For graduate transfer Johnna Schroeder, this season isn’t just a fresh start — it’s a return to something familiar. A full circle moment where past connections meet new beginnings on the diamond.
She now plays under Kristi Bredbenner, who ended her collegiate playing career at Truman State with Johnna’s mother, Kristy Schroeder, as head coach.
“I know the impact Coach Shroeder made in my life, and the opportunities that she gave me,” said Bredbenner, who’s entering her 15th season as Wichita State’s head softball coach. “It’s kind of cool to be able to give her daughter that same type of opportunity, and hopefully rejuvenate her and her love for the game.”
Schroeder, who transferred from Stanford over the offseason, suffered from ACL tears in both knees in two separate seasons. Those setbacks, she admitted, dimmed the fire that drew her to softball, but didn’t put it out.
Conversations after entering the transfer portal with former teammate at Stanford, Ellee Eck — who swapped the Cardinal red for the Shocker black and yellow last season — helped to reignite Schroeder’s flame. Eck spoke of how her experience at Wichita State helped her to fall back in love with the game.
“When she was kind of telling me how great of an experience she had, on top of what I knew about Coach B,” Schroeder said. “I kind of had an idea after I talked to her about it that I wanted to come here.”
More encouraging talks with Bredbenner after she entered the transfer portal, from the fans, to the culture that surrounds the program, were bigger pushes.
“People really care about the university and the sports teams,” Schroeder said. “I think that’s kind of a thing within the Midwest or even the South. Even though there’s a lot of great fans at Stanford, I don’t think it’s like, the same pride that people would have out here, which I think is really neat, and is something that I wanted to experience.”
In recent years, Bredbenner has had a knack at finding gems in the portal — offering a second chance to underutilized players at their previous schools.
Names like CC Wong, Sydney McKinney and Eck come to mind. Wong was the NCAA’s batting average leader in 2024. Eck tied a program-record with three home runs in a single game last season. McKinney, a midseason transfer from Missouri her freshman year, rewrote record books in Wilkins Stadium.
“We’re just here giving kids a fair shot, giving them a chance to fall in love with the game again,” Bredbenner said. “We don’t have any magic Kool Aid here that is creating a completely different experience for them, but sometimes it’s just a different approach … I think it’s the people, and it’s the relationships, and it’s the opportunity.
“Sometimes you don’t get what you want the first time around, and so we’ve benefitted from giving kids their second chance.”
Schroeder has the tools to make her own mark. A 5-foot-8 left with defensive versatility, she brings a smooth swing and some pop at the plate. Even with limited reps, Bredbenner sees potential.
“(She’s a) left-handed hitter that plays middle infield, that’s got a great build — no brainer right?” Bredbenner said. “If she’s good enough to play in the Pac-12, the Big Ten, she should be good enough to play at Wichita State.”
As fall practices begin and the 2026 season creeps closer, Schroeder is ready to step back onto the field — not only to play, but to write a new chapter.
“You’re always going to remember the people and the memories probably more than you’re going to remember what you did in your last at bat,” she said. “I think really cherishing everyone around you, and encouraging everyone, and the different activities that you do as a team — they stick with you.”
