The RoundHouse | 5/27/2021 6:32:00 PM
The examination of the records set by Wichita State softball in 2021 starts with the winning percentage.
The Shockers went 41-13-1, a 75.5 percentage for the best mark in the program's 48 seasons. The 2005 Shockers went 46-18 – the program's high for wins– to compile a 71.9 percentage.
"This team winning 40 games is pretty special," coach
Kristi Bredbenner said. "We obviously lost a lot of games because of COVID. We started a week later than everybody else. We had quite a few games canceled here and there because of weather. We didn't play a ton of cakewalk teams."
The Shockers set that mark with a well-rounded team. Defense and pitching played important roles. Home runs, however, are the legacy. The Shockers hit 103 of them, 44 more than the mark set in 2018.
Both teams played 55 games.
"The home run total is a record I think will last a long, long time," Bredbenner said.
No team in the American Athletic Conference comes close – UCF hit 57 this season to rank second. The previous mark is 64 by ECU in 2017. The Missouri Valley Conference's best is 83 by Illinois State in 2007.
Entering the season, the NCAA record book lists 23 teams with 103 or more, led by Hawaii's 158 in 2010.
Catcher
Madison Perrigan used the 2021 season to claim career records for home runs (58), RBI (191), total bases (460) and walks (113). She also ranks second with 148 runs and third with 51 doubles.
Shortstop
Sydney McKinney, after three seasons (including the abbreviated 2020), ranks first with a career batting average of .392.
A look at some of the records set by the 2021 Shockers:
Team season
Most runs – 374
Previous – 322 in 2016
RBIs – 353
Previous – 302 in 2016
Total bases – 862
Previous – 740 in 2014
Slugging percentage – .592
Previous – .536 in 2020
Individual season
Batting average – Sydney McKinney .439
Previous – Cacy Williams .424 (2016)
Hits – McKinney 87
Previous – 74 (Brittany Fortner 2015, Katie McGeeney 2005)
Home runs – Addison Barnard 22 (
Madison Perrigan 21)
Previous – Williams 16 (2014)
RBI – Barnard 61 (Perrigan 57)
Previous – Williams 50 (2016)
Career records
Home runs – Perrigan 58 (2017-2021)
Previous – 39 (
Laurie Derrico 2016-19, Williams 2014-16)
RBI – Perrigan 191 (2017-2021)
Previous – Paige Luellen 153 (2013-18)
Walks – Perrigan 113 (2017-21)
Previous – Luellen 106 (2013-18)
Total bases – Perrigan 460 (2017-2021)
Previous – Britnee Barnett 393 (2005-08)
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
