Huskers Ready for Shocker InvitationalHuskers Ready for Shocker Invitational
Hailey Haar
Softball

Huskers Ready for Shocker Invitational

The No. 18 Nebraska softball team will travel to Wichita, Kan., for its third tournament of the year at the Shocker Invitational on Feb. 28-March 1. NU will play five games over three days, including a top-25 matchup against No. 16 Oklahoma State.

The Huskers will open the tournament against South Dakota State on Friday, Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. (CT) and will have an immediate turnaround to face off against No. 16 Oklahoma State at 12:30 p.m. (CT). The Big Red will play two games on Saturday -- one against Missouri at 3 p.m. (CT) and one against host Wichita State at 5:30 p.m. (CT). Nebraska will close the Shocker Invitational with another matchup with Missouri at 12 p.m. (CT) on Sunday, March 2. 

Nebraska competed at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic last weekend and compiled a record of 4-2, its first winning record at the tournament since 2011. NU collected wins over Baylor, San Jose State, Howard and Utah and took losses against No. 4 UCLA and No. 8 Duke. As a team, the Huskers hit .331 in Cathedral City and knocked 12 home runs, along with seven doubles and a triple.

The Big Red was tabbed No. 18 by the NFCA this week and No. 16 by D1 Softball, Softball America and USA Softball.

All five games this week and every game this season will have a free radio broadcast with Nate Rohr on the call. The radio broadcast is available at Huskers.com/listen and on the official Huskers app. 

Leading Off

  • The 2025 season marks the sixth season that Nebraska has competed in Wichita State’s home tournament. NU owns a record of 18-4 across its five previous tournaments.
  • The Big Red posted undefeated records in its first three appearances at the Shocker Invitational -- 5-0 in 2005, 5-0 in 2007 and 4-0 in 2009.
  • The Huskers are ranked No. 18 in the NFCA Poll. NU has been ranked every week this season. 
  • Abbie Squier had her fourth multi-homer game against Utah, knocking a home run in the second and fourth innings.
  • In the game against San Jose State, NU  hit four straight home runs in the third inning. That marked the first time in school history that the Big Red hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back homers.
  • Nebraska now has 10 run-rule victories on the season, which is tied for the most in the NCAA.
  • In the Huskers’ 12 victories this season, they have outscored their opponents 134-21, including a 123-19 margin in the run-rule wins.
  • NU has scored 10 runs in nine of its sixteen games this season, including eight of its past 11 games.

Husker Home Run Quick Hitters
The Nebraska softball team has enjoyed a solid start to the season from the plate, most notably with its home run numbers. 

  • Nebraska leads the nation with 36 home runs in only 16 games.
  • NU is on pace to hit 115 home runs in a 51-game regular season. The school record for home runs in a season is 76 in 2022, and the Big Ten record is 118 by Michigan in 2015 (68 games).
  • A total of 12 Huskers have hit a home run this season, including eight players with multiple home runs.
  • The Huskers have homered five times in a game on four occasions this season, including three consecutive games to open the Troy Cox Classic.
  • Nebraska has produced eight innings this season with multiple home runs, including four innings with three or more home runs.
  • Nebraska has hit back-to-back home runs five times this season, including three times with three consecutive home runs that includes a school-record four straight home runs against San Jose State on Feb. 22.
  • Ava Kuszak, Jordy Bahl and Abbie Squier have all had a multi-homer game this season, including a three-home run game from Kuszak against Montana on Feb. 16 which tied the Nebraska and Big Ten records for home runs in a game.
  • Kuszak has hit more home runs herself (10) than 214 NCAA Division I teams and more than eight Big Ten schools.
  • Together, Kuszak (10) and Jordy Bahl (6) have combined for 16 home runs. Their two-player combined total of 16 home runs would rank 28th among all NCAA Division I teams this spring and would be more than 12 Big Ten schools have hit as a team.
  • Five Huskers – Bahl, Kuszak, Bella Bacon, Alina Felix and Malia Thoms – have already matched or exceeded their career highs in home runs.

Huskers in the Record Books
The Nebraska softball team has set numerous program bests, both team and individual, so far this season.

  • The Big Red scored 10+ runs in five straight games from Feb. 14-16 for the first time in program history.
  • NU notched five home runs in three straight games for what is believed to be the first time in school history.
  • In the Huskers’ game against San Jose State at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, they hit four straight home runs for the first time in program history.
  • Nebraska scored 102 runs in its first 10 games of the season, which marked the quickest the team has hit the 100-run milestone.
  • Ava Kuszak posted three home runs in the second game against Montana and is now tied with Kaylan Jablonski and Christie McCoy for the school record.

