Last year, Wichita State softball failed to make an NCAA Regional for the first time since 2020, losing the American Athletic Conference (AAC) championship game on home turf.
It’s an outcome some players still think about — and they’re determined to come back stronger in this campaign. Graduate student Lauren Lucas, who missed last season with an injury, said she’s still “bitter” about how the year ended.
“I think everybody’s got a nasty taste in their mouth,” Lucas said. “It’s not typical of our program for things to not fall our way. And, you know, I think … all the returners know that there’s something that we can do about it … we’re coming back and we’re coming back better than before.”
The Shockers might play a little differently this year. Addison Barnard and CC Wong, All-America players last year who mashed the ball for home runs, graduated.
Head coach Kristi Bredbenner said Wichita State is pivoting away from power and home runs toward speed and athleticism.
“I don’t know that we’re definitely a home run, every single person in the lineup, type team,” Bredbenner said. “We’re definitely going to be a little bit faster, a little more explosive gap-to-gap type team. But we’ll still have the home runs that we’re known for, but we’re going to find some different ways, probably, to get on base a little bit.”
Wichita State was picked to finish first in the AAC in the preseason coaches poll. Still, Bredbenner isn’t taking anything for granted.
“It’s going to be a dog fight,” she said. “I mean, just like it was last year, you know, every single day, you’ve got to show up and play and be ready to go.”
Returning bats
The return of Lucas, a third-team All-American as a junior, will be a major boost to the WSU lineup. Bredbenner speculated that Lucas would have led the Shockers to six to eight more wins last year. While Lucas is important on the field, she’s also provided a boost off it.
“It’s nice to have somebody who’s been through the grind from a leadership perspective,” Bredbenner said. “That has the at-bats, that has the experience and has that level of success that can lead our team … not only do you have those RBIs coming back, but you have that leadership, and I think that’s been a huge key for us this year.”
The Shocker infield will largely remain the same as last year. Looking at the infield, Bredbenner said two players are the best at their position in the conference: senior third baseman Krystin Nelson and junior second baseman Sami Hood.
Junior Taylor Sedlacek bopped 14 home runs last year, which tied for the second-most on the team. She will continue to play shortstop, and senior Caroline Tallent will play at first base.
Comparatively, the outfield will be all-new this year, with Lucas joined by two transfers: junior Jodie Epperson and graduate student Ellee Eck. Bredbenner said the outfield will be “super fast,” with true freshmen Morgan Lloyd and Brookelyn Livanec making a case for playing time.
Lucas said the speed and defense the outfield provides will be important.
“I’m thinking our defense is going to be key, because if we’re not able to supply the same power as in the past … I think speed will be a big game changer for us,” Lucas said.
The biggest question mark in the lineup, according to Bredbenner, is at catcher. Sophomore Sophie Johnson and freshmen Catelyn Beckerley and Gabby Scott will compete for playing time.
“They’re young,” Bredbenner said. “They don’t quite know the pace of the game yet. They’re still learning … But they’re … capable. And, you know, it’s going to kind of come down to who becomes the best battery (mate) with our pitching staff. Who makes our pitching staff the best?”
Last year, the Shockers ranked 272nd in the country in stolen bases per game out of 296 teams. This year, Bredbenner wants the team to place in the top 100. That could help the team manufacture runs in games where, last year, the Wichita wind blew long balls back into the stadium.
“We’ve got to find ways to drive the runs in with line drives, ground balls, things like that, and those types of moments,” Bredbenner said. “And I think those are some of those lessons learned that we struggled with a little bit last year, that we’ve got to change for this year.”
Young pitching rotation
Wichita State will sport a young pitching staff this year. Returning junior Alex Aguilar and sophomore Chloe Barber will be joined by redshirt freshman Erica Schertz and true freshmen Ava Sliger and Ryley Nihart.
Bredbenner said the pitchers have been working on throwing strikes and pitching to contact this year.
“We had way too many walks in the 2024 season, and so just (to) kind of see them seeing the (strike) zone and really pounding it has been, you know, a really good, productive season so far for us when it comes to development,” she said.
The young pitchers are going to “take their lumps” against good hitters, but Bredbenner expressed hope that they’ll improve throughout the year.
Barber led the team in wins, earned run average and started last year as a true freshman. Bredbenner said she could be “one of the best pitchers in the country” — but she has to have that confidence in herself.
“That’s going to be what’s going to be her bread and butter, is, can she stay level-headed in the game and not be so hard on herself?” Bredbenner said. “And that’s where she got herself into trouble last year.”
Aguilar battled through injuries a year ago, resulting in a worse season statistically than her 2023 campaign. Now that she’s healthy, Bredbenner said the team is counting on her from a leadership standpoint.
“She’s matured in a lot of ways, but I think for her, she’s become more of a leader in that bullpen because she does have a lot of young eyes looking at her,” Bredbenner said. “She’s the oldest one as a junior, and, you know, having her healthy and really confident in her abilities is going to be a big one for us.”
The pitch-to-contact approach will be boosted by what Bredbenner expects to be a “special” defense that will make plays to help the staff.
“We’re going to try to turn double plays, and we’re going to need to throw out runners, and we’re going to have to be able to make big plays in the outfield,” she said.
Season expectations
WSU will face a challenge with its non-conference schedule. The Shockers will play 11 power-conference opponents throughout the season.
Bredbenner admitted that missing the NCAA Tournament last year was and continues to be a “thorn on the girls’ side.” Still, she’s focused on seeing improvement during the year.
“I think the biggest thing is we (have) just got to continue to keep getting better every single day, and when that first weekend rolls around, set the tone and continue to grow from there,” Bredbenner said.
Some of Wichita State’s players are setting higher expectations.
“I think we will and can win the conference tournament and go to the NCAA tournament,” Eck said. “So that’s (the) baseline goal right there. But I think we can push ourselves farther than that. I think we can make a super regional. But, you know, baby steps. Can’t get too ahead of ourselves.”
Lucas summed up her mindset going into the season.
“We’re hard-headed, we’re stubborn, we’re bitter about not seeing the postseason last year, and we’re going to come back with a vengeance,” Lucas said. “And if I were other teams, I would be worried about us.”
