Bellevue University
Coach: Michala Cimino, 3rd year
Record last year: 32-19, 12-0 MCAC (first)
Player to watch: Junior P-3B Amanda Neumann was named the 2011 MCAC player and pitcher of the year. She batted .409 with 15 home runs and set the school single-season record with 240 strikeouts. Kathryn Wardian was named the 2011 MCAC newcomer of the year. She batted .368 with 15 home runs and eight doubles.
Outlook: The Bruins return seven starters and 10 letterwinners from last season's 32-19 squad that captured the MCAC regular season and tournament titles for the second straight season. Bellevue also advanced to the NAIA national championships for the second consecutive year. Bellevue has won 35 straight regular-season conference games dating back to the 2008 season.
Briar Cliff
Coach: Michelle Schaper, 4th year
Record last year: 13-35, 6-16 GPAC (12th)
Players to watch: P Bailey Hendrix returns after leading the team with 120 strikeouts as a freshman. Morgan Davis is the Chargers' top returning hitter after batting .321, last season.
Outlook: The Chargers' 2012 roster is made up of one senior, two juniors, five sophomores and four freshmen. The Chargers will be young, but still hope to make strides within the conference.
Central Community College
Coach: Jack Gutierrez
Record last year: 25-21. Division II Region IX champions and NCCAC champions
Players to watch: All Region IX players Melissa Bulin, pitcher who was 15-8 and hit .355, and C Tanya Snyder, who hit .321.
Outlook: Raiders return five starters from last year. Quality freshmen in Paige Otte, Sami Timperely, Jena Andelt, Paige Delancey and Mariah Bigelow. Central looks to repeat as conference and regional champions. North Platte and Southeast will challenge. "We are in our fifth year of softball and continue to improve every year,'' Gutierrez.
Chadron State College
Coach: Dr. Rob Stack, 5th year
Record last year: 21-26, 17-21 RMAC (ninth)
Player to watch: C Angela Jay batted .362 and drove in 24 runs and was named to the RMAC all-conference third team.
Outlook: Chadron State returns six starters and two of its three top pitchers. They were ranked ninth in the preseason conference poll.
College of Saint Mary
Coach: Chuck Brewer, 5th year
Record last year: 6-28, 5-7 MCAC (fifth)
Player to watch: Lynn Fibich returns as the leading hitter (.347 average) and leader in stolen bases (8). She earned honorable mention All-MCAC honors last year. P Audree Uhlarik was second team all-MCAC last season.
Outlook: The Flames return five starters and nine letter winners. Brewer is excited about the returning players and 10 new players on the roster.
Concordia University
Coach: Frank Greene, 10th year
Record last year: 27-17, 14-8 GPAC (fourth)
Player to watch: Senior P Nicole Sempek was a first team All-GPAC performer last year, finishing with a 16-9 record, a 2.48 ERA and 161 strikeouts in 161 innings of work. Sempek has more than 50 wins in her career.
Outlook: Sempek and Amanda Beeson could provide a solid combination if they remain healthy. Offensively, Concordia has some holes to fill following the graduation of All-GPAC performers Clarissa Eloge and Nicole Baker. Mikaela Klein and Natalie Svoboda will carry much of the offensive load. If some younger players develop, look for the Bulldogs to be one of the top teams in the GPAC.
Doane College
Coach: Barry Mosley, 8th year
Record last year: 14-27 (11-11, sixth in the GPAC)
Player to watch: Junior OF Brooke Sampson hit nine home runs last year and is three away from the school record. Shelby Mendlik hit a single-season record of 13 home runs last year in her freshman campaign.
Outlook: The Tigers have the makings of a potent offense but will need the pitching staff to have a breakthrough season.
Hastings College
Coach: Troy Baker, 6th year
Record last year: 21-25, 9-13 GPAC (eighth)
Player to watch: Junior OF Felicia Graff hit .372 last season and has a career average of .357. Sophomore 3B Molly Mullervy hit .359 with three home runs and 26 RBIs her freshman season.
Outlook: Hastings has a good core back and is looking to contend for the GPAC title.
Iowa Western
Coach: Lana Ross, 10th year. Region XI coach of the year in 2011.
Record last year: 49-14, conference champions, regional champions, district champions, seventh at nationals.
Players to watch: P Greta Smeins, first-team all-region, holds records for most complete games and most innings pitched. She's signed with Morehead State. 3B Daleigh Fossler was first team all region, Region XI defensive player of the year and has signed with McNeese State.
Outlook: Reivers return eight starters and are ranked No. 13 in the preseason.
McCook Community College
Coach: Elizabeth Jacoby
Midland University
Coach: Keith Kramme, 17th season
Record last season: 19-31, 9-13 GPAC (Seventh). GPAC postseason tournament runner-up and advanced to national tournament.
Player to watch: Senior OF Ashley Willard hit .350 and stole 33 bases last season.
Outlook: Young pitchers will be asked to efficiently chew up innings. The Warriors' speed will be relied upon to manufacture runs.
Morningside College
Coach: Jessica Jones-Sitzmann, 14th year
Record last year: 46-11, 18-4 GPAC (first)
Player to watch: Junior C Mackenzie Neely is a two-time NAIA All-American. Sophomore P Emma Remy was the 2011 GPAC pitcher of the year. Junior IF Kirsten Dargy has slugged 26 home runs over the last two seasons.