Bahl Solid at the Plate
Nebraska softball pitcher and utility player Jordy Bahl has not only had an impact in the circle, but her offense is a force to be reckoned with.

  • Jordy Bahl ranks in the top 20 nationally in doubles (9th), home runs (15th) and triples (17th). She is the only player in the country who ranks in the top 20 in each of those categories.
  • Bahl ranks third in the country with 15 extra-base hits, one shy of co-national leaders Taylor Shumaker (Florida) and Allison Benning (North Florida). Bahl has played in four fewer games than Shumaker and three fewer games than Benning.
  • On the season, 15 of Bahl’s 22 hits have gone for extra bases. She averages an extra-base hit every 2.9 at bats and 1.0 extra-base hit per game.
  • Bahl also ranks fifth nationally in total bases (51), 13th in slugging percentage (1.159) and 14th in runs scored (19).
  • Bahl has nearly as many hits herself as she has allowed as a pitcher. Bahl has 22 hits in 44 at bats at the plate and in the circle, she has allowed only 23 hits in 155 opponent at bats.
  • Bahl has also scored more runs herself (19) than she has allowed (13) in 43.2 innings in the circle.

What Nebraska Returns in 2025
Nebraska’s 2025 roster consists of 25 total athletes. Fourteen of those are returners.

Huskers Hit the Portal
Nebraska utilized the transfer portal this offseason, bringing in six new players -- Hannah and Lauren Camenzind and Kacie Hoffmann from Arkansas, Olivia DiNardo from Arizona, Kylee Magee from Arizona State and Ava Kuszak from Wisconsin.

  • Hannah Camenzind was a second-team All-SEC member in 2023. Over her two seasons with the Razorbacks, she posted a 14-3 record with 3.11 ERA over 119.1 total innings. At the plate, she batted .308.
  • Lauren Camenzind was a third-team NFCA All-South Region member in 2023. Over her two seasons at Arkansas, she played in 86 games (79 starts) at both catcher and shortstop.
  • DiNardo racked up numerous accolades during her two years at Arizona. She was a second-team NFCA All-West Region member in 2023 and a Third-Team member in 2024 and was named a Second-Team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honoree in 2023. Over the course of two seasons with the Wildcats, DiNardo started 102 games and built up a batting average of .340, along with 15 doubles, 20 home runs and 74 RBIs.
  • Hoffmann played in 106 games with 96 starts during her time with Arkansas. She hit .244 and logged 16 doubles, 15 home runs and 47 RBIs. 
  • Kuszak earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and third-team NFCA All-Great Lakes Region accolades in 2024. During her two seasons at Wisconsin, she played in 76 games with 65 starts and notched 16 doubles, 10 home runs and 33 RBIs on a .278 batting average.
  • Magee was named a member of the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team at Arizona State in 2023. She suffered an injury early in the 2024 season. She pitched in 27 games with 24 starts and compiled a 3.51 ERA and two saves, along with striking out 79 batters in 89.2 innings.

Huskers Returning from Injuries
Nebraska faced significant adversity in 2024, as a total of six players suffered season-ending injuries, including four that are returning for the 2025 season. Additionally, Arizona State transfer Kylee Magee had to use the offseason for rehab. 

  • Jordy Bahl suffered a knee injury in the Huskers’ 2024 season opener that required season-ending surgery. Bahl was a First-Team All-American, the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and one of 10 national finalists for player of the year in 2022 and 2023. 
  • Abbie Squier, a returning All-Big Ten and all-region selection, returns after being out for the 2024 season due to surgery. In 2022 and 2023, she was the Big Red’s starting left fielder. 
  • Dakota Carter, the Huskers’ designated player, was deemed out for the 2024 season before it even began. In 2023, she scored 13 runs as a pinch runner and appeared in 39 games. 
  • Caitlin Olensky suffered a season-ending injury in the Huskers’ conference opener against Illinois last year. Before her injury, she compiled a record of 3-2 with a team-best 3.30 ERA.
  • Emmerson Cope was out for almost a month of the 2024 season after battling a back injury. When she was in the lineup, the Topeka, Kan., native amassed an ERA of 4.76 in the circle. She racked up 21 hits, 10 runs, six homers and 19 RBIs. 
  • Talia Tokheim missed the first 23 games of the season while rehabbing an injury from 2023. She returned for nine games before suffering another season-ending injury in game three of the Penn State series. In her limited time on the field, she notched 46 total bases and seven home runs.
  • Kylee Magee suffered a season-ending injury after racking up six appearances with four starts in her sophomore year with the Sun Devils. In her first two years at Arizona State, she struck out 79 batters in 89.2 innings. 

