University of Southern Indiana Softball is tied for No. 21 in the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, which was release Wednesday.
The Screaming Eagles, who finished the 2019 season ranked No. 25, return 12 players and six starters from a squad that was 35-21 overall and 19-7 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play a year ago.
That list includes three-time All-American senior pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt, who enters the season as USI’s all-time leader in wins (76) and strikeouts (711).
In 2019, Leonhardt was named second-team All-America by both the NFCA and D2CCA after earning GLVC Pitcher of the Year honors. The first-team Academic All-American finished the year ranked second in the nation in complete-game shutouts (13), seventh in strikeouts (243), ninth in ERA (1.29), 16th in saves (4) and 25th in wins (21). She also hit .351 with 11 doubles, a triple, one home run and 30 RBIs.
Leonhardt is one of three seniors that 19th-year Head Coach Sue Kunkle will rely on to lead the Eagles into 2020, with the others being outfielder Allison Schubert and shortstop Taylor Ricketts.
Schubert, an All-Midwest Region honoree as a sophomore two years ago, finished the 2019 season with a .274 batting average, five home runs and 21 RBIs. She hit .340 with 14 doubles, 11 home runs and 51 RBIs during USI’s run to the 2018 national title.
Ricketts hit .262 with six doubles, a triple and 12 RBIs a year ago and has been a staple in the Eagles’ defense throughout the last two seasons, having started 119 of USI’s 120 games at shortstop.
USI also will look to All-GLVC junior outfielder Alicia Webb to build upon her breakout season from a year ago. Webb hit .327 with seven doubles, four triples and 21 RBIs as a sophomore in 2019 and hit .345 in GLVC-only games.
Kunkle will rely on her upperclassmen to provide strong leadership to a roster that features six sophomores and seven freshmen.
USI begins the season February 7 when it travels to Harrogate, Tennessee, to take on Lincoln Memorial University in a doubleheader. The Eagles also are slated to play in the University of North Georgia’s Cottrell Foundation Loyal Blue Classic February 14-16 in Dahlonega, Georgia, before hosting the Midwest Region Crossover February 21-23 at Deaconess Sports Park.
Following their annual trip to Florida for The Spring Games March 6-10, the Eagles open their home and GLVC schedule March 14 against the University of Indianapolis, which is ranked No. 12 in the preseason poll.
The Eagles are scheduled to play 16 games at the USI Softball Field in 2020 after going 12-2 on their home diamond in 2019. They are looking for their sixth straight trip to the NCAA II Tournament in 2020 and their seventh in the last eight years.
In addition to the 2018 national championship, Kunkle (548-382-1) has directed USI Softball to seven NCAA II Tournament appearances, the 2018 GLVC Tournament title, 2017 GLVC regular-season title, and the 2017 and 2018 NCAA II Midwest Region championships.
