The Basics
The Omaha Mavericks open 2022 action at the UNI Dome Tournament this weekend. They will play a five-game slate spanning Friday through Sunday. Action tips off with state rival Nebraska on Friday at 9 a.m. with Iowa State to follow immediately after. Omaha will then play Drake and UNI on Saturday and cap the weekend with Drake Sunday morning.
 
Leading Off

• The Mavericks were picked fourth in the 2022 Preseason Poll earlier this week behind South Dakota State, North Dakota State, and Kansas City.
• Jamie White and Kamryn Meyer were tabbed Preseason Players to Watch.
• White enters her fourth season with the Mavericks after being named to the 2021 All-Summit First Team last year. She started all 48 games at third base for Omaha last season. White finished the 2021 season hitting .269 with 35 hits, including four doubles and five homers. She also tallied 17 runs and 24 RBI.
• She posted five multi-hit games last season, which included a career-high four hits at Kansas City. She also went on a nine-game hitting streak near the end of the regular season. White nearly sparked the upset vs. SDSU in the championship game with a two-run blast to bring Omaha back within two of the Jackrabbits.
• Meyer returns for her junior campaign in the circle. She was named to the 2021 All-Summit Second Team and earned two Pitcher of the Week honors last season. She made 28 appearances and 18 starts in 2021. She finished with 10-8 record and a 3.18 ERA.
• Meyer retired 166 batters over 127.2 innings of work, recorded five shutouts, and pitched a no-hitter. Her no hitter came against North Dakota in the Summit League Tournament. She struck out eight batters in the contest. She posted a career-high 13 batters vs. North Dakota earlier in the regular season.
• In addition to Meyer and White, the Mavericks return 12 letterwinners from 2021. Olivia Aden, Lexi Burkhardt, Izzy Eltze, Sydney Hampton, Jaelle Johnson, Taylor Johnson, Sierra Leonetti, Sydney Nuismer, Sydney Ross, Alexa Sedlak, Lynsey Tucker, and Rachel Weber will all return to the field this season.
• Sydney Albaugh, Abby Bukantis, Sophie Cerveny, Anna Chapman, Rylan Ewoldt, Emma Hain, Taylor Montgomery, and Maggie O'Brien will make their career debuts.
• The Mavericks finished last season 20-28 overall and 12-11 in league play. Omaha earned the No. 2 seed in the league tournament and made their first appearance in the championship game in the DI era.

 
Scouting Nebraska
Nebraska finished last season 22-22 overall in a conference only schedule. They picked up an early win against No. 23 Michigan and stole a 6-4 victory over a ranked Minnesota team.
 
Huskers to Watch

• Olivia Ferrell returns for a fifth season for Nebraska. She ranked ninth in the Big Ten in saves (2) last season. She led the team in starts (21), strikeouts (100), and opponent batting average (.258).
• Courtney Wallace is a returning All-Region selection. A dual treat in the circle and at the plate, Wallace ranked eighth in the Big Ten in wins (11) and started 25 times in the line-up for the Huskers.

 
Series History
Nebraska leads the all-time series 25-22. The teams last met in the 2019 season. The Huskers took a 4-3 win. Hampton made the start for Omaha, and she retired three batters in the meeting.
 
Scouting Iowa State
Iowa State finished last season 34-23 overall and 6-12 in conference play. The Cyclones fell in back-to-back games to No. 9 Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship before falling to UNI in the first game of the NCAA Tournament. ISU advanced to its first ever NCAA Regional Final before its run came to an end vs. UIC.
 
Cyclones to Watch

• Mikayla Ramos was tabbed a Big 12 Preseason Player to Watch earlier this week. She was an All-Region First Team selection last year. She set a new single-season school record with 57 RBI and hit .365 with 65 hits, 39 runs, 15 doubles, and 13 homers.
• Karlie Charles returns to the circle for the Cyclones. She made 31 appearances and 18 starts last year. She finished with a 14-8 record and a team-leading 3.41 ERA. She also retired a team-best 80 strikeouts.

 
Series History
Iowa State leads the all-time series 10-5. The teams met last season in Omaha's second game of the year. The Cyclones edges the Mavericks, 4-2. Meyer struck out seven batters in the start. Burkhardt tallied both RBI.
 
Scouting UNI
The Panthers were tabbed the MVC preseason favorites earlier this week following the release of the preseason poll. UNI received an at large bid last season to the NCAA Tournament after finishing 32-30 overall and 20-7 in MVC action. The Panthers cruised to an 8-0 win vs. Iowa State in the first game of the tournament before falling to Missouri and Iowa State in their final two contests.
 
Panthers to Watch

• Emmy Wells was tabbed Preseason All-Conference. She started all 51 games las season and earned first team and defensive team honors. She hit .245 with 38 hits, 30 RBI, and 22 runs.
• Kailyn Packard was also tabbed Preseason All-Conference following Pitcher of the Year, First Team, and All-Tournament Team honors last season. Packard finished the year 22-7 overall with a 2.03 ERA. She finished with 186 strikeouts.

 
Series History
UNI leads the all-time series 15-8. The Panthers outlasted the Mavericks, 8-2, last season. Hampton and Meyer combined for eight strikeouts. White and Weber each recorded a double.
 
Scouting Drake
Drake posted a 19-30 overall record last season and finished 12-14 in conference action. At the MVC Tournament, the Bulldogs opened with a 7-1 win vs. Loyola before SIU ended their season with a 3-0 shutout win. Drake was tabbed fourth in the MVC Preseason Poll released earlier this week.
 
Bulldogs to Watch

• Macy Johnson returns for another season with the Bulldogs. She led Drake at the plate hitting .434 last season. She tallied a team-best 33 hits and 18 runs. She was an All-Region First Team and All-MVC First Team selection.
• Nicole Timmons makes her way back to the circle for Drake. She posted a team-leading 3.37 ERA last year. She finished 11-11 over 31 appearances and retired 144 batters. Her 44 career wins ranks 10^th all time, while her 483 career strikeouts sits seventh.

 
Series History
Drake leads the all-time series 8-4. The Bulldogs took a 3-0 win last season in the lone meeting between the teams. Tucker, White, and Burkhardt all tallied hits. Meyer retired seven batters.