Friday, May 17
Columbia, MO
12:00 PM
University of Washington
vs
Indiana
Huskies Begin Road To WCWS On Friday Against Indiana
May 16, 2024 | Softball
COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 13 Washington softball begins its road to the Women's College World Series as the No. 2-seed in the Columbia Regional. The Huskies are set to face the No. 7 national seed Missouri Tigers, Indiana Hoosiers and Omaha Mavericks in a double elimination tournament beginning on Friday.
The Huskies will open play with Indiana at noon PT on Friday and airing on ESPN+. Washington will then matchup with Missouri or Omaha on Saturday.
Stay up to date on all tournament information by visiting the Tournament Central page.
AWARD SEASON
Pac-12 and NFCA All-Region honors have come out. Below is a list of all postseason honors that the Huskies have received. For the sixth consecutive season, the Huskies earned eight or more Pac-12 nods as the conference announced this year's All-Pac-12 teams last week.
Rylee Holtorf – All-Pac-12 First Team
Ruby Meylan – All-Pac-12 First Team
Brooke Nelson – All-Pac-12 First Team
Alana Johnson – All-Pac-12 Second Team
Jillian Celis – All-Pac-12 Third Team
Giselle Alvarez – Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
Sidne Peters – Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
POSTSEASON DAWGS
The Huskies have made 30 consecutive regional dating back to 1994 - the second year of Washington softball. Washington has the fourth-most NCAA Tournament wins all-time (134) and fourth-most WCWS appearances (15). The 104 wins in regionals and super regionals in fourth-most all-time. All-time UW has 15 Super Regional berths and 15 WCWS appearances to go with one National Championship (2009).
ROAD DAWGS
The Huskies opened the first four weeks of the season on the road opening up at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Feb. 8-10. Washington will then head to Florida for 10 days starting off at the Clearwater Invitational, followed by a pair of midweek games at Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson before ending the trip at the South Florida Showdown hosted by USF. UW then made its way down to Eugene, Ore. for the Jane Sanders Classic, Feb. 29-March 2. Washington is 9-6 in true road games and 11-3 in neutral site contests this season. At the conclusion of the regular season, the Huskies will have traveled 19,382 miles with 11,890 miles occurring in the non-conference slate.
DAWGS WORLDWIDE
Ruby Meylan, Lindsay Lopez, Jillian Celis, Sis Bates and Heather Tarr all represented national teams this summer along with former Huskies Ali Aguilar, Taran Alvelo and Baylee Klingler. Future Husky Morgan Reimer played with Team Canada in the Pan American Games. Meylan played with Team USA at the Japan All-Star Series in August. Bates, Tarr, Aguilar and Klingler participated with the US National Team at the WBSC World Cup Group A and Pan American Games. Lopez and Celis represented Mexico at the Canada Cup and Pan American Games while Alvelo played with Team Puerto Rico at the World Cup qualifier and Pan American Games.
Last month, Tarr was once again named head coach of the US Women's National Team for this summer at the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals held in Castions di Strada, Italy. She will be joined with Bates who was named to the WBSC World Cup roster last week as part of the US Women's National Team. Klingler will compete with the US Women's Elite Team at the Japan All-Star Series.
GETTING IT DONE IN THE CIRCLE
Last season, Ruby Meylan (18) and Lindsay Lopez (14) led the pitching staff in wins. It marked the first time since 2019 (Gabbie Plain - 24 and Taran Alvelo - 26) that the Huskies had a pair of pitchers with double digit wins. The duo is on track to do it again, with Lopez at 10 and Meylan sitting at nine wins. Brooke Nelson has also recorded five victories and Sidne Peters with seven. The last time the Huskies had three pitchers with 10 or more wins was in 2012 with Kaitlin Inglesby (19), Kasey Stanchek (10) and Bryana Walker (10). All four Husky pitchers have recorded at least one complete game.
LOCKDOWN DEFENSE
Washington is ranks fourth nationally with a .980 fielding percentage. The 23 errors are the fewest in the NCAA DI. Five Huskies post a perfect fielding percentage in Jillian Celis, Olivia Johnson, Avery Hobson, Ruby Meylan and Jing Gardner. Celis leads the team with 85 assists and helped turn eight double plays. The Huskies are on track to match the program record for fielding percentage at .981 which has been done three times (2013, 2019, 2023). Washington is also on track to beat the previous record for fewest errors (29).
STELLAR FRESHMAN CAMPAIGN
Sidne Peters' 8.20 strikeouts per seven innings is the third best in the Pac-12, the 30th best nationally and the seventh best nationally among NCAA DI freshmen. Peters' 4.45 hits allowed per seven innings is also the second best in the league and the fourth best among NCAA DI freshmen. She was also named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Missouri enters the postseason with a record of 43-15 and coming off an appearance in the SEC championship game against Florida. The pitching staff holds the 14th-best ERA in the nation with a 2.07 ERA. Marissa McCann leads the team with a 1.84 ERA in 72.1 innings. Laurin Krings and Cierra Harrison work a majority of innings combining for 27 wins. Taylor Pannell is the nation's leader with 14 saves. At the plate, Alex Honnold is sixth nationally with 21 doubles. Jenna Laird leads the team with a .350 batting average, 18 stolen bases and 64 hits.
