2023-24 Shocker Softball Offseason, Fall Season and Pre-Season

[SubGod22]

[1972Shocker]

Looks like 5th year senior catcher Lainee Brown is a lock to lead the Shocks on one category this year:

[SubGod22]

I'll try to find the tweet later if nobody else does, but Addie was ranked 17 in another ranking

[1972Shocker]

I'll try to find the tweet later if nobody else does, but Addie was ranked 17 in another ranking

Preseason accolades are nice but not nearly as nice as post-season accolades. I am very interested to see how Addy bounces back post-shoulder surgery. She had a decent year last year playing with the bad shoulder. It will be interesting to see how HCKB uses Addy this year and who she will slot in behind Addy for protection, especially with Lauren Lucas on the shelf this season.

BTW, has anyone heard what the nature of Lauren's injury is?

[1972Shocker]

RH: Podcast with Alison Cooper, Alex Aguilar on Shocker Softball

https://goshockers.com/news/2024/1/2...-softball.aspx

Wichita State pitchers Alison Cooper and Alex Aguilar talk about the new members of the pitching staff and how they are ready to carry more of a load this season. Cooper tells us which former Shocker she shouts out with her uniform number. We discuss their favorite snacks at Buc-ee's, why the Barnard sisters are good at pickleball and reveal the coach whose mantra is "It's going to be fine."

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Interesting and positive comments from Ali and Alex regarding working with the Shocks new pitching coach, Courtney Oliver-Elkins (Coach O, to go along with Coach B and Coach E).

[SubGod22]

Go Shockers - Barnard Named to USA Softball Top 50 Watch List

USA Softball unveiled its Top 50 Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List Wednesday morning, and for the second straight season Addison Barnard makes the cut.

Barnard is the only student-athlete on the watch list from a Non-Power 5 school.

A three-time First Team All-Conference selection and a 2022 All-American, Barnard enters her senior campaign fully healthy after battling injuries for almost the entire 2023 season. Despite a significant injury sustained early in the season, the Beatrice, Neb. native still played in 52 games and hit .369 with nine doubles, four triples, 14 home runs, 36 RBI and stole 22 bases. Entering the 2024 season, Barnard ranks second on the NCAA DI active career home run list with 69.

The 2024 Top 50 Watch List highlights athletes from 28 universities and six athletic conferences with Oklahoma leading the universities in recognition as six Sooners join the list followed by UCLA with four athletes and Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and LSU tabbing three athletes apiece. Additionally, eight universities are highlighted by two athletes on the list while 14 collegiate programs tally one. Among the 50 athletes and returning to the spotlight of the prestigious award is 2023 Player of the Year, Valerie Cagle (Clemson) along with 2023 Top 3 Finalists, Skylar Wallace (Florida) and Maya Brady (UCLA) — while four additional 2023 Top 10 Finalists also return to the list including Jordy Bahl (Nebraska), Jayda Coleman (Oklahoma), Tiare Jennings (Oklahoma) and Kiki Milloy (Tennessee).

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) leads the athletic conferences with 21 athletes included followed by the Pac-12 Conference and Big 12 Conference with 11 and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with seven. Also represented is the American Athletic Conference (AAC) and Big Ten Conference with one each.

USA Softball will trim the list to 25 on May 1, before naming 10 finalists on May 15 and the final three on May 20.

[SubGod22]

[1972Shocker]

No doubt Addy B is a 5-tooler. I hope she has a huge final year. It will be important to have a couple players hitting behind Addy who can hopefully prevent teams from pitching around Addy this year. I am interested to see how that will work out Lauren Mills and Zoe Jones having graduated and with Lauren Lucas on the shelf this year.

Of the returning players I am think Taylor Sedlacek might be a leading candidate and perhaps Lainee Brown with both needing to step their hitting a notch or two. Of the newcomers, which is a lot to ask, perhaps Sydney Zenon or possibly Cloe Barber if she is going to hit.

[shoxlax]

We could take a step back this year with Lucas out, however our Freshmen class is solid and the next two classes are very good. Portal is part of the equation but not all of it like Mens Basketball. Recruiting classes still matter.

[SubGod22]

[1972Shocker]

Expectations are certainly very high for Addy B. No doubt she has the talent to fulfill those expectations if the Shocks can keep teams from pitching around her.

[SubGod22]

[SubGod22]

This includes the Shockwave Elbow Guard according to the release.

[BAShocker]

Probably should start a different thread with the first game a few days away, if someone wishes…please do.

Anyway, any guesses on the starting lineup? I assume Sami at SS, Lainey at C, Addie somewhere in the OF. Others?

[1972Shocker]

Probably should start a different thread with the first game a few days away, if someone wishes…please do.

Anyway, any guesses on the starting lineup? I assume Sami at SS, Lainey at C, Addie somewhere in the OF. Others?

flyingMoose generally takes care of that and already has one ready to go for the season opening tournament.

https://shockernet.net/forum/wichita...te#post1424929