2020 NSAA Preseason Coaches' Poll
2020 NAIA Preseason Coaches' Top 25 Poll
BELLEVUE, Neb. -- With a team ready to take the field equipped with an exciting mix of experienced talent and youthful potential, the 2020 edition of the Bellevue University softball team prepares to open the season with a pair of games this weekend in Kansas before hosting York College on Sunday.
The Bruins enter the season ranked second in the North Star Athletic Association Preseason Coaches' Poll. BU is receiving votes in the NAIA Preseason Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
Bellevue returns six starters and 10 letterwinners from last season's squad that finished with a 44-20 overall record and a 23-5 conference mark. The Bruins finished second in the NSAA regular season and conference tournament, advancing to the NAIA National Tournament for the 10th time in school history and the fifth time in the last seven seasons.
Coaching Staff:
In her first 10 seasons as the head softball coach at Bellevue University, Michala Cimino has guided the Bruins to five conference regular-season titles, five conference tournament titles and seven appearances in the NAIA National Softball Tournament.
Cimino, who was named the MCAC Coach of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2015 and NSAA Coach of the Year in 2016, 2017, and 2019, has compiled an overall record of 387-173-1 (.691) and a 157-38 (.805) mark in conference play.
Kelly Cheshier returns for her 18th season as an assistant coach for the Bruins after a standout two-year career with BU, where she earned All-American honors and was a two-time all-conference recipient. She is also a member of the BU Athletic Department's Hall of Fame.
Also returning to the BU coaching staff are Jeanne Scarpello (4th season) and Aimee Supanchick (9th season).
Returners:
Headling the list of returners for the 2020 campaign are four first-team all-NSAA honorees.
Sophomore shortstop Ellie Bliemeister earned first-team all-league honors while batting .377 with 11 home runs, 13 doubles, and a team-leading five triples. She started 62 of the team's 64 games in her freshman campaign.
Junior Maricela Egan split time in both the Bruin infield and outfield last season, finishing the year with a .357 batting average, six doubles, and four home runs while earning first-team all-NSAA recognition.
Sophomore Ashley Young filled in at several spots during her freshman season, seeing time at every infield position while also filling in as the team's designated player. She finished the season with a .362 batting average, 14 doubles, and four home runs while garnering first-team all-conference accolades.
Senior second baseman Katlyn Kinman earned all-NSAA honors last season after batting .312 with 12 doubles, 35 RBIs, and five home runs.
The Bruins return three pitchers from 2019, highlighted by second-team all-NSAA selection Brieanna Brock. Brock, a senior, compiled a team-leading 13-3 record in 2019 with two saves. She finished the year with a 2.90 ERA and 127 strikeouts.
Junior Emily Rochford and sophomore Lauren Jurek will add valuable depth in the circle in 2020. Both pitchers fanned 13 batters a year ago while compiling ERA's under 3.00.
Sophomore Kelsey Arnold appeared in 37 games with 26 starts in 2019, mainly at first base. She batted .247 on the season highlighted by a grand slam in BU's 13-4 victory over Waldorf.
Senior Randi Henry started 47 games last season at the team's catcher. She batted .195 on the season with three doubles, seven RBIs and six runs scored.
Junior Emily Mendick saw action in 52 games with 15 starts in the outfield, batting .152 with a double, triple, 17 runs scored and three RBIs.
Newcomers:
Bellevue will have five new faces on the 2020 roster with four freshmen and one junior college transfer joining this year's squad.
The newcomers include:
Allison O'Driscoll, C, 6-0, Jr., Colorado Springs/Iowa Western CC
Mya Montero, OF, 5-2, Fr., Corona Calif./Centennial HS
Cory Carrillo, P, 5-9, Fr., Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park HS
Madison Machacek, C3B, 5-6, Fr., Bellevue, Neb./Bellevue West HS
Mikayla Kroeger, UT, 5-7, Fr., Omaha, Neb./Northwest HS
The Schedule:
The Bruins open the 2020 campaign with four games this weekend. Bellevue will play a doubleheader on Saturday against Ottawa (Kan.) in Topeka before hosting York College on Sunday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader. Bellevue will then head to Clermont, Fla. for the Bruins' annual Spring Break trip on Mar. 1-7. BU will play 14 games in six days at the Spring Games, highlighted by a matchup with No. 4-ranked Marian University.
After competing in the McPherson (Kan.) University Tournament on Mar. 13-14, the Bruins will host College of St. Mary in their second home twin-bill on March 19, before beginning conference play at Mayville State on March 21-22.
The Bruins will have 28 conference games, mostly in four-game weekend series. Defending conference champion Valley City State is ranked first in the NSAA Preseason Poll and No. 10 nationally.
Bellevue will also compete in non-conference doubleheaders with Hastings, York, and Mount Marty.
The NSAA Tournament is scheduled to take place on April 30-May 3 in Valley City, N.D. with NAIA National Championship Opening Round games scheduled for May 11-13 at sites to be determined.
