Feb. 15, 2006
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2006 UNLV Desert Classic • Las Vegas, NV • Feb. 17-19
Notre Dame vs. Colorado State (3-3), Friday, Feb. 17, 9:00 a.m. (SLC Field One)
Notre Dame vs. BYU (4-1), Friday, Feb. 17, 11:15 a.m. (SLC Field One)
Notre Dame vs. Oregon State (3-2), Saturday, Feb. 18, 9:00 a.m. (Eller Media Stadium)
Notre Dame at UNLV (4-2), Saturday, Feb. 18, 3:45 p.m. (Eller Media Stadium)
Notre Dame vs. CS Fullerton (2-3), Sunday, Feb. 19, 9:15 a.m. (SLC Field Two)
2006 season begins in Vegas –
The 2006 University of Notre Dame softball season begins this weekend when the Irish take the field for the UNLV Desert Classic. The tournament games will be played at both UNLV’s main venue, Eller Media Stadium, as well as satellite fields in the Las Vegas suburbs. Notre Dame begins its season in Las Vegas for the second time in three years, as the Irish also took part in the UNLV Classic in 2004. In that tournament, Notre Dame finished 4-1 with a victory over #8 Nebraska.
Keep up with the Irish on the road –
Notre Dame softball family, friends and fans can keep up with the Irish two different ways this season. Live audio broadcasts of selected Notre Dame games will be available, including the team’s matchup with #15/12 Oregon State and CS Fullerton this weekend (subscription to Fighting Irish All-Access required, see www.und.com and click on `multimedia’ for more information). In addition, the Notre Dame Sports Hotline (574-631-3000) will be updated as soon as possible after each game this season.
Once the Irish return home to Ivy Field in March, each contest will be available via live audio coverage in addition to Gametracker updates.
Overview of the Irish –
Due to roster turnover this season, Notre Dame head coach Deanna Gumpf (entering her fifth year with the Irish) will face her first season without `proven’ players at several key spots. Notre Dame graduated five players last year, four of which were every-day starters for the team. Notre Dame’s early-season fortunes could be decided by the team’s development at third base, leftfield, centerfield and in the pitching staff.
While those positions are uncertain at this point, the Irish are strong in all other facets of the game. Senior Heather Booth will lead the pitching staff and, after 640 innings pitched, 69 victories and 587 strikeouts during her career, the Riverside, Calif., native is poised for a stellar season. Booth will share the starting duties with hard-throwing freshman Brittney Bargar. Junior Kenya Fuemmeler is ready to see an increase in pitching time this season as well. Adding even more depth to the pitching staff will be freshman Christine Farrell. Farrell is returning from offseason surgery and is expected to be at full strength for the BIG EAST Conference season.
Three starting infielders return with all-BIG EAST selections Sara Schoonaert at shortstop (.237, 33 RBI, 16 SB – career numbers), Katie Laing (.308, 23 RBI, 17 2B) at second base and Meagan Ruthrauff (.303, 19 HR, 117 RBI) at first base. Junior Carrisa Jaquish (.223, 44 H, 19 RBI) and freshman Linda Kohan are battling for the starting third base spot in preseason camp.
The outfield will have a new look this season. Junior Gessica Hufnagle, once a catcher for the Irish, will patrol leftfield and give the Irish a potent arm and increased athleticism in the outfield. Freshman Alexandra Kotcheff is penciled in as the starter in centerfield and hopes to give the Irish speed on defense and a triple threat at the plate on offense. The returning starter will be in rightfield with junior Stephanie Brown (.318, 44 RBI, 22 SB), who made a successful move from second base to the outfield in `05. Sophomore Sarah Smith, sophomore Brittany Glynn and freshman Stephanie Mola will provide the Irish with depth in the outfield. Freshman Beth Northway is working her way back from offseason surgery and her status for the `06 has not yet been determined.
Senior Mallorie Lenn (.260, 71 RBI) will return as the Irish catcher this season and is poised for a breakout season after getting through an offseason without an injury hiccup. She will be backed up by freshman Erin Glasco – and the non-starter of the two players is expected to be Notre Dame’s top option at designated hitter.
Last to play challenge –
Notre Dame will hit the dirt for the first time this season on Thursday, while all five of its scheduled opponents have at least five games played this season already. The Irish have scheduled day for practice on Thursday, Feb. 16, to get acclimated to outdoor softball for the first time this season. It should be pointed out, however, that a very unusual and mild month of January in Northern Indiana has given the Irish a handful of practice days in the infield and outfield at Ivy Field.
Notre Dame in early-season tournaments –
Notre Dame began what is now the collegiate softball tradition of early-season tournament action in 1990 when it took part in a Chicago, Ill., tournament. Since that trip, Notre Dame has visited 30 different areas of the country and participated in several elite tournaments. Notre Dame’s all-time record in early-season tournament action is 170-119 (.588) and its most frequent sites visited have been South Florida (seven times), Columbus, Ga. (six times), and CS Fullerton (four times). This season, Notre Dame will visit Las Vegas, Nev. (for the third time), Miami, Fla., Tulsa, Okla., and CS Fullerton once again.
Irish history at UNLV –
Notre Dame has taken part in two previous tournaments hosted by UNLV. In 2000, the Irish faced Portland State (W, 5-3), Southern Utah (W, 8-0), Oregon (L, 3-11), UC Santa Barbara (W, 3-0) and Utah (W, 2-1) during the UNLV Classic.
The team returned in 2004 and played well again, taking on Hawaii (W, 8-7), #2 California (L, 1-2), #8 Nebraksa (W, 6-4), UNLV (W, 3-1) and Portland State (W, 4-1).
