OMAHA, Neb. - Omaha softball heads southwest to Arizona for its first tournament of the 2016 season and will play five games in three days, including contests against opponents from the Big 10, Big Sky, Big West, C-USA, and PAC 12. The Mavericks open the season at the Hillenbrand Invitational with UC Santa Barbara on Friday, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. (CT). The contest marks the first of a 31-game stretch away from Omaha for UNO. The Mavs will also face North Texas, Purdue, No. 13 Arizona, and Southern Utah. All games at the Hillenbrand Invitational will be played at Hillenbrand Stadium. Check OMavs.com for links to the live stream and live stats.
The 2016 Mavericks
Omaha is coming off a 22-28 overall record and a 6-10 Summit League mark. The Mavericks started the 2015 season with five tournaments and went 10-12 in those games, with three of those losses against Top 25 teams. Omaha finished sixth in the league, but the Mavs were not eligible for postseason as part of their transition to Division I.
UNO has 11 players back from last season, including eight position starters. Seniors Campbell Ditto and Tara Trede, along with juniors Lizzie Noble and Nicole Warren will set the tone for the Mavericks this season. Ditto has started 142 straight games for Omaha behind the plate. She has caught at least nine potential base stealers each of the past three seasons. Trede had a .977 fielding percentage last season at second base for the Mavericks. Noble earned first team all-league honors as the designated player. She batted .294 with seven homeruns and team-best 36 RBIs. Warren split time last season between first and third base, but hit nine home runs.
In the circle, the Mavs have three pitchers who appeared in a total of 11 games last season. Juniors Abbie Clanton and Lizzie Noble along with freshman Laura Roecker will all vie for time in the circle this season. Last season, Clanton appeared in two games with one start, while Noble appeared in nine games with one start. Noble had a 1-3 record with a 6.59 ERA and 13 strikeouts.
What's at Stake in 2016?
Omaha has completed the transition to NCAA Division I and is fully eligible for NCAA and Summit League postseason play.
The Mavericks are looking for their first-ever trip to the Summit League tournament. This season tournament will be played in Fargo, North Dakota on the home field of North Dakota State, last season's regular season champion.
Mavericks Picked Fourth
The Omaha softball team has been picked to finish fourth in the 2016 Summit League Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll. The poll was voted on by the league's seven head coaches, and they could not vote for their own team.
North Dakota State has been tabbed as the Summit League's top team in 2016. The Bison, who were 45-11 overall and 16-2 in the league a year ago, received five first-place votes and 35 total points. IUPUI received 29 points and the other two first-place votes for second. South Dakota came in third with 27 points after finishing 28-25-1 overall and 13-4 in the conference last season. Omaha is fourth in the poll with 20 points. South Dakota State is picked to finish fifth with 16 points, while Western Illinois is sixth with 14 points. Fort Wayne rounds out the poll in seventh place with six points.
Omaha welcomes back two all-league members, including 2015 Summit League Freshman of the Year Megan May and first team performer Lizzie Noble. In all, the Mavs return eight position starters.
The 2016 season marks Omaha's first with full NCAA Division I and Summit League postseason eligibility.
A Look at the 2016 Schedule
In 2016, the Mavericks are scheduled to face six teams that advanced to the NCAA postseason. Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Nebraska, and Summit League champion North Dakota State, who all made NCAA Regional appearances, are on the Mavericks' schedule. The Bulldogs, Gators and Wildcats all advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals last season. The Gators are two-time defending national champions.
Omaha will play its first 31 games away from home before hosting Summit League foe IUPUI on March 25-26. The Mavericks will play six home series, three conference and three non-conference.
Five High Schoolers to Play for UNO in 2017
Five high school seniors have signed NLIs to play for the Mavericks in 2017: infielder Sierra Athow (Gretna, Neb.), infielder/outfielder Hailey Bartz (Lincoln, Neb.), infielder Emma Dargy (La Vista, Neb.), catcher/outfielder Kaitlynn Hunt (Ashland, Neb.), and infielder Emily Klosterman (Omaha, Neb.).
Up Next
The Mavs head to Orlando, Fla., next weekend for the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic. UNO is scheduled to play College of Charleston, Elon, Jacksonville State, No. 13 Georgia, and two-time defending national champions Florida. The Gators are currently the top ranked softball team in the nation.
