Connect with us
Facebook
X
Phone
Text
Stream
Other Stations: 2Day FM 103-1 logo Thunder 97.7 / 99.7 logo AM 1430 KRGI logo La Gran D logo 103.5 The Legend logo 97-3 The Wolf logo

Huskers Look to Continue Success at Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic

Feb 18, 2025 / NU Athletics

Husker Mascot logo on the left and the words Nebraska Softball on the right.
The No. 16 Nebraska softball team will travel to Cathedral City, Calif., for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic from Feb. 20-23. NU will play six games in four days, including two against ranked opponents. 
 
NU will open the tournament against Baylor on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 4:30 p.m. (CT) before taking on No. 4 UCLA at 9:30 p.m. (CT) on the same day. The Huskers will play one game on Friday against No. 11 Duke at 3 p.m. (CT). On Saturday, the Big Red will have back-to-back games on Saturday against San Jose State at 7:30 p.m. (CT) and Howard at 10 p.m. (CT). The Huskers will close the tournament against Utah on Sunday, Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. (CT). 
 
Nebraska went 5-0 last weekend at the Troy Cox Classic in Las Cruces, N.M., and all five wins came in run-rule fashion. NU notched numerous records, including reaching 100+ runs in 10 games and scoring 10+ runs in five straight games for the first time in program history and hitting five home runs in three straight games for what is believed to be the first time in school history. Additionally, Ava Kuszak knocked three home runs against Montana to tie the school record for most home runs in a single game.
 
All five games this week - and every game this season - will be available to watch on FloSoftball. They 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 second straight year the Huskers have competed in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, and the 10th overall.
  • The Huskers moved up to No. 16 in the NFCA Coaches Poll.
  • Jordyn Bahl threw the 41st no-hitter in Nebraska softball history and the fourth of her career against Northern Colorado on Feb. 15. It was also the first for NU since Sarah Harness in 2023.
  • Ava Kuszak and Jordyn Bahl both earned Big Ten Weekly awards after impressive performances at the Troy Cox Classic last weekend.
  • Bahl was named the NFCA Player of the Week, while Kuszak was recognized as a Softball America Star of the Week.
  • At the Troy Cox Classic last weekend, NU outscored its opponents 69-9 while registering 20 home runs and 62 hits on a .446 batting average.
  • The Huskers run-ruled all five of their opponents last weekend, including scoring 20 runs against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. NU has scored 20+ runs four times in program history.
  • Nebraska is 16-25 all-time at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
 
Bahl, Kuszak Earn Weekly Honors
Jordyn Bahl and Ava Kuszak were named Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Week and Big Ten Co-Player of the Week, respectively. Kuszak was also a Softball America Star of the Week, while Bahl garnered NFCA Player of the Week Honors.
  • The last time that a Nebraska softball player won a Big Ten weekly award was last season, when Billie Andrews was named the Player of the Week on March 18, 2024. 
  • The last time that NU had a Player of the Week and Pitcher of the Week in the same week was in 2016, when MJ Knighten won Player of the Week and Cassie McClure won Pitcher of the Week.
  • In the circle, Bahl pitched 10.0 scoreless innings, allowed only two singles and struck out 13 batters.
  • Bahl pitched a 5.0-inning no-hitter, the 41st in school history and fourth in her career, against Northern Colorado.
  • Bahl also enjoyed an impressive weekend at the plate, as she was 10-for-16 (.625) with nine extra-base hits, four doubles, four home runs, one triple, nine runs scored and nine RBIs. The Papillion, Neb., native averaged 2.0 hits, 1.8 extra-base hits, 1.8 runs and 1.8 RBIs per game. 
  • Kuszak went 9-for-14 (.643) with six home runs in five games and averaged 1.8 hits, 1.2 home runs, 2.0 runs and 2.6 RBIs per game in only 14 at bats and 19 plate appearances.
  • Kuszak homered in four of Nebraska’s five games, including tying the Nebraska and Big Ten record with three home runs as part of a 4-for-4 day against Montana in the final game of the tournament. 
 
