March 3-5 | Lincoln, Neb. | Bowlin Stadium

Thursday:
Wichita State at Nebraska | 5:00 PM 

Friday:
Wichita State vs. South Dakota State | 12:00 PM
Wichita State at Nebrasak | 2:30 PM

Saturday:
Wichita State vs. South Dakota State | 12:00 PM

QUICK HITS
• Wichita State will play two games each against Nebraska and South Dakota State this weekend in Lincoln, Neb.
• Wichita State is 6-4 in its last 10 games.
• Wichita State is 20-25 in season openers and 8-3 under 11th year head coach Kristi Bredbenner.
• Wichita State has won eight of its last nine season openers.
• Wichita State is coming off a 3-1 showing at the Niner Invitational.
• Addison Barnard now has 30 career home runs, placing her in a tie for 7th on the Wichita State home run list.
• Barnard ranks second in the nation with 8 home runs.
• Barnard ranks third in the country in stolen bases with 14. Her 14 steals already surpass her total from 2021.
• Neleigh Herring is tied for 11th on the career home run list with 24.
• Wichita State claimed the first two American Player of the Week honors of 2022: Addison Barnard (Feb. 14) and Sydney McKinney (Feb. 21). Zoe Jones was named to the weekly honor roll on Feb. 28.
• Wichita State ranks in the Top 20 nationally in home runs per game (3rd), total home runs (4th), slugging percentage (5th), scoring (6th), fielding percentage (12th), batting average (16th), on base percentage (19th), doubles (19th) and doubles per game (19th).
• Sydney McKinney and sophomore Addison Barnard were named preseason All-Americans by Softball America, becoming the first Shocker duo to earn preseason All-American honors in school history.
• Wichita State was ranked No. 25 (NFCA, USA Softball, Softball America) in three of the four major polls entering the season.
• Wichita State was picked by the league's coaches to repeat as American Athletic Conference Champions in the preseason coaches poll.
• The Shockers garnered four first place votes and finished with 33 points in the preseason coaches poll. South Florida was picked second with 31 total points, followed by UCF (29).
• Wichita State has only 11 home games on the schedule for 2022, which is tied for the fewest in school history (1983).
• Head Coach Kristi Bredbenner is just 19 wins away from becoming Wichita State's all-time winningest coach. Jim Maynard sits in first with 313 career wins.
• Bredbenner is just 5 wins shy of 300 career victories at Wichita State.
• Sydney McKinney is just 5 hits away from cracking the top 10 list for hits at Wichita State. McKinney set the single season record a season ago with 87.

SCOUTING NEBRASKA
Nebraska enters the weekend at 8-5 after winning a three-game series at Kansas. The Huskers are hitting .315 as a team with 21 home runs. Billie Andrews leads the offensive attack with seven home runs, 14 RBI and a .452 batting average. Abbie Squier is right behind sporting a .432 average. Sydney Gray leads with 19 RBI to go with six homers. Through 13 games the pitching staff is carrying a 4.29 ERA and opponents are hitting .295. Olivia Ferrell is 3-2 with a 3.27 ERA and Courtney Wallace is 5-2 with a 4.23 ERA in 38.1 innings. The duo of Ferrell and Wallace have thrown all but 12.2 innings.

SERIES HISTORY
Wichita State and Nebraska have a storied history that dates back to 1978 when the two programs met for the first time. The two midwest programs faced each other nearly every year from 1989-2000. The Huskers own a 36-23 advantage in the all-time series, but Wichita State has won five of the last six meetings. Nebraska won the last matchup in 2020, snapping the Shockers' five-game win streak.

LAST MEETING WITH THE HUSKERS
The two programs met in 2020 just before the season was canceled due to COVID-19. Wichita State and Nebraska split the two games at the Mizzou Tournament in Columbia, Mo. Wichita State crushed Nebraska in the first game, 17-5, on Feb. 29. The Shockers scored five runs in the 5th, four in the 6th and 5 in the 7th to blow the game wide open. The next day, Wichita State built a 7-3 lead after three innings and led 7-6 after five innings, but a two-run sixth inning proved to be the deciding factor as Nebraska made the comeback to win 8-7.

SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
South Dakota State is 8-4 through the first three weeks of the season, coming off a doubleheader sweep of Creighton. The Jackrabbits outscored the Bluejays 26-0 in the two games. Rozelyn Carrillo hits a team-best .410 with five doubles. She also has a home run and seven RBI. Cylie Halvorson leads the team in home runs (4) and RBI (13). As a team South Dakota State hits .288 with 14 home runs and 15 doubles. In the circle, the Jackrabbits turn to their ace, Tori Kniesche. Kniesche is 5-1 with a 2.82 ERA in 38.1 innings. She has throw three complete games in seven appearances to go with 53 strikeouts.

SERIES HISTORY
Wichita State and South Dakota State have squared off six times on the softball diamond with the Shockers owning a 5-1 record in the series. The first meeting took place back in 1983. Wichita State won the first four games of the series until the Jackrabbits split a doubleheader just a season ago in Wichita.