Overall in tournament action in Las Vegas, the Irish are 8-2 (.800). The team also made a brief stop in Las Vegas to begin its 2002 Spring Break trip. Notre Dame defeated Oregon 9-3, but lost to UNLV 2-1 to push its all-time win-loss record in Las Vegas to 9-3 (.750).
Notre Dame series history vs. weekend opponents –
Notre Dame vs. Colorado State – 2-1, Neutral 2-1 – last meeting: CSU 7, ND 0 (`97 NIT)
Notre Dame vs. BYU – first meeting
Notre Dame vs. Oregon State – 1-3, Neutral 1-3 – last meeting: ND 2, OSU 0 (`05 NCAA Reg.)
Notre Dame vs. UNLV – 1-1, Away 1-1 – last meeting: ND 3, UNLV 1
Notre Dame vs.CS Fullerton – 2-3, Away 1-1, Neutral 1-1 – last meeting: ND 5, CSUF 4 (8 innings at the `04 NFCA Leadoff Classic)
New BIG EAST Conference unveiled in 2006 –
The BIG EAST Conference expansion, which officially took place this fall, has garnered most of its attention in men’s basketball. The conference has quickly transformed into the top men’s basketball league in the country, but the effect that expansion will have on softball cannot be overlooked. The BIG EAST welcomes three traditional softball powers into the conference this season with the addition of DePaul, Louisville and South Florida. All three of the new teams will compete to end Notre Dame’s regular-season conference title streak which stands at 10 years entering the `06 campaign.
Combined with an already solid conference lineup, the BIG EAST is now arguably the top softball league east of the Mississippi River. With a new league alignment, the BIG EAST Championship – scheduled to be played in South Bend, Ind., beginning May 11 – will feature a new schedule. The top eight teams from the league standings will take part in a single-elimination, three-day tournament to determine the league’s automatic berth in the NCAA Championship.
Irish captains –
Notre Dame will feature four captains this season for just the second time in the program’s history. The senior class of Heather Booth, Mallorie Lenn, Meagan Ruthrauff and Sara Schoonaert will provide leadership both on and off the field for the team in 2006. The only other team to feature four captains was Notre Dame’s most successful team ever – the 2001 squad. Current Irish assistant coach Lizzy Lemire shared the captaincy that season with Melanie Alkire, Danielle Klayman and Jennifer Sharron. The Irish finished 54-7 in `01 and earned a number-one seed in the NCAA Championship.
Booth to continue climb up Notre Dame career charts –
Senior co-captain Heather Booth, a front-line starter for the Irish since she walked on campus four years ago, will continue her climb up the Irish career pitching charts this season. The single-season record holder for complete games (30 in `04), Booth’s current all-time statistical ranking include seventh in appearances (115), fourth in starts (96), fourth in wins (69), fourth in complete games (61), fourth in shutouts (21), fourth in innings pitched (640.0), fifth in winning percentage (.718, 69-75), fifth in ERA (1.63) and fourth in strikeouts (587).
See page five of this notes package for a complete listing of Notre Dame’s current players on several different all-time statistical rankings.
Season schedule will be a challenge –
The 2006 season will prove a challenge for the Irish, as the team will face several teams ranked in the top 25, or just out of the national rankings.
According to the latest rankings, the Irish will face (NFCA rankings first, followed by USA Softball) #14/12 Oregon State, #17/17 Nebraska, #21/21 DePaul #12/14 Northwestern and #22/23 Arizona State. In addition, Notre Dame will face Louisville, CS Fullerton, Florida State, UNLV and South Flordia – all teams who have received at least one vote in the preseason national rankings.
Notre Dame knocked off four ranked teams durng the 2005 season. The Irish defeated #21 South Florida and #19 Florida on their first weekend of action (Feb. 12-13), then knocked off #5/6 Tennessee last weekend at the Palm Springs Classic. Notre Dame also defeated #15 Northwestern with a four-run rally in the bottom of the seventh on Tuesday, April 26, 2005.
Under head coach Deanna Gumpf, the Irish have knocked off at least three ranked teams in three of four seasons (#25 South Florida, #4 Nebraska, #15 Oregon State in `02; #8 Nebraska, #14 Nebraska, #18 Nebraska in `04). The Irish have defeated a total of 13 ranked teams during Gumpf’s tenure. The most ranked wins for the Irish came in 2001, when the team defeated eight teams ranked in the national top 25.
New coaching staff, new Gumpf Family addition –
Notre Dame will unveil its new coaching staff in a unique way this season. Lizzy Lemire, a 2001 Notre Dame graduate, has joined the staff and Kris Ganeff (Notre Dame `99) moves up into the first assistant role. The change came about with the decision of former Irish assistant coach Charmelle Green to take a job in Notre Dame’s Student-Athlete Development Program.
The unusual twist to the story is that Irish head coach Deanna Gumpf will miss Lemire’s official debut with the team. Gumpf is expecting her second child in the third week of February and will not make the first three weekend trips of the season with the team. She will rejoin the team full-time on the road for its Spring Break trip to Southern California.
While Gumpf is away from the team on the road, Ganeff will coach third base and Lemire will man the first base coaching box. To aid in the pitching staff’s development during Gumpf’s pregnancy, former Irish assistant coach Dawn Austin returned to the team as a volunteer assistant coach this season.
Ruthrauff approaching career walks record –
Senior 1B Meagan Ruthrauff, Notre Dame’s cleanup hitter the last three seasons, is not only a potent RBI producer (117 in three years, ninth on the all-time Notre Dame list), but she also has outstanding plate discipline.
Entering the 2006 season, Ruthrauff needs just eight walks to break Andrea Loman’s (2000-03) career record of 87.