Outlook: With six returning position player starters along with both starting pitchers, the Mustangs will make a strong challenge for a fourth consecutive GPAC championship and NAIA national tournament berth.
Nebraska Wesleyan
Coach: Lance Kingery, 11th year
Record last year: 28-9, 15-7 GPAC (Second)
Player to watch: Senior OF Dani Bryant returns after missing the second half of the 2011 season with a knee injury. Bryant is the all-time steals leader at NWU and was leading the country in stolen bases before her injury.
Outlook: The Prairie Wolves must replace the school's all-time leading pitcher and the 2011 GPAC player of the year. Kingery will try to feed off the most successful season in school history last season. The Prairie Wolves need to develop another young pitcher if they hope to finish in the top two of the GPAC like the past two seasons.
North Platte C.C.
Coach: Janelle Higgins, 2nd year
Record last year: 11-30
Players to watch: OF Lydia Lusk (great speed), SS Ashley Miller (great range), 2B Jennifer Del Mar (explosive hitter) and P Rachel Silva will lead the team. Silva, a sophomore, pitched every game last season until she suffered a broken finger two weeks before regionals.
Outlook: Seven sophomore return, four that received all region honors. Silva was freshman of the year.
Northwestern College
Coach: Chris Nachtigall, 1st year
Record last year: 16-22, 12-10 GPAC (fifth)
Players to watch: Kami Kuhlmann hit .381 with 12 runs scored. SS Alex Price hit .364 with 22 runs scored. P Keely Bracelin was 10-8 with a 2.60 ERA.
Outlook: Northwestern returns all of its pitchers and all but two of its position players.
Northwest Missouri State
Coach: Ryan Anderson, 6th year
Record last year: 25-19, 14-8 MIAA (fourth)
Player to watch: Hailee Hendricks hit .313 with two home runs, 30 RBIs and 26 runs scored on her way to being named honorable mention all-MIAA.
Outlook: Northwest returns 10 players, including two honorable mention all-MIAA honorees.
Peru State
Coach: Mark Mathews, 19th year
Record last year: 33-25, 10-2 MCAC. Preseason No. 7 pick in Heart of America.
Players to watch: P Lyndsay Drumm and SS Kristin Bodyk were MCAC first-team picks last year.
Outlook: Bobcats have an experienced team returning with all three pitchers back who threw the 33 wins. Also, eight other returners are back along with a good nucleus of juco transfers and freshmen were signed.
UNK
Coach: Holly Carnes, 12th year
Record last year: 16-29, 16-21 RMAC (Ninth)
Player to watch: Sophomore OF Whitney Frederick is the Lopers' top returning hitter, batting .304 with three homers and 13 RBIs last spring.
Outlook: In its last year in the RMAC, the Lopers must replace its top two hitters in third baseman Cassie Keck (.448, 17 HRs, 39 RBIs) and designated Jessie Thomas (.304, 5 HRs, 27 RBIs). Senior Kirstie Hiatt has 25 career wins in the circle and will likely be backed by a lineup featuring several true freshmen.
Wayne State
Coach: Krista Unger Wood, 6th year
Record last year: 37-17, 22-4 NSIC (second)
Player to watch: RF Aeriell Earleywine is a two-year starter and one of three returning starters in the field for WSC. Last season, the Sergeant Bluff-Luton (Iowa) graduate ranked second on the team in runs scored with 37.
Outlook: WSC lost six seniors from last year's team that went 37-17 and advanced to the NCAA Division II national tournament for a third straight season. Wildcats expect to still compete in the rugged Northern Sun with talented recruiting class and six key returners from last season. WSC was picked tied for fifth in the NSIC preseason softball coaches poll. The Wildcats open March 3 at the National Training Center spring games in Clermont, Fla.
Western Nebraska C.C.
Coach: Maria Winn-Ratliff, 8th year
Record last year: 51-15, Region IX champions, NJCAA national tournament participant. Ranked 19th in the preseason.
Player to watch: Sophomore C Jocelyn Stubbs was second on the team in home runs last season. Freshman P Bianca Duran will contribute right away.
Outlook: WNCC returns six players back from last year's national tournament team, including starters Bree Bitton, Jocelyn Stubbs, Aria Agle, and Sarah Hawryluk. Also returning is No. 2 pitcher Amanda Jones and utility player Mariah Faifer. The Cougars also have a good mix of freshmen, including infielders Kasey Cash, Danielle Hearn, Brandi Perceival and Kimmie Widick. Bianca Duran seems to be the No. 1 pitcher for the Cougars. "Our goal like every year is to be successful in the conference and give ourselves the opportunity to have a good seed in the tourney," Winn-Ratliff said. "It is all about getting hot at the right time and playing well on one weekend. Like every year it is going to take solid pitching and defense as well as timely hitting."
York College
Coach: Tori Means, 3rd year
Record last Year: 10-26, 7-5 MCAC (second)
Player to watch: Lexi Paspalof batted .340 and had a fielding percentage of .959. P Taby Cramer, injured last year, will be the No. 1 pitcher this year.
Outlook: Picked to finish third in the MCAC and make third straight conference tournament appearance.
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
