University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, February 26
Leesburg, Fla.
3:15 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Maryland
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/1B
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
P/UT
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gopher Softball Opens Season this Weekend
2/23/2021 8:41:00 AM | Softball
HEADING INTO THE SEASON
• Minnesota and the Big Ten Conference will open the season, Feb. 26-28 at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, Fla. The Golden Gophers are scheduled to play six games in three days with doubleheaders against Maryland, Ohio State and Indiana.
• The Golden Gophers return super seniors Carlie Brandt, Amber Fiser, Katelyn Kemmetmueller and MaKenna Partain. All four decided to come back even after they earned their bachelor's degree last year. Brandt has played a total of 145 games, while Fiser has appeared in 136 career games. Kemmetmueller has seen action in 138, while Partain has played and started in 201 career games for the Golden Gophers.
• Minnesota went 15-9-1 in the 2020 shortened season. The Gophers were led in hitting by Natalie DenHartog, who hit .429 in 77 at bats, had 33 hits, 28 RBIs and seven home runs. She was followed by MaKenna Partain, who hit .349 in 83 at bats, 29 hits, seven doubles and four home runs. In all Minnesota returns six of seven starters who saw action in 25 games last year.
• The Gophers return all five pitchers from last year's squad. All-American Amber Fiser went 10-7 last season and held a 2.17 earned run average. She also appeared in 21 games, including 15 starts. Autumn Pease held a 2.12 ERA and went 4-2 in the shortened 2020 season. She also appeared in 15 games and started in nine with 62 strikeouts.
• Minnesota welcomes nine newcomers to the 2021 roster, including eight freshmen: Sarah Kinch (C), Chloe Evans (UT), Rylie Costa (INF), Jenna Beckstrom (UT), Ansleigh Hollifield (P/UT), Maddy Ehlke (INF), MacKenzie Denson (OF) and Clare Ceynowa (C). The Gophers also welcome junior transfer Megan Dray (C/1B), who previously played at North Carolina.
• All 84 softball games scheduled to be played at THE Spring Games February 26 – 28 and March 11 – 14 will be simulcast live via BTN+.
THE 2021 SEASON
Minnesota and the Big Ten are playing in unprecedented times. The Golden Gophers jump right into conference play. Following the six games this weekend, the Big Ten has a bye the following week. Play resumes on March 11-14 when the Gophers face Rutgers for three games, March 11-12 and Michigan State from March 13-14.
Following the Florida games, teams return to campus locations where these will be four-game series played over three days (Fri-Sun). Minnesota starts its campus schedule portion March 26-28 when it travels to Illinois. For the first time in 678 days, Minnesota will play a collegiate softball game at Jane Sage Cowles when the Gophers host the Purdue Boilermakers, April 2-4. The Gophers' last home game dates back to May 25, 2019 when Minnesota hosted a 2019 Super Regional.
FISER, PARTAIN NAMED SENIOR CLASS FINALISTS
Seniors Amber Fiser and MaKenna Partain are two of 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS award, announced today by the organization. The award highlights student-athletes who excel both on and off the field in their respective sport.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists in March, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2021 Women's College World Series® in June.
Fiser completed her undergraduate degree in the Spring of 2020 in business and marketing education, carrying a 3.68 GPA. She is currently working towards a master's degree in sport management with a 4.0 GPA. Throughout her career, Fiser has earned one CoSIDA Academic All-American, two CoSIDA Academic All-District, and three Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honors. Fiser also earned the 2019-20 Patty Berg Award, which is given to someone who demonstrates greatness in the classroom and competition, while also exemplifying the values of Gopher Athletics. In the shortened 2020 season, Fiser led the Big Ten and was third in the NCAA with 145 strikeouts. Fiser ranks fifth in Minnesota program history with both 82 career wins and 811 strikeouts.
Partain, a family social science major, earned her degree in the Spring of 2020 with a 3.52 GPA. She earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2018 and 2019 during her academic career. Pursuing completion of the Human Resource Development Certificate Program, Partain has a 3.78 GPA in graduate school. Partain opted to return for her fifth year after the canceled season in 2020. Since her freshman year, Partain has started in over 200 games for the Golden Gophers and is the program single-season runs record holder with 66. She ranks third all-time in school history with 185 runs scored and fifth with a .375 career batting average.