The Huskies and Tigers have met 12 times previously with the two teams splitting the series at six games each. Missouri has won five of the last six meetings.
SCOUTING THE HOOSIERS
Indiana enters the postseason with a record of 40-18 and an appearance in the Big Ten championship game against Michigan. As a team, the Hoosiers rank 26th nationally in batting average (.312) and 16th in scoring (6.14). Aly VanBrandt leads the team with a .370 batting average. Avery Parker is the team leader with 13 home runs while Taylor Minnick leads the team with 53 RBI. Sophie Kleiman and Brianna Copeland work a majority of innings for Indiana with 34 combined wins and 253 strikeouts.
times previously with UW holding the series lead 2-1. The last time the team met was in 2017 at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS
Omaha enters the NCAA Tournament after winning the Summit League Tournament last weekend as the No. 2 seed. The Mavericks finished the regular season with a record of 41-13. Maggie O'Brien leads the team with a .376 average, 70 hits and 13 stolen bases. Sydney Thomason leads the team with seven home runs while Sydney Ross is the team leader with 35 RBI. As a team, Omaha has six student-athletes with 20 or more RBI. The pitching staff holds a 2.36 ERA and is third nationally with 19 shutouts. Kamryn Meyer leads the way with a 1.51 ERA and four saves with 239 strikeouts over 189.2 innings. She also holds a record of 25-4.
Washington and Omaha have faced once before in 2013 with the Huskies winning 10-2 in five innings.
TOUGH SCHEDULE
Washington has a record of 10-10 against Top 25 teams (at the time the game was played). Washington has had a pair of ranked games canceled due to weather in LSU (at Clearwater) and Florida State (at Jane Sanders Classic). The Huskies are 17-12 against current Top 75 RPI teams.
NO-NO
Fifth-year senior Brooke Nelson recorded her first career no-hitter and 50th in program history against Loyola Chicago at the South Florida Showdown. Nelson struck out five in the outing and allowed only one walk in the second inning to the leadoff batter. It was the first Husky no-hitter since Kelley Lynch and Ruby Meylan combined for one at Oregon State last season. Lynch also threw a no-hitter earlier in the year against Bethune-Cookman at Mary Nutter.
For more information on the UW softball team, follow @UWSoftball on X and Instagram.
The Huskies will open play with Indiana at noon PT on Friday and airing on ESPN+. Washington will then matchup with Missouri or Omaha on Saturday.
Stay up to date on all tournament information by visiting the Tournament Central page.
AWARD SEASON
Pac-12 and NFCA All-Region honors have come out. Below is a list of all postseason honors that the Huskies have received. For the sixth consecutive season, the Huskies earned eight or more Pac-12 nods as the conference announced this year's All-Pac-12 teams last week.
Rylee Holtorf – All-Pac-12 First Team
Ruby Meylan – All-Pac-12 First Team
Brooke Nelson – All-Pac-12 First Team
Alana Johnson – All-Pac-12 Second Team
Jillian Celis – All-Pac-12 Third Team
Giselle Alvarez – Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
Sidne Peters – Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
POSTSEASON DAWGS
The Huskies have made 30 consecutive regional dating back to 1994 - the second year of Washington softball. Washington has the fourth-most NCAA Tournament wins all-time (134) and fourth-most WCWS appearances (15). The 104 wins in regionals and super regionals in fourth-most all-time. All-time UW has 15 Super Regional berths and 15 WCWS appearances to go with one National Championship (2009).
ROAD DAWGS
The Huskies opened the first four weeks of the season on the road opening up at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Feb. 8-10. Washington will then head to Florida for 10 days starting off at the Clearwater Invitational, followed by a pair of midweek games at Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson before ending the trip at the South Florida Showdown hosted by USF. UW then made its way down to Eugene, Ore. for the Jane Sanders Classic, Feb. 29-March 2. Washington is 9-6 in true road games and 11-3 in neutral site contests this season. At the conclusion of the regular season, the Huskies will have traveled 19,382 miles with 11,890 miles occurring in the non-conference slate.
DAWGS WORLDWIDE
Ruby Meylan, Lindsay Lopez, Jillian Celis, Sis Bates and Heather Tarr all represented national teams this summer along with former Huskies Ali Aguilar, Taran Alvelo and Baylee Klingler. Future Husky Morgan Reimer played with Team Canada in the Pan American Games. Meylan played with Team USA at the Japan All-Star Series in August. Bates, Tarr, Aguilar and Klingler participated with the US National Team at the WBSC World Cup Group A and Pan American Games. Lopez and Celis represented Mexico at the Canada Cup and Pan American Games while Alvelo played with Team Puerto Rico at the World Cup qualifier and Pan American Games.
