Leading Off
The Omaha softball team will make their debut at home on Thursday, March 7 at 3 p.m. to kick off the Connie Claussen Classic. The Mavericks are slated for five games over the five-day tournament. 

Weekend Schedule
Thursday
vs. Valparaiso at 3 p.m.

Friday
vs. Valparaiso at 1:30 p.m.

Sunday
vs. Rider at 3 p.m.

Monday
vs. Northern Colorado at 1:30 p.m.
vs. Rider University at 3 p.m.

Quick Hits
    -  The Mavericks will make their home debut with a 14-7 overall record after going 4-1 at the ASU Invitational.
    - Omaha picked up two big wins last Saturday. The Mavericks came back from a two-run deficit to beat James Madison 4-2. JMU made an appearance in the 2021 Women's College World Series championship game. Omaha then went on to beat Power 5 opponent Arizona State 3-1.
    - After last weekend's success the Mavericks jumped to 60 in the RPI rating. 
    - With 31 doubles in 21 games, the Mavericks rank 30th nationally for doubles per game. Their 0.29 triples per game ranks them 45th nationally. 
    - Kamryn Meyer ranks sixth among all D1 pitchers and first in the league for her 78 strikeouts. Meyer is also ranked sixth nationally for her eight victories. 
    - After catching six runners stealing, Sydney Ross ranks 16th in the nation and first in the Summit League. 
    - Sydney Ross was tabbed as the Summit League Peak Performer after her standout performance at the Lion Invitational. 
    - O'Brien leads the team with a .366 batting average and 26 hits. 
    - Ross paces the team with 21 RBIs, 17 runs, seven doubles, and 115 putouts. 
    - Lynsey Tucker leads the way on double plays with 10. 
    
• 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 UNO.

• 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. 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.

• Meyer, the Senior ace also became the Maverick's all-time strikeout leader this season surpassing Cheris Kuster's 698 K's. A record that stood for 16 years. Meyer was a 2023 three-time Softball Peak Pitcher of the Week.

• 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 years. In his eight-year head coaching career, Heard compiled a 217-127 record.

SCOUTING Valparaiso 
Head Coach: Meaggan Peetipiece

Valpo comes to Omaha with a 5-13 overall record. They last played in the Hoosier Classic where they went 2-2. Valpo picked up two wins against Bowling Green but closed the weekend with a 10-0 loss to Indiana. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH
•  Kam Utendorf leads the team with a .415 batting average. In her 41 at-bats, she has recorded seven runs, 17 hits, and four RBIs. On the field, she has made 24 putouts and 19 assists. 

• On the mound, Sydney McDermott has thrown a team-high 23 strikeouts while allowing 51 hits, 42 runs, and 22 walks. Over the 42 innings pitched, McDermott has recorded a 5.17 era. 

SCOUTING the Rider Broncs
Head Coach: Davon Ortega

Rider opens their 2024 campaign with a 4-5 record. Last weekend they went 1-3 at the Mizuno Invitational where they faced the University of North Carolina and Rutgers. 

BRONCS TO WATCH
• Jessie Niegochki in 28 at-bats has recorded a .429 batting average. She has scored six runs and recorded 12 hits, three RBI, and two doubles. On the field she has recorded 18 putouts and 12 assists. 

• Jadeyn Merrill has pitched 12 innings where she has recorded 11 strikeouts and a 0.00 era. Merrill has allowed eight hits four runs and eight walks. 


SCOUTING THE Northern Colorado Bears 
Head Coach: Dedeann Penletonhelm

Heading into the weekend the Bears carry a 6-13 record. Last weekend Northern Colorado went 2-3 at the Fairfield Inn and Suites Colorado Classic.

BEARS TO WATCH
• Amailee Morales holds a .351 batting average. In her 57 at-bats, she has recorded 13 runs, 20 hits, five home runs, and 21 RBIs. Morales has made 90 putouts and six assists with zero errors. 

• Erin Caviness has pitched 49.1 innings where she has thrown 57 strikeouts while allowing 45 hits, 32 runs, and 15 walks.