Husker Offense Dominant in Las Cruces
Nebraska’s bats shone bright at the Troy Cox Classic. NU finished with a record of 5-0 and all five wins came in run-rule fashion.
  • The Huskers outscored their opponents 69-9 in New Mexico.
  • As a team, Nebraska hit .446 and notched 20 home runs, 62 hits, 10 doubles and 63 RBIs.
  • Every player that had at least two at-bats in Las Cruces hit over .280, and 10 players hit .400 or above. 
 
Huskers in the Record Books
The Nebraska softball team set numerous program bests, both team and individual, at the Troy Cox Classic.
  • The Big Red scored 10+ runs in five straight games 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.
  • Nebraska scored 102 runs in its first 10 games of the season, which marks 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.
 
What Nebraska Returns in 2025
Nebraska’s 2025 roster consists of 25 total athletes. Fourteen of those are returners.
  • The Huskers welcome back 14 letterwinners from last season – Bella Bacon, Jordyn Bahl, Samantha Bland, Ava Bredwell, Katelyn Caneda, Dakota Carter, Emmerson Cope, Alina Felix, Mckinley Malecha, Caitlin Olensky, Abbie Squier, Malia Thoms, Talia Tokheim and Haidyn Warner.
  • NU returns half of its starting lineup from 2024 in outfielder Samantha Bland, catcher Ava Bredwell, first baseman Bella Bacon, second baseman Katelyn Caneda and designated player Emmerson Cope.
  • Nebraska returns three of its top five hitters from 2024 – Ava Bredwell (.329), Emmerson Cope (.304) and Alina Felix (.302). 
  • Returners Ava Bredwell, Samantha Bland, Bella Bacon and Katelyn Caneda each started in more than 95 percent of the Huskers’ games last season. 
 
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. 
  • Jordyn 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 Baylor (6-4)
The Bears have compiled a record of 6-4 on the year, having competed at the Aggie Classic and Getterman Classic. Baylor, which is receiving votes in the NFCA Coaches Poll, bats .332 and has an ERA of 4.90 in 10 games this season. 
  • Turiya Coleman has a .519 batting average across 27 at bats. She has also notched 14 hits, which ties for most on the team along with 12 RBIs, nine runs, four doubles and a home run. 
  • Brooklyn Carter, a transfer from Washington, is 14-for-33 on the season with 10 runs, eight RBIs, three doubles and a home run.
  • Ashlyn Wachtendorf, Presleigh Pilon, Amber Toven and Karynton Dawson, along with Coleman and Carter, have started all 10 games for the Bears. All have a batting average above .250.
  • Sadie Ross has pitched the most innings for Baylor with 18.2. She has an ERA of 4.12 and has struck out seven batters while walking 10. 
  • Lexie Warncke has compiled an ERA of 2.93 over 14.1 innings. She has allowed six earned runs and racked up a 2-0 record over five appearances. 
  • The Bears are led by Glenn Moore, who is in his 25th season as head coach. He owns a career record of 1,059-512.
 
Scouting #4 UCLA (9-1)
The Bruins are 9-1 on the season and ranked No. 4 in the NFCA Coaches Poll. UCLA hits .390 as a team and has outscored its opponents 75-17 this year. Its pitching staff has compiled an ERA of 1.97.
  • Savannah Pola is 15-for-30 (.500) and has registered 12 runs, eight RBIs, four doubles, a triple and a home run. 
  • Jessica Clements, a Cal Poly transfer, averages .455 and has 15 hits and 11 runs this year. She has also notched three doubles.
  • Jordan Woolery has the second-highest batting average on the team at .483 and has notched 14 hits in 29 at bats. She has also knocked four home runs this season.
  • Kaitlyn Terry is the Bruins’ ace pitcher and totals an ERA of 1.06. She has a record of 5-1 this season and has pitched 26.1 innings. Terry has notched 34 strikeouts and only allowed three walks and four earned runs.
  • Addisen Fisher is 3-0 across six appearances for UCLA and owns an ERA of 1.11. She has struck out 18 batters and walked four across 19.0 innings.
  • Kelly Inouye-Perez is in her 19th season as head coach of the Bruins and is 827-210-1 in her career.
 