Last month, Tarr was once again named head coach of the US Women's National Team for this summer at the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals held in Castions di Strada, Italy. She will be joined with Bates who was named to the WBSC World Cup roster last week as part of the US Women's National Team. Klingler will compete with the US Women's Elite Team at the Japan All-Star Series.
GETTING IT DONE IN THE CIRCLE
Last season, Ruby Meylan (18) and Lindsay Lopez (14) led the pitching staff in wins. It marked the first time since 2019 (Gabbie Plain - 24 and Taran Alvelo - 26) that the Huskies had a pair of pitchers with double digit wins. The duo is on track to do it again, with Lopez at 10 and Meylan sitting at nine wins. Brooke Nelson has also recorded five victories and Sidne Peters with seven. The last time the Huskies had three pitchers with 10 or more wins was in 2012 with Kaitlin Inglesby (19), Kasey Stanchek (10) and Bryana Walker (10). All four Husky pitchers have recorded at least one complete game.
LOCKDOWN DEFENSE
Washington is ranks fourth nationally with a .980 fielding percentage. The 23 errors are the fewest in the NCAA DI. Five Huskies post a perfect fielding percentage in Jillian Celis, Olivia Johnson, Avery Hobson, Ruby Meylan and Jing Gardner. Celis leads the team with 85 assists and helped turn eight double plays. The Huskies are on track to match the program record for fielding percentage at .981 which has been done three times (2013, 2019, 2023). Washington is also on track to beat the previous record for fewest errors (29).
STELLAR FRESHMAN CAMPAIGN
Sidne Peters' 8.20 strikeouts per seven innings is the third best in the Pac-12, the 30th best nationally and the seventh best nationally among NCAA DI freshmen. Peters' 4.45 hits allowed per seven innings is also the second best in the league and the fourth best among NCAA DI freshmen. She was also named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Missouri enters the postseason with a record of 43-15 and coming off an appearance in the SEC championship game against Florida. The pitching staff holds the 14th-best ERA in the nation with a 2.07 ERA. Marissa McCann leads the team with a 1.84 ERA in 72.1 innings. Laurin Krings and Cierra Harrison work a majority of innings combining for 27 wins. Taylor Pannell is the nation's leader with 14 saves. At the plate, Alex Honnold is sixth nationally with 21 doubles. Jenna Laird leads the team with a .350 batting average, 18 stolen bases and 64 hits.
The Huskies and Tigers have met 12 times previously with the two teams splitting the series at six games each. Missouri has won five of the last six meetings.
SCOUTING THE HOOSIERS
Indiana enters the postseason with a record of 40-18 and an appearance in the Big Ten championship game against Michigan. As a team, the Hoosiers rank 26th nationally in batting average (.312) and 16th in scoring (6.14). Aly VanBrandt leads the team with a .370 batting average. Avery Parker is the team leader with 13 home runs while Taylor Minnick leads the team with 53 RBI. Sophie Kleiman and Brianna Copeland work a majority of innings for Indiana with 34 combined wins and 253 strikeouts.
times previously with UW holding the series lead 2-1. The last time the team met was in 2017 at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS
Omaha enters the NCAA Tournament after winning the Summit League Tournament last weekend as the No. 2 seed. The Mavericks finished the regular season with a record of 41-13. Maggie O'Brien leads the team with a .376 average, 70 hits and 13 stolen bases. Sydney Thomason leads the team with seven home runs while Sydney Ross is the team leader with 35 RBI. As a team, Omaha has six student-athletes with 20 or more RBI. The pitching staff holds a 2.36 ERA and is third nationally with 19 shutouts. Kamryn Meyer leads the way with a 1.51 ERA and four saves with 239 strikeouts over 189.2 innings. She also holds a record of 25-4.
Washington and Omaha have faced once before in 2013 with the Huskies winning 10-2 in five innings.
TOUGH SCHEDULE
Washington has a record of 10-10 against Top 25 teams (at the time the game was played). Washington has had a pair of ranked games canceled due to weather in LSU (at Clearwater) and Florida State (at Jane Sanders Classic). The Huskies are 17-12 against current Top 75 RPI teams.
NO-NO
Fifth-year senior Brooke Nelson recorded her first career no-hitter and 50th in program history against Loyola Chicago at the South Florida Showdown. Nelson struck out five in the outing and allowed only one walk in the second inning to the leadoff batter. It was the first Husky no-hitter since Kelley Lynch and Ruby Meylan combined for one at Oregon State last season. Lynch also threw a no-hitter earlier in the year against Bethune-Cookman at Mary Nutter.
For more information on the UW softball team, follow @UWSoftball on X and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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UTL
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OF
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UTL
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C
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INF
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P
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P/1B
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