nebraska has great coaches and players, a winning tradition, and a great college atmosphere with some of the best fans in the country. The coaches here really care about players, the team, and the University...and that was really important to me.  Transferring to a new school has been challenging but I'm happy to be here. I wish that I could have come here healthy, but I'm looking forward to playing and our team having a great season."

You've had the chance to see some great teams in the SEC the past two seasons. Expectations are high for your team this season and given your experience, how do you think your team measures up to some of the great teams you've seen the past two seasons?
"Overall, I think we match up well with any of the top tier teams in the country. We have all the components necessary to be competitive and win games against anyone. I'm looking forward to playing some of the top teams this season to prove that we are one of the best teams in the country."

As a freshman at Arkansas, you hit a home run against Ashley Hagemann. As the only teammate to have faced Hagemann in a game, can you talk about the challenges she poses to hitters and what makes her so good?
"Hoggie is one of the best pitchers in the country. She throws the ball hard, she moves the ball around, and she hits her spots. As a hitter, you can't sit on one pitch or one zone. I think she's a lot better now than two years ago when I faced her at Arkansas, and even in our game, she had a lot of strikeouts and only gave up two hits."

What are your personal expectations for this season and your expectations for the team?
"Our team has big expectations for this season. Our goal is to win the last game in Oklahoma City. I really think we have the talent and ability to achieve our goal if we continue to work hard, stay focused, and believe in each other. 

"Right now, my main goal is to get healthy as quickly as possible so that I can get on the field and help the team accomplish our goals."

 

Jordan Bettiol, Fr., OF
You had an interesting route to Nebraska, not going out for high school softball until your sophomore year. When did you really start getting serious about softball and what made you focus on softball instead of track?
"Actually, I have been playing softball since I was a little girl, but I took off three years to focus on club soccer and running. I, of course, missed playing ball so I picked it back up my sophomore year and got serious about it the summer before my junior year. Softball and track season had some conflicts in Texas and becuase I wanted to play softball more at the collegiate level rather than track, I chose to have softball as my only athletic focus."

As someone who maybe didn't get the exposure of some other recruits, how did the recruiting process happen for you and how did you ultimately end up choosing Nebraska?
"The coaches showed interest in me, and I had heard that Nebraska was a great school with an outstanding program and a family-like support system, so I took a visit. It didn't take me long to realize that this was the place for me and that there was no reason to continue looking at any other schools. I knew Nebraska was home."

You had a great fall season and are contending for a starting spot this spring. How do you think you've improved since you've arrived on campus?
"I have been working a lot with the coaches on my game over these past months and Coach Miller has tweaked a couple things with my swing that has improved my form and increased my power immensely (as well as doing intense workouts to build strength, speed, and explosion with our strength and conditioning coach, Laura Buttermore). We have also spent a lot of time working on the mental side of the game which has definitely helped me relax and focus in the box and on the field."

Describe your playing style offensively and defensively.
"Offensively, I am someone who likes to use all aspects of the game from the left side. Instead of just hitting with power, I can also slap and drag bunt to play with the defense. I make the decisions of what I am going to do based off of where the defense is positioned at, what the situation is, and of course what the coaches signal me to do.

"Defensively, I just try to stay as aggressive as possible and keep talking with the outfielders about positions and possible situations that can happen between every pitch. You never know what could happen next, so it's always good to be prepared for anything." 

What are your personal expectations for this season and your expectations for the team?
"My personal expectation is to give everything I have each and every game and to do what I can to help the team go to the next level. As for my expectations for the team, I just want to still be playing in June and competing in the WCWS!"

Mattie Fowler, Fr., INF/RHP
You come from a talented and knowledgeable softball family. Did you always plan on trying to earn a softball scholarship and how much has your family helped you improve as a player?
"Softball has been my passion since I was 8 years old. I would never have been able to reach my dream of playing in college without my family. My parents coached my sister and I from a young age and the amount of support they provided was incredible. It was great also having Kenzie (older sister who pitches for Arizona) there to motivate me and to feed off each other."

As someone who is from Tucson, was the Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year and whose sister plays at Arizona, how did you wind up at Nebraska?
"I love Arizona, but I wanted to blaze my own trail. I connected with the coaches early on, and when I visited the campus I knew Nebraska was the place for me. I love the strong tradition behind the school, and I could not be happier with my decision!"

Your coaches and teammates have commented on how mature and poised you are on the field. Is there anything you can attribute that to?
"I think that watching my sister go through two years in a major Division I program has helped prepare me for this experience. I have seen the dedication and determination it takes to succeed."

You get to return to your home state to open your college career. How excited are you to return home and what are your feelings about facing your hometown school and your sister in the second game of the season?
"I am extremely excited to return home and see my family. It will be great to have them there to watch us kick off the season! As for facing my sister, we have always competed in every aspect of life and this will just be another level of competition. It's a tough situation because we still want each other to do well. However playing Arizona is also a great excuse to get to see her!"

Injury concerns have sort of forced you into preparing for a pitching role this spring. Were you expecting to pitch this season? And what has your mentality been like trying to get ready to help your team in the circle? Is it hard to switch gears from playing third base to pitching?
"I came to Nebraska hoping to help the team in any possible way. I did not know I would possibly need to pitch, but I was ready to be versatile. Our team is solid all the way around, and I know that we can make any situation work and be successful."

What are your personal expectations for this season and your expectations for the team?
"Personally I hope that I can bring something to every game that will attribute to the team's success. As for the team, our ultimate goal is to be playing in June! We have the depth and commitment to make this season a memorable one."