Scouting #11 Duke (7-3)
Duke is 7-3 so far this season and is ranked No. 11 in the NFCA Coaches Poll. The Blue Devils hit .344 as a team and have a total of 89 hits to their opponents’ 58. They own an ERA of 3.27. 
  • Aminah Vega leads the offense for Duke, as she has 17 hits, seven doubles and 15 RBIs on a .548 batting average.
  • D’Auna Jennings is 14-for-34 on the season for a .412 batting average. She has scored 12 runs and racked up 16 total bases.
  • The Blue Devil offense is balanced, as six players have at least 20 at-bats with an average over .300 and double-digit hits.
  • Cassidy Curd leads the Duke pitching staff with a 2.71 ERA and a 3-1 record across 31.0 innings. She has struck out 32 batters and walked seven.
  • Dani Drogemuller has pitched 14.2 innings across five appearances and has an ERA of 3.82. 
  • Marissa Young has been the head coach at Duke since 2015 and put together the best season in program history in 2024 with a 52-9 overall record.
 
Scouting San Jose State (5-5)
The Spartans of San Jose State are 5-5 this season. They have competed in the UC Davis/Sac State Tournament and the Silicon Valley Classic I. SJSU bats .271 as a team and has an ERA of 2.81.
  • Reina Zermeno has started every game for the Spartans and has a batting average of .345 on 29 at bats. She has notched seven RBIs, three doubles and a homer. 
  • Shay McDowell is 10-for-30 (.333). She has totaled six runs, nine RBIs, two triples and a home run.
  • Haley Reeve and Ahmiya Noriega have posted nine hits apiece, while Noriega has added seven runs and four triples. 
  • Mia Reynolds has pitched the most innings for San Jose State with 29.1, and has an ERA of 2.63. She has struck out 26 batters and allowed six walks.
  • Lacie Ham owns the lowest ERA on the team with a mark of 2.21 and has struck out 13 batters and allowed 20 hits across 19.0 innings.
  • Tammy Lohmann was named the head coach of the Spartans in 2020 and led the team to its first MWC championship game in 2023.

Scouting Howard (4-3)
The Bison are 4-3 so far this season after competing at the Runnin’ Bulldog Classic and HBCU Collegiate Invitational. As a team, Howard is 52-for-189 for a batting average of .275. Their pitchers have posted an ERA of 4.26.
  • Angel Riggins has a batting average of .435 on 10-for-23 at the plate. She has 15 total bases and has six runs and five doubles.
  • Sidney Fletcher and Ameenah Ballenger have both totaled 21 at bats. Fletcher owns a batting average of .333 and Ballenger’s is .238. 
  • Ballenger leads the pitching staff for Howard with 23.2 innings and a 3-1 record. She has compiled an ERA of 3.55 and struck out 14 batters.
  • Julia Holt has struck out 17 batters across 15.2 innings and has an ERA of 5.36.
  • Former Husker Tori Tyson is the head coach for Howard and was hired in 2018. She guided the Bison to their second ever MEAC Championship in 2022.
 
Scouting Utah (4-7)
The Utes are 4-7 so far on the season and have competed at the Kajikawa Classic and the Fresno State Kickoff Classic. As a team, Utah averages .296 at the plate and owns an ERA of 3.51.
  • Reese Lee has started all 11 games and has a batting average of .467 with 14 hits and seven RBIs.
  • Hailey Deter has notched 12 hits, seven RBIs and four doubles on a .400 batting average.
  • Kennedy Proctor is 11-for-30 on the season for a .367 batting average. She has scored six runs and registered two doubles and a home run, along with four RBIs.
  • Shelbee Jones has racked up 32.2 innings for the Utes and posted a 3.00 ERA and a 2-3 record. She has struck out 31 batters and walked 15. 
  • Brooklyn Carreon owns an ERA of 3.00 over 23.1 innings, along with 11 strikeouts.
  • Amy Hogue is in her 18th season as head coach at Utah. She is the all-time winningest head coach for the Utes.

<< Previous Next >>