NEBRASKA SOFTBALL NEBRASKANO. 1 IN SOFTBALL ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS • NO. 13 IN NCAA TOURNAMENT WINS NO. 10 IN WORLD SERIES APPEARANCES • NO. 10 IN NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES SOFTBALL MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT: MATT SMITH OFFICE PHONE: (402) 472-7780 CELL PHONE: (402) 770-5926 E-MAIL: [email protected] 2014 NEBRASKA SCHEDULE (40-15) Date Opponent Time/Result Hotel Encanto Invitational (Las Cruces, N.M.) Feb. 7 vs. UTEP W, 7-0 Practice Day vs. Kansas vs. Missouri/Bradley NCAA Regional Feb. 7 vs. No. 12 Florida State W, 4-3 Thursday, May 15 Friday, May 16 Saturday, May 17 TBD Feb. 8 at New Mexico State W, 11-0 (5) 12:30 p.m. 3:30 or 6 p.m. Feb. 9 vs. No. 12 Florida State L, 1-5 Hilton Houston Plaza Classic (Houston, Texas) WEEK 15: NCAA COLUMBIA REGIONAL Feb. 14 at Houston W, 4-1 Location: Columbia, Mo. l Complex: University Field Feb. 14 vs. Army W, 7-0 Feb. 15 vs. Stephen F. Austin L, 0-1 Live Audio: Huskers.com l Live Video: www.mutigers.com/www.ncaa.com Feb. 15 vs. Sam Houston State W, 2-0 Feb. 16 vs. Sam Houston State W, 7-1 HUSKERS TRAVEL TO MISSOURI FOR NCAA REGIONAL Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic (Cathedral City, Calif.) The 19th-ranked Nebraska softball team begins postseason play this weekend at the NCAA Columbia Feb. 21 vs. No. 12 Texas A&M W, 3-2 (9) Regional, hosted by the University of Missouri. The Huskers will open the regional Friday at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 21 vs. No. 14 Arizona L, 0-7 against Kansas, before the 15th-seeded Tigers host Bradley at 3 p.m. Feb. 22 vs. No. 2 Tennessee L, 3-5 Nebraska is seeking back-to-back trips to the Women’s College World Series, after the Huskers made Feb. 23 vs. No. 8 UCLA L, 2-6 Feb. 23 vs. Boise State W, 4-0 (6) it to Oklahoma City last season. The first step on that journey is winning a tough Columbia Regional, which is one of only four regionals to feature a pair of teams ranked in the top 20 of the two major polls Feb. 28 at Oklahoma State - 1 W, 4-3 Feb. 28 at Oklahoma State - 2 W, 8-4 (No. 13 Missouri and No. 18 Nebraska). March 1 at No. 13 Oklahoma - 1 L, 4-5 The Huskers will open play Friday against a strong Kansas squad that gave Nebraska everything it March 1 at No. 13 Oklahoma - 2 W, 7-2 could handle in a 1-0 Husker victory on March 15. Bradley or Missouri awaits Nebraska on Saturday. Judi Garman Classic (Fullerton, Calif.) Bradley erupted for 20 runs in three games en route to winning the Missouri Valley Conference March 7 vs. No. 7 Arizona State L, 0-1 (8) Tournament last weekend. Missouri earned its No. 15 national seed by winning 11 games against ranked March 7 vs. San Jose State W, 4-1 opponents this season. The Tigers have also been one of the nation’s top postseason teams the past few March 8 at Cal State Fullerton W, 9-2 seasons. Missouri has won six consecutive NCAA Regionals, becoming one of only three schools in the March 8 vs. No. 6 Washington W, 2-1 March 9 vs. Fresno State L, 0-1 country to advance to an NCAA Super Regional in each of the past six seasons. Nebraska has faced the nation’s third-toughest non-conference schedule according to the NCAA RPI, Jayhawk Invitational (Lawrence, Kan.) March 14 vs. Jackson State W, 8-0 (5) and the Huskers hope that challenging schedule will help them this weekend. NU owns a 10-10 record March 15 vs. Northern Illinois W, 10-2 (6) against the 2014 NCAA Tournament field, including a 4-8 mark against the 16 national seeds and a March 15 at Kansas W, 1-0 6-2 record against non-seeded teams. The Huskers also challenged themselves on the road this season, March 19 Iowa State W, 10-3 posting a 16-4 record in opposing stadiums. NU’s 16 road wins this season rank second in the country. March 21 No. 16 Minnesota* L, 2-7 The Huskers also appear to be playing their best softball heading into the postseason. Despite an March 23 No. 16 Minnesota - 1* L, 4-13 early exit from the Big Ten Tournament, Nebraska has won 14 of its last 16 games, outscoring its March 23 No. 16 Minnesota - 2* W, 3-2 opponents 117-21 during that stretch. Since April 1, the Huskers are 17-4, and NU has outscored its March 26 at UNO W, 10-0 (5) opponents by an average of more than five runs per