Skip To Main Content

Wichita State Athletics

Events

Full Schedule
Liz Broyles

Shockers Begin Conference Play Saturday

3/18/2016 12:26:00 PM

March 19 – Wichita State (12-9) vs. Northern Iowa (20-6), 12:00 p.m.
March 19 – Wichita State (12-9) vs. Northern Iowa (20-6), 2:30 p.m.
March 20 – Wichita State (12-9) vs. Northern Iowa (20-6), 12:00 p.m.
 
11224Listen | 11225 Live Stats | Promotions | 11226 Tickets
 
 
Date: March 19-20, 2016
Location: Wichita, Kan.
Stadium: Wilkins Stadium
Free Audio: www.goshockers.com/watch
Talent: Steve Strain
Series: Wichita State Leads, 50-38
 
Scouting Northern Iowa:
After finishing the 2015 season with an overall record of 22-28 and a record of 15-10 in the Missouri Valley Conference, the Panthers returned seven starters for the 2016 season. The Panthers are led by head coach Ryan Jacobs who has a career record of 229-190.
 
So far in 2016, Northern Iowa has been led by Alyssa Buchanan, both offensively and defensively as she has posted a batting average of .432 in 20 games played and is tied for the team lead in home runs with three.
 
Buchanan also leads the Panthers' pitching staff as she holds a record of 11-2 in 14 appearances and has an ERA of 1.45. Chelsea Ross also has 16 appearances with a record of 8-3, with a team-high 84 strikeouts.
 
Series History: Wichita State has faced Northern Iowa a total of 88 times with the Shockers leading the series, 50-38. Both teams faced off last year in a three game series as the Shockers took two of the three games. Under head coach Kristi Bredbenner, the Shockers are 5-6 against the Panthers.
 
Shockers News and Notes:
 
2016: The Shockers have started the 2016 season with a 12-9 record and a team batting average of .291. Last weekend, Wichita State hosted their first home game of the season and the Shockers are now 3-0 at Wilkins Stadium.
 
Offensively, Paige Luellen has led the way for the Shockers hitting .411 in 21 games while also leading the team in doubles (7), RBIs (25), and walks (20).
 
Jenni Brooks is leading the Shockers pitching staff with an ERA of 2.66 in 14 appearances and a record of 6-2.
 
But does she get on base?
After 21 games into the 2016 season, redshirt-sophomore Paige Luellen has reached base in all 21 games, pushing her on-base streak to 26 games after reaching base in the last five games of her freshman season in 2014.
 
2015 In Review: Wichita State finished the 2015 season with an overall record of 34-23 and a 16-11 record in the Missouri Valley Conference giving the Shockers a fourth place finish.
 
Eight of Nine Starters Returning: Wichita State is returning every starter from the 2015 team except catcher Melanie Jaegers, who was a big contributor for the Shockers, hitting .282 and starting all 57 games. Among the position starters returning for Wichita State is Cacy Williams (first base/right field), Liz Broyles (second base), Kelli Spring (shortstop), Mackenzie Wright (third base), Brittany Fortner (left field), Ashley Johnson (center field) and Macklin Hitz (first base). Overall, these returners combined for a batting average of .328 while collecting 202 of the team's 272 RBIs and also hitting 35 of the team's 44 homeruns.
 
2015 All-MVC: The trio of returners, Fortner, Wright and Williams, along with Jaegers who graduated were all named 2015 First Team All-MVC, while Malone, Broyles and Spring were named Second Team All-MVC.
 
Fortner's Historic Season: Fortner finished her junior season with a .416 batting average (second in team history for a single season, tied for the Valley lead), 74 hits (tied the all-time hits record in a season in team history, led the Valley), 47 runs scored (led the Valley, third in team history for a single season), 45 RBIs (third in the Valley, third all-time in a single season in team history), 18 doubles (tied for second in the Valley, set the all-time team mark for doubles in a single season this season), 121 total bases (second in the Valley, second all-time in a single season in WSU SB history), a .502 OB% (second in the Valley) and 0.82 runs scored per game (led the Valley)
 
Climbing the ranks: After two doubles against Nebraska and a double against Oklahoma State, Brittany Fortner is currently second all-time in the Shocker record book with 47 doubles, needing six more to take over first place.
 
Williams is also tied for ninth in doubles (33) and needs just one more to jump into seventh.
 
Williams is tied for sixth place with 106 runs scored needing just four more to jump into the top five.
 
Fortner is also 10th in hits (183), ninth in homeruns (17), seventh in RBIs (102), sixth in total bases (285) and tied for 11th in walks (68).
 
Williams is also third in homeruns (28) and ninth in RBIs (98).
 
Missouri Valley favorites: Wichita State was picked as the 2016 MVC preseason favorite, as voted on by the Valley coaches. The Shockers collected 84 points and three first-place votes to make this the second year in a row that the Shockers have been the Missouri Valley favorites.
 
2016 Preseason All-MVC: After being named to the All-MVC First Team a season ago, Fortner, Wright and Williams have all been selected for the preseason All-MVC First Team.
 
-Wichita State-
Print Friendly Version