THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK SOFTBALL… Upper Iowa will kick off the 2020 campaign in Bentonville, Ark. at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic hosted by the University of Arkansas-Monticello. The Peacocks were originally slated to open the season with a pair of games on Friday and Saturday, but all four games were pushed back one day due to inclement weather. UIU is now scheduled to face Washburn University and No. 14 Southern Arkansas University on Saturday before rounding out the opening weekend with games against Southeastern Oklahoma State University and No. 23 Arkansas Tech University on Sunday.
NSIC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL… Upper Iowa was selected 11th overall in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason poll after amassing 86 points from the conference coaches. Augustana University, the defending NCAA DII National Champion, was picked first in the league after going 61-11 last season, including a 27-3 mark in the NSIC. Winona State University, another 2019 regional participant, was picked second after taking home the NSIC regular season and tournament titles last year thanks to a 53-9 record and perfect 30-0 mark in NSIC play.
STEERING THE SHIP… The Peacocks enter the season under the direction of first-year Head Coach Ashley Hickman and new Assistant Coach Jessica Vernon. Hickman is in her second year at Upper Iowa after serving as the assistant coach for the 2019 unit. Prior to arriving in Fayette, Hickman spent four seasons as the head softball coach at McPherson College where she guided the Bulldogs to back-to-back winning seasons and berths in the KCAC Championships in her final two years. Vernon came to UIU after spending time at two fellow NSIC institutions; she was a four-year member of the Northern State University softball team and spent two years as a graduate assistant at Southwest Minnesota State University.
LAST LOOK IN THE REARVIEW… Upper Iowa earned the No. 8 seed in the NSIC Softball Tournament one year ago thanks to a 15-15 league record (23-24 overall). The Peacocks returned to the postseason for the first time since winning 41 games and the NSIC Tournament in 2016. Last year's campaign was highlighted by a nine-game winning streak, which included sweeps over SMSU, Wayne State, Bemidji State, and Minnesota Crookston. UIU was able to earn splits with MSU Moorhead, Northern State, Concordia-St. Paul, Sioux Falls, and St. Cloud State in addition to their final wins of the season with a sweep of UMary.
PEACOCK SLUGGERS… Junior first baseman Katie Crogan, an NSIC Player to Watch, is back to lead the Peacock offense and is coming off a pair of NSIC honors; Crogan earned a spot on both the All-NSIC Second Team and the All-NSIC Gold Glove Team. The Watertown, Wis. Native provided a major spark to the Peacock offense during the conference season and led the team in almost every major category including hits (40), home runs (7), RBI (33), batting average (.412), slugging percentage (.691), on-base percentage (.467) and total bases (67). She was also third on the team in doubles (6), went 2-2 in the stolen base department and was one of four Peacocks who rounded home 20 times. In addition to Crogan, Upper Iowa returns four players that hit above .300 last season including seniors Jordyn Brennan (.316), Ali Green (.310) and Kennedy Newell (.305) as well as sophomore Kaylee Frenette (.329).
IN THE CIRCLE… Senior Emily Kisch, an NSIC Pitcher to Watch, returns to the circle after leading the Peacock pitchers with a 3.59 ERA and an 11-10 record with over 126 innings pitched last year. Junior Sydney Wilcox also returns after appearing in 20 games last season, making eight starts and posting a 3-4 record with a 6.62 ERA in 55.0 innings of work. Rounding out UIU's 2020 pitching crew will be freshmen Abby McKay and Shania Christopherson.
ABOUT THE ICHABODS… Washburn (1-7) opened the season last weekend in Florida with four doubleheaders. The Ichabods suffered three one-run losses as well as three two-run losses over the weekend with their lone victory coming against Lynn University (3-1). WU returns four players who earned All-MIAA honors last season, including senior utility Winter Henry who has led the Ichabods with a .391 batting average, four RBI, and 11 total bases thus far.
ABOUT THE #14 MULERIDERS… Southern Arkansas (6-2) has posted 3-1 records in back-to-back weekends of action. The Muleriders' wins have been highlighted by a 3-2 decision over No. 21 Tarleton State University and a 6-4 victory over No. 10 Texas A&M University-Commerce. The Muleriders return five all-conference players this season including the GAC's reigning Pitcher of the Year, Sydney Wader, who has posted four wins and a 1.89 ERA in over 29 innings this season.
ABOUT THE STORM… Southeastern Oklahoma (4-4) has outscored opponents 41-28 this season but has suffered some narrow defeats including a trio of games decided by two runs or less. The Storm are batting .286 as a unit and have seven players hitting .300 or better. SE is averaging over two stolen bases per game and has been caught stealing just once in 18 attempts. Symphoni Shomo leads the team with nine stolen bases.
ABOUT THE #23 GOLDEN SUNS… Arkansas Tech (3-5) started the season with three walk-off victories but have since dropped five in a row. The Golden Suns are averaging six runs per games but are allowing nearly eight to their opponents. ATU has four players hitting .300 or better led by Makenzie Goins with a .423 batting average. The Golden Suns have struggled in the circle with a collective 8.20 ERA.