game during that time. March 28 at No. 23 Northwestern* L, 2-10 (5) Nebraska is makings its 18th NCAA Tournament appearance in the past 20 seasons. Overall, the March 29 at No. 23 Northwestern* W, 13-3 March 30 at No. 23 Northwestern* W, 10-1 (5) Huskers have appeared in 22 NCAA Tournaments, the 10th-most appearances in NCAA history. NU also ranks 10th in NCAA history with seven trips to the Women’s College World Series and 13th win 55 all- April 2 Creighton (BTN) W, 5-2 April 5 at Illinois - 1* L, 4-11 time NCAA Tournament wins. Rhonda Revelle owns a 39-35 record in 18 postseason appearances. April 5 at Illinois - 2* W, 9-4 HUSKERS TO WATCH NEBRASKA BY THE NUMBERS April 6 at Illinois* W, 12-2 (5) Tatum Edwards, Sr., RHP Nebraska has won 55 games in the NCAA April 8 UNO L, 2-3 April 9 Northern Iowa W, 4-0 One of the nation’s top dual pitching Tournament, owning an all-time record of April 11 Iowa - 1* W, 5-2 and hitting threats, All-American 55 55-45. The Huskers’ 55 victories rank 13th April 11 Iowa - 2* W, 9-1 (6) Tatum Edwards is one of only two in NCAA Division I history. April 12 Iowa* W, 18-0 (5) players in 2014 who rank in the top 50 nationally in home runs and wins. In Nebraska is officially participating in its April 18 Ohio State* W, 14-1 (5) the circle, Edwards is 7-1 with a 1.40 ERA over her last 22nd NCAA Tournament appearance. NU’s April 19 Ohio State - 1* W, 8-0 (6) April 19 Ohio State - 2* W, 8-0 (5) eight starts. At the plate, she is hitting .383 with nine 22 all-time NCAA Tournament appearances 22 April 25 at Michigan State* W, 2-0 homers and 29 RBIs in her last 15 games. rank 10th in NCAA history. April 26 at Michigan State* W, 6-0 Taylor Edwards, Sr., C NU is 16-4 in road games this season, April 27 at Michigan State (BTN)* W, 8-0 (6) One of the country’s best catchers, ranking second nationally in road wins. April 30 at Wisconsin - 1 (BTN)* W, 12-0 (5) All-American Taylor Edwards is one of The Huskers are 6-3 in road games against April 30 at Wisconsin - 2 (BTN)* L, 4-6 16 May 2 Indiana* W, 3-1 the nation’s top sluggers. She ranks teams in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. fourth among all active players with May 3 Indiana* W, 3-0 200 career RBIs, fifth with 146 career Nebraska, UCF and Dartmouth each have May 4 Indiana* W, 8-3 walks and sixth with 53 career home runs. Edwards only four upperclassmen on their roster, May 9 vs. Ohio St. (BTN) L, 5-7 (8) holds 16 school records and a pair of NCAA records, 4 the fewest of any team in the NCAA May 11 vs. Kansas 12:30 p.m. and she earned a spot on the 2013 All-WCWS team. Tournament, according to research by UCF. May 12 vs. Missouri/Bradley 3:30/6 p.m. NEBRASKA SOFTBALL NATIONAL LEADER IN ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS 2 UNIVERSITY INFORMATION SCOUTING THE KANSAS Jayhawks (33-21) Location Lincoln, Neb. Kansas brings a 33-21 record into the NCAA Tournament. The TALE OF THE TAPE Population 264,501 Jayhawks swept a three-game series from Iowa State last weekend. Founded 1869 Category NEB KU Before sweeping the Cyclones, KU had lost eight of its last nine Record 40-15 33-21 Enrollment 24,445 and 11 of its last 13. Kansas was 5-11 in its final 16 regular- Average .301 .293 Nickname Cornhuskers/Huskers Home Runs 61 31 Colors Scarlet & Cream season games, but nine of those 16 games came against NCAA Slugging Pct. .494 .417 Conference Big Ten Tournament teams, including six road games vs. top-16 seeds. On-Base Pct. .393 .389 Chancellor Harvey Perlman, J.D. Offensively, Kansas owns a .293 team batting average, and Stolen Bases 35 27 Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst the Jayhawks are averaging 4.4 runs per game. Four Jayhawks are Runs/Game 5.7 4.4 hitting above .300. Chaley Brickey leads KU with a .375 average ERA 2.03 2.59 that includes 10 doubles, 11 homers, 38 RBIs and 39 walks. NEBRASKA COACHING STAFF Runs Allowed/Game 2.5 2.8 Maddie Stein ranks second on the team with a .353 average and Head Coach Rhonda Revelle (Nebraska, 1984) Shutouts 17 15 Career Record 847-454 (.651) [23rd year] 12 doubles, while she leads the Jayhawks with 39 RBIs. Ashley Strikeouts/Game 5.8 7.8 Nebraska Record 839-438 (.657) [22nd year] Newman is hitting .333 this spring with a team-high 12 stolen Fielding Pct.