The NC State softball team finished its 2014 season with a record of 36-18 and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Pack will look to build on that success in the upcoming season.
The Wolfpack graduated only five seniors and hopes to make program history by earning a spot in the Tournament for the third consecutive season this year.
NC State currently stands at No. 29 according ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top-25 Preseason Poll and was chosen to finish third in the 2015 ACC regular season.
“I think we’ve got a pretty good team,” head coach Shawn Rychcik said. “I’d like to see us make a run at the ACC Championship again and put ourselves in a situation to do that and get a good seed for the tournament. After that, it’s the postseason, and you’re just trying to fight to get to June. I think we’ve got a chance.”
As the season approaches this Friday, the Wolfpack will not only look to its seven returning starters for a successful season, but will also rely on fresh talent from four new freshmen and a Division I transfer.
The 2015 squad welcomes Meredith Burroughs at first base, pitcher Harli Hubbard, outfielder Macauley Prickett and infield/outfielder Alyssa Compton to round out the new freshman players. Also, junior transfer from Hofstra, Maggie Hawkins joins the team at first base and catcher.
“Meredith Burroughs has the potential to surprise some people at bat and has good quality bats when you need them,” Rychcik said. “She is a freshman so she’ll have some ups and downs, but I think she can be a nice surprise.”
The Pack’s new additions will add depth and new perspective to the squad, but the team’s veterans will provide experience and accomplishment.
“I need my seniors this year,” Rychcik said. “If they don’t have good years, we’re going to be limited in where we can go.”
Among the returners are senior pitcher Emily Weiman and senior shortstop Renada Davis, two of the Pack’s most prominent players from the 2014 season.
“Weiman and Davis have established themselves, and I have expectations for them,” Rychcik said. “But I think with their experience, their work ethic and their preparedness, they’re able to handle it.”
Weiman made program history in 2014, recording the second-most wins in the conference with a record of 30-15 in the circle for NC State. Weiman was named first team All-ACC for the second consecutive year.
Davis earned a second team All-ACC selection in 2014 and broke NC State’s all-time career home run record with 50 homers. She also led the team in batting for the third consecutive season with an average of .375.
“[Davis and I] want to go to the postseason again and really want to step up this year and go further than we have in the past” Weiman said when asked about her final season. “It’s our senior year, our last time around, we want to do as much as we can for our team and win. It’s our last shot for our big dream.”
Although the season is not yet underway, the Wolfpack’s schedule will be challenging. The young squad will face seven preseason top-25 opponents, including the defending national champion, No.1 Florida. No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Florida State, No. 9 Louisiana-Lafeyette, No. 17 Missouri, No. 18 Louisiana State and No. 21 Notre Dame round out the Pack’s top challenges of the 2015 season.
The Wolfpack will begin its season against one of its top competitors, as the team travels to Lafayette, Louisiana, to face No. 9 Ragin’ Cajuns.