LAST MEETING WITH THE JACKRABBITS
Wichita State and South Dakota State both recorded record-breaking seasons in 2021, so it was fitting that the two NCAA Tournament teams split a doubleheader in Wichita on March 9. South Dakota State built an early 3-0 lead and was able to hold off a late comeback bid by Wichita State to earn a 4-3 win in game one of the doubleheader. It looked like South Dakota State might pull off the doubleheader sweep until a fifth inning Neleigh Herring two-run home run put Wichita State in front, 5-3. That score would hold over the final two innings, giving the Shockers a 5-3 win in the nightcap.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State went 3-1 at the Niner Invitational in Charlotte, N.C. last weekend. The Shockers defeated Northern Iowa (9-5) to open the tournament, but fell to Charlotte in a high-scoring contest, 10-7. Wichita State came back the next day to shutout Minnesota, 4-0, and then got payback against Charlotte, routing the 49ers, 10-2. Wichita State hit three grand slams over the weekend - two of them belonging to Addison Barnard. Freshman Alison Cooper threw a complete game shutout, four hitter, in the win over Minnesota.

SPEED AND POWER
Sophomore Addison Barnard is in a league of her own when it comes to combining speed and power. Barnard is the only player in the NCAA to have at least 8 home runs and 10 or more stolen bases this season. Through 13 games in 2022 Barnard has 8 home runs, 14 stolen bases and 21 RBI.

HONOR ROLL
Junior Zoe Jones was named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll on Feb. 28. Jones hit .400 in four games at the Niner Invitational, including three doubles and scoring seven runs.

A GRAND WEEKEND
Entering last weekend's Niner Invitational, Wichita State had hit 19 home runs on the season, but zero grand slams. That changed in a big way in Charlotte. The Shockers crushed three grand slams in three days - two of them belonging to Addison Barnard. The other came off the bat of freshman Cassie Passwaters. It was her first career home run.

MCKINNEY CLAIMS FIRST PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior Sydney McKinney added her first American Athletic Conference Player of the Week honor (Feb. 21) of the season following another stellar weekend. McKinney hit .438 (7-for-16) in four games to go with a double, two triples, two home runs, five runs, five RBI and a 1.125 slugging percentage. This is the third career Player of the Week honor for McKinney after picking up two a season ago.

THE BOMBS ARE BACK
Wichita State graduated four seniors in the every day lineup in 2021, including 44 of the team's 103 home runs. It would be natural to question the offense in 2022 with as much production that Wichita State lost. At the opening tournament in Huntsville (Feb. 11-13), Wichita State hit 11 home runs in the five games, which was six more than the Shockers hit on opening weekend a year ago. After hitting eight at the Razorback Invitational and seven more at this past weekend's Niner Invitational, their season total is up to 26. Addison Barnard leads with eight, followed by Sydney McKinney with four, Neleigh Herring and Bailey Urban with three and Zoe Jones, Lauren Lucas and Lauren Mills have two each. Freshmen Cassie Passwaters and Krystin Nelson hit their first career home runs in Charlotte.

BARNARD TABBED PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore Addison Barnard took home the first American Player of the Week honor of the season on Feb. 14. The Beatrice, Neb., native hit .500 (8-for-16) over the weekend at the Bearkat Classic (Feb. 11-13). Barnard recorded 3 home runs, 7 RBI, 4 walks, 9 stolen bases and 11 runs.

WANTED FOR THEFT
Sophomore Addison Barnard stole a career-high three bases in the opener vs. Dayton (Feb. 11), becoming the first Shocker to swipe three bags in a game since Mackenzie Wright on Feb. 27, 2016. She added two more in both games vs. Sam Houston and Houston Baptist. Barnard finished opening weekend with nine steals in 10 attempts. She added four more at the Razorback Invitational. After the first three weekends of play Barnard ranks third in the nation with 14 steals.

DOWN GOES ANOTHER SCHOOL RECORD
Sophomore Addison Barnard is making it a habit of putting her name in the record books. Barnard broke the single game school record for runs, scoring five at Sam Houston on Sunday, Feb. 13. She scored 11 runs over the weekend after previously setting a career high with four against Dayton on Feb. 11.

HOME RUN LIST
Sophomore Addison Barnard needed only 54 career games to crack the top 10 home run list at Wichita State. Barnard now has 30 career home runs, placing her in a tie for seventh all time at Wichita State.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
Junior Zoe Jones didn't waste any time etching her name in the Wichita State record books. The Texas Tech transfer tied a single game record with three doubles vs. Sam Houston on Feb. 13.

ELITE COMPANY
Junior Sydney McKinney has a career batting average of .400. That number places her among the elite in all of college softball. Her batting average places her 20th on the active list for career batting average in NCAA DI. She is only three percentage points from moving into the top 20.

A PAIR OF PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
Wichita State junior Sydney McKinney and sophomore Addison Barnard picked up All-American honors on Feb. 7. The duo were named Preseason Third Team All-Americans by Softball America after producing stellar, record-breaking seasons for Wichita State in 2021.

