Leading Off
The Omaha softball team opens the 2024 campaign at the UNI Dome Tournament this weekend. The Mavericks will play four opponents in a five-game stretch from Friday, Feb. 9 through Sunday, Feb. 11. 

Weekend Schedule
Friday
vs. Butler at 11:30 a.m.
vs. Drake at 7 p.m.

Saturday
vs. Northern Illinois at 3:30 p.m.
vs. Northern Iowa at 8:30 p.m.

Sunday
vs. Drake at 2 p.m.

Quick Hits
• The Omaha softball team enters the 2024 season as the defending Summit League Tournament Champions. In the Summit League Championship the Mavericks best SDSU 1-0. With the program's first-ever D1 Championship title, they earned their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. In the Baton Rouge Regionals, they beat Prairie View A&M, marking the school's first-ever win in an NCAA game by a female program at.

• The Mavericks were tabbed second in the 2024 Summit League Preseason Poll with three first place votes. Omaha finished last season 33-17 overall and 15-5 in conference play.

• Meyer returns to the circle for Omaha and was named a Preseason Athlete to Watch. Meyer was named to last season's All-Summit League First Team, All-Tournament Team and Summit League Tournament MVP leading the league in ERA (1.26) and strikeouts (283). Last season she became the Mavericks' all-time leader in strikeouts and is currently at 780. In the circle she made 35 appearances and 26 starts, pitching 18 complete games with five shutouts. Meyer finished the season with an 18-8 ledger in 189.1 innings of work.

• Tucker joins Meyer on the Preseason Athlete to Watch list for the second straight year. Tucker was named to the All-Summit League First Team and All-Tournament Team after starting in all 50 games at second base where she hit .364 with 60 hits, including eight doubles. Last season she tallied a team-high 60 hits with 20 RBI a .430 slugging percentage and was 14-for-15 on stolen bases. Tucker notched a .844 OPS in 165 at-bats with an on-base percentage of .414.

• On the mound last season, Meyer has pitched a statistical masterpiece of a season. Her 1.21 earned run average and 242 strikeouts leads the Summit League. Meyer was the winning pitcher in 14 of the Mavericks 29 regular season victories. The Senior ace also became the Mavericks all-time strikeout leader this season surpassing Cheris Kuster's 698 K's. A record that stood for 16 years. A 2023 three-time Softball Peak Pitcher of the week, Meyer's career strikeout total sits at 780.

• Omaha will play in five non-conference tournaments to start the year. The tournament action concludes in Omaha as the Mavericks host the Connie Claussen Classic at the beginning of March. 

• The Omaha softball team returns 16 letterwinners, including seven starters. Key starters returning include Kamryn Meyer, Sydney Ross, Lynsey Tucker, Sydney Nuismer, Maggie O'Brien, Marra Cramer, Emma Durr, and Ava Rongisch.

• Head coach Mike Heard enters his third season at the helm. He compiled a 65-31 overall record in his first two year. Over his eight-year head coaching career, Heard sits at 217-127.

SCOUTING THE Butler Bulldogs
Head Coach: Scott Hall
Career: 295-329 (13 Years)
Butler: 13 Years

Butler finished the 2023 campaign with a 18-35 overall record and 12-9 finish in the Big East. Their post-season run ended in the consolation game 4-2 to DePaul after losing in the first round to St. John's 9-6. 

BULLDOGS TO WATCH
• Monique Hoosen led the BIG EAST in 2023 with 14 home runs and is now Butler's record holder for
single-season home runs. With 27 in her career, she is second on Butler's all-time list for career home
runs.
• Kieli Ryan threw out 14 runners attempting to steal in 2023. She led the BIG EAST and finished
21st nationally in that category. She was the only player in the conference who picked off three
baserunners.

SCOUTING THE Drake Bulldogs
Head Coach: Lindsay Diehl
Career: 0-0 (1st Year)
Drake: 1st Year

Drake finished the 2023 season 18-34 overall and 10-17 in Big East conference play. Post-season for the Bulldogs wrapped up in the second round of the MVC tournament after falling to UNI 6-2. 

BULLDOGS TO WATCH
• Emma Deighton eclipsed the .300 mark at the plate, while also bringing back the most pitching experience with 81 innings and 28 appearances in the circle. 
• Emily Valtman was named to the 2023 Second Team All-MVC as an outfielder. She recorded 51 hits in 169 at bats for a .302 average, crushed four home runs, 10 doubles, and a triple. Valtman now ranks third all-time with 116 career RBI, 10th all-time with 37 career doubles, tied for fourth all-time with 22 home runs, and eighth all-time with a .324 batting average.

SCOUTING THE Northern Illinois Huskies
Head Coach: Christina Sutcliffe
Career: 312-372 (14 Years)
Northern Illinois: 11 Years

The Huskies finished the 2023 season with a 26-25 overall record and 15-13 finish in the MAC play. 

HUSKIES TO WATCH
• Danielle Stewart earned the 2023 Third Team All-Region Honors from NFCA. Stewart took home First Team All-MAC honors, holding a 3.06 ERA, 13 wins, 101 strikeouts, and holding her opponents to a .230 average. Conner had a .363 average overall (.375 conference only), recorded nine stolen bases, and had 16 RBIs for Second Team All-MAC honors.
• Caitlyn Shumaker (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine) wrote her way into the record book in 2023, stealing 34 bases (a single-season record) and moving to fifth All-Time in stolen bases with 47.

SCOUTING THE UNI Panthers
Head Coach: Ryan Jacobs
Career: 464-337 (16 Years)
UNI: 16 Years

The Panthers had a successful season going 39-12 overall and 26-1 in MVC conference play. Their season concluded in the second round of the conference tournament after dropping the contest 1-0 to Indiana State. 

PANTHERS TO WATCH
• Madison Park is the lone Panther who had previously received the honor, as she was selected to the 2023 Preseason All-MVC Team. The redshirt senior backed up that honor last season, as Parks notched a .345 batting average with 50 hits, four home runs, 28 RBIs and a career-high 41 runs scored. She was a First Team All-MVC selection and made the MVC All-Defensive Team last season. 
• Samantha Heyer was ranked No. 91 on D1Softball's Preseason D100 Player Rankings last month and looks to defend her 2023 MVC Pitcher of the Year title in 2024. Heyer compiled a 23-5 record, setting a program record for total wins, and a 1.61 ERA in 170 total innings pitched last season.