Softball | 1/9/2025 8:05:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Ellee Eck enjoyed softball at Stanford and appreciated the academic and athletic prestige. Thanks to the transfer portal, she is thrilled to spend her final year of eligibility playing at Wichita State, the school she committed to as a freshman at Andale High School.
 
"It makes you realize how good home is," she said. "I love the team dynamic, and I love my coaches. I feel a lot more free, and a lot more confident in myself."
 

The Shockers opened practices on Wednesday with a conditioning session in the morning and indoor workouts in the afternoon. Much of the talk focused on the team's speed and the importance of defense. Eck, who played in 148 games for Stanford over three seasons, is expected to play a major role in both as part of a new-look outfield loaded with fast defenders.
 
"Tenacious, hard worker, fun to be around," senior outfielder Lauren Lucas said. "She's fast. We're going to have the ability to cover a lot of ground."
 
Eck played in 45 games last spring for Stanford, mostly as a pinch-runner. She didn't want to end her college career with three at-bats in a season, so she entered the transfer portal. She intended to play for WSU before Stanford recruited her as a senior at Andale. Her familiarity with coach Kristi Bredbenner and the program led her back home.
 
"That was my only choice," Eck said. "(Bredbenner) contacted me the day I entered the portal, and I was overjoyed. I was so happy to get that text."
 
Wichita State went 28-22 last season and lost in the American Athletic Conference Championship final. With a power ranking of No. 60, they missed an at-large bid and sat out NCAA play after three straight appearances.
 
Lucas, who sat out last season with a right shoulder injury, is focused on a return. In 2023, she earned Softball America third-team All-America honors after hitting .384 with 16 doubles and 62 RBI, second on WSU's season list.
 
"We're stubborn," she said. "We're bitter about not being in post-season last year. We're going to come back with a vengeance."
 
Lucas' return boosts a lineup that lost outfielder Addison Barnard, whose 93 career home runs rank fifth in NCAA history, and CC Wong, who hit .470 with 14 home runs in her one season at WSU.

Bredbenner is counting on Eck to help with her speed and pop she didn't get an opportunity to show at Stanford.
 
"Ellee's got some power," Bredbenner said. "When she meets it, she crushes it."
 
Eck credits Shocker practice routines with her in a good hitting mind-set. She said her work in the weight room with Audry Horn, assistant director of sports performance, is also helping.
 
"We do tons of live situations at practice," she said. "Between that and a tee, you're going to get better. I'm definitely a lot stronger, so I feel my ball is going farther."
 
Bredbenner starts the spring giving Eck a slight edge to play center field with Lucas in left. Jodie Epperson, a transfer from North Texas, is slotted in right field. Epperson also provides speed in the outfield and Bredbenner likes her offensive potential.
 
"Jodie can hit the ball out of the park," Bredbenner said. "She has quick hands and does a great job barreling it up."
 
Eck played on two College World Series teams at Stanford. She shares Lucas' desire to get Wichita State back into regional play. To do so, Wichita State's new, but experienced, outfield will need to take full advantage of its speed.
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university   Communications.   Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.