• Minnesota and the Big Ten Conference will open the season, Feb. 26-28 at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, Fla. The Golden Gophers are scheduled to play six games in three days with doubleheaders against Maryland, Ohio State and Indiana.
• The Golden Gophers return super seniors Carlie Brandt, Amber Fiser, Katelyn Kemmetmueller and MaKenna Partain. All four decided to come back even after they earned their bachelor's degree last year. Brandt has played a total of 145 games, while Fiser has appeared in 136 career games. Kemmetmueller has seen action in 138, while Partain has played and started in 201 career games for the Golden Gophers.
• Minnesota went 15-9-1 in the 2020 shortened season. The Gophers were led in hitting by Natalie DenHartog, who hit .429 in 77 at bats, had 33 hits, 28 RBIs and seven home runs. She was followed by MaKenna Partain, who hit .349 in 83 at bats, 29 hits, seven doubles and four home runs. In all Minnesota returns six of seven starters who saw action in 25 games last year.
• The Gophers return all five pitchers from last year's squad. All-American Amber Fiser went 10-7 last season and held a 2.17 earned run average. She also appeared in 21 games, including 15 starts. Autumn Pease held a 2.12 ERA and went 4-2 in the shortened 2020 season. She also appeared in 15 games and started in nine with 62 strikeouts.
• Minnesota welcomes nine newcomers to the 2021 roster, including eight freshmen: Sarah Kinch (C), Chloe Evans (UT), Rylie Costa (INF), Jenna Beckstrom (UT), Ansleigh Hollifield (P/UT), Maddy Ehlke (INF), MacKenzie Denson (OF) and Clare Ceynowa (C). The Gophers also welcome junior transfer Megan Dray (C/1B), who previously played at North Carolina.
• All 84 softball games scheduled to be played at THE Spring Games February 26 – 28 and March 11 – 14 will be simulcast live via BTN+.
THE 2021 SEASON
Minnesota and the Big Ten are playing in unprecedented times. The Golden Gophers jump right into conference play. Following the six games this weekend, the Big Ten has a bye the following week. Play resumes on March 11-14 when the Gophers face Rutgers for three games, March 11-12 and Michigan State from March 13-14.
Following the Florida games, teams return to campus locations where these will be four-game series played over three days (Fri-Sun). Minnesota starts its campus schedule portion March 26-28 when it travels to Illinois. For the first time in 678 days, Minnesota will play a collegiate softball game at Jane Sage Cowles when the Gophers host the Purdue Boilermakers, April 2-4. The Gophers' last home game dates back to May 25, 2019 when Minnesota hosted a 2019 Super Regional.
FISER, PARTAIN NAMED SENIOR CLASS FINALISTS
Seniors Amber Fiser and MaKenna Partain are two of 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS award, announced today by the organization. The award highlights student-athletes who excel both on and off the field in their respective sport.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists in March, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2021 Women's College World Series® in June.
Fiser completed her undergraduate degree in the Spring of 2020 in business and marketing education, carrying a 3.68 GPA. She is currently working towards a master's degree in sport management with a 4.0 GPA. Throughout her career, Fiser has earned one CoSIDA Academic All-American, two CoSIDA Academic All-District, and three Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honors. Fiser also earned the 2019-20 Patty Berg Award, which is given to someone who demonstrates greatness in the classroom and competition, while also exemplifying the values of Gopher Athletics. In the shortened 2020 season, Fiser led the Big Ten and was third in the NCAA with 145 strikeouts. Fiser ranks fifth in Minnesota program history with both 82 career wins and 811 strikeouts.
Partain, a family social science major, earned her degree in the Spring of 2020 with a 3.52 GPA. She earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2018 and 2019 during her academic career. Pursuing completion of the Human Resource Development Certificate Program, Partain has a 3.78 GPA in graduate school. Partain opted to return for her fifth year after the canceled season in 2020. Since her freshman year, Partain has started in over 200 games for the Golden Gophers and is the program single-season runs record holder with 66. She ranks third all-time in school history with 185 runs scored and fifth with a .375 career batting average.
Highlights: Gophers 6, Central Michigan 1
Saturday, February 21
Highlights: Gophers 7, LIU 6
Saturday, February 21
Highlights: Gophers 11, NMSU 4
Saturday, February 14
Highlights: Gophers 8, UTEP 6
Friday, February 13