Scouting South Dakota State (5-8)
The Jackrabbits are 5-8 on the year and bat .285 as a team after competing at the East Texas A&M Leadoff, Whataburger Invitational and Michelle Short & Adam Brown Tournament. They have knocked 15 home runs and 94 hits so far this season. South Dakota State’s pitching staff posts an ERA of 5.32 and has struck out 58 batters.

  • Amanda Vacanti has a team-high batting average of .429 and is one of four Jackrabbits with an average above .300. She has notched 12 hits, two doubles and seven RBIs.
  • Brooke Dumont is 13-for-32 (.406) on the season with six runs, four home runs and 13 RBIs.
  • Dumont, Alli Boyle and Akayla Barnard have each started all 13 games for South Dakota State.
  • Vacanti also has the lowest ERA of the Jackrabbit pitching staff at 2.74. She has pitched 15.1 innings. Tayler Baker has pitched 19.2 innings and Madi Mangulis has pitched 19.0. Baker has struck out 21 batters and walked 17, while Mangulis has struck out 12 and walked five.
  • Kristina McSweeney is in her third year with South Dakota State and led the Jackrabbits to a regular-season Summit League championship last year.

Scouting #16 Oklahoma State (8-4)
The Cowgirls have compiled a record of 8-4 this season, having competed at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational and Michelle Short & Adam Brown Tournament. They hit .312 as a team and their pitchers own an ERA of 3.38.

  • Rosie Davis is 13-for-34 (.382) with a team-high 16 RBIs, along with three home runs and two doubles this season.
  • Megan Delgadillo has notched 16 hits and four RBIs, along with nine runs scored for Oklahoma State.
  • Karli Godwin and Tallen Edwards each have six RBIs and four doubles and have started all 12 games for the Cowgirls.
  • Nebraska native Ruby Meylan leads the Oklahoma State pitching staff with a 2.06 ERA and 3-0 record across 34.0 innings. She has struck out 40 batters and walked only eight and has allowed 10 earned runs.
  • Katie Kutz has pitched 24.0 innings, compiled a record of 5-1 and struck out 20 batters for Oklahoma State.
  • Kenny Gajewski took over in 2016 and has led the Cowgirls to the NCAA Tournament every year, including five Women’s College World Series. 

Scouting Missouri (8-8)
The Tigers are an even 8-8 on the season after competing at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational and Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Missouri bats .259 as a team and owns an ERA of 3.58. 

  • Julia Crenshaw is 18-for-50 this season and leads the Tigers with a .360 batting average. She also has knocked three home runs and four doubles and scored 15 runs.
  • Stefania Abruscato has posted 14 hits with a .326 batting average, and contributed 10 RBIs, five doubles and two homers.
  • Madison Walker has notched a team-high five home runs this season.
  • Five players for the Tigers have over 10 hits, and three of those players – Crenshaw, Abruscato and Claire Cahalan – own a batting average above .300.
  • Marissa McCann is Missouri’s ace, having pitched 40.2 innings and compiled an ERA of 2.93. She has struck out 28 batters and allowed 17 earned runs.
  • Larissa Anderson was named the head coach at Missouri prior to the 2019 season and has a 225-123 record so far.

Scouting Wichita State (9-5)
The Shockers have competed at the GCU Kickoff Classic, the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational and the OU Tournament and own a record of 9-5 on the season. They hit .285 as a team and their pitching staff posts an ERA of 3.29. 

  • Lauren Lucas leads the Wichita State offense with a .452 batting average (19-for-42), three home runs, five doubles and 14 runs scored.
  • Taylor Sedlacek, Ellee Eck and Sami Hood, along with Lucas, have all started in every game for the Shockers.
  • Sedlacek owns a batting average of .342, along with 13 hits, 11 runs scored, five doubles and three homers.
  • Eck has logged eight RBIs, 14 runs scored, three doubles and a homer on a .341 batting average.
  • Chloe Barber has pitched 37.2 innings for the Shockers and has a record of 2-3 with a 2.04 ERA. She has struck out 36 batters, walked 22 and allowed 11 earned runs.
  • Kristi Bredbenner is in her 14th season with Wichita State in 2025 and has led the Shockers to five NCAA Regional appearances and an NCAA Regional Final appearance.