TOP 50 WATCH LIST
Junior Sydney McKinney was named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List on Jan. 26. McKinney is one of only two players from the American Athletic Conference on the prestigious list, joining South Florida's Georgina Corrick. McKinney is coming off an All-American campaign in 2021 where she ranked third nationally in hits.

PRESEASON TOP 100 LOVE
Junior Sydney McKinney and sophomore Addison Barnard were named to the Softball America Preseason Top 100 and the first-ever Extra Elite Top 100 College Player Rankings. McKinney checked in at No. 38 in the Softball America Top 100 and No. 40 in the Extra Elite Top 100 by Extra Inning Softball. Barnard was ranked No. 42 by Softball America and No. 64 by Extra Inning Softball.

MCKINNEY TABBED AAC PRESEASON POY
D1 Softball tabbed Sydney McKinney as the preseason American Athletic Conference Player of the Year on Feb. 1. The publication predicts McKinney will repeat as the conference's top player in 2022 after earning the honor in 2021.

TOUGH SLEDDING
Wichita State will see at least four nationally ranked teams in 2022, highlighted by the preseason No. 1 team in the nation Oklahoma. Wichita State travels to Norman to face the defending National Champions on March 29. The Shockers also face No. 7 Oklahoma State twice in Stillwater and once in Wichita and No. 10 Arkansas in Fayetteville. Wichita State has also faced Illinois, which was currently ranked No. 24 in the Softball America Top 25 and No. 25 in the D1 Top 25.

ROAD WARRIORS
Wichita State has only 11 home games on the schedule for the 2022 season, which is tied for the fewest in school history. The 1983 team also played only 11 home games, but competed in just 29 games total. The Shockers' first 29 games this season are all away from the friendly confines of Wilkins Stadium. Wichita State's home opener isn't until March 23 vs. Kansas.

STAFF ADDITION
Wichita State announced on Jan. 28 the addition of volunteer assistant coach Mary Stephens. Stephens comes to Wichita State after spending a season at Sam Houston and two seasons at Texas Tech as a volunteer assistant. She also spent the 2017 season as a graduate manager for Texas Tech where she earned a master's degree in sport management. She completed her collegiate playing career at Missouri State where she started 207 games in her career for the Bears. She graduated in 2017 with a degree in Park, Sport and Rec Administration. Stephens was a career .281 hitter with 170 hits, 27 doubles and 19 home runs. She drove in 103 runs with a career slugging percentage of .424 and drew 64 walks to finish with an on-base percentage of .353.

BIG SHOES TO FILL
Wichita State graduated five starters from the 2021 team: SP Bailey Lange, C Madison Perrigan, 2B Kaylee Huecker, 3B Ryleigh Buck and CF Bailee Nickerson. Those five combined for 1,024 career starts during their time as Shockers. Career starts lost:  Buck (205), Huecker (162), Lange (233), Nickerson (180) and Perrigan (244).

A SEASON FOR THE RECORD BOOKS
Wichita State is coming off its best season in school history in 2021. The Shockers won 75.5 percent (41-13-1) of their games, which was the best in program history. The 41 wins were the second-most in program history and Wichita State reached the NCAA Regional Final for just the second time in school history.

BARNARD'S BOMBS
As a true freshman Addison Barnard broke the single season home run record on April 13, 2021 vs. Kansas City with her 17th of the season. She broke a tie with Cacy Williams who set the record in 2014. Barnard needed only 34 games to break the program record. She would finish the 2021 campaign with a school and American Athletic Conference record 22 home runs. She enters her sophomore season just three home runs away from cracking the Top 10 on the career charts at Wichita State. Barnard was one of just nine players in the country with 20 or more home runs in 2021.

AMERICAN HISTORY
Wichita State set a program record for conference wins as a member of the American in 2021. They finished 18-5-1 in league play, becoming the first team in American Athletic Conference history to win 18 conference games in a season. Prior to 2021, the Shockers hadn't won more than 12 American conference games. The Shockers went 12-9 (.571) to tie for third in the AAC standings in their debut season in 2018 and added a matching 12-9 record to take fourth in 2019.

HOMERS FOR HI-CHEWS
Head Coach Kristi Bredbenner started a new tradition in 2021 to reward players who hit home runs. Instead of a normal high-five for her players as they round the bases, Bredbenner began tossing a piece of Hi-Chew candy to her home run hitters. Sophomore Madyson Espinosa should be credited for introducing the chewy candy to Coach B at the first tournament of the season down in Conroe, Texas, and thus a new tradition was born. Be on the lookout for the tradition to continue again in 2022.

THE BRED-WINNER
Bredbenner is the second-longest tenured head coach in Wichita State softball history, which has resulted in more than 290 wins in 10 seasons. Bredbenner has the second-highest winning percentage in school history (.552) behind current Florida softball coach Tim Walton. She is just 19 wins away from becoming Wichita State's all-time wins leader.

UP NEXT
Wichita State travels to Springfield, Mo., for midweek action against Missouri State on March 9 at 4 p.m.