Minnesota Flies to Sunshine State for 2022 Opening Weekend

MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota softball team opens the 2022 campaign in the Sunshine State playing five games in less than 48 hours at the CFX Classic hosted by UCF in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 11-13. The Gophers open with two games Friday facing No. 12 Georgia at 3 p.m. (CT) in the season opener before taking on the host Knights at 5:30 p.m. (CT). Watch the action versus UCF Friday evening live on ESPN+ or follow along all weekend with live stats and on social media.

WEEKEND QUICK HITS
STARRING THE SENIORS
Minnesota turns to its veteran-laden roster in 2022 as 40 percent of its team is a senior or graduate student, including five starters from last season. Ellee Jensen (.372) and Natalie DenHartog (.366) are two of the top hitters the program has produced sitting just outside the top five for career batting average combining for 232 starts. Collectively, the Gophers seniors have played nearly 1,000 Division I softball games.

BACK FOR ROUND TWO
After gaining valuable experience as freshmen, both on and off the field, the Gophers welcome back seven players for their sophomore seasons. The group combined for 78 starts and were crucial in the team's run to the NCAA Los Angeles Regional final in 2021. Sara Kinch was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team as a catcher and earned three conference Freshman of the Week honors, while ranking second on the team by hitting nine home runs to sit sixth in the Big Ten. She also committed just one error in 290 chances behind the plate for a .997 fielding percentage.

ADDED EXPERIENCE
The Gophers added two high-level graduate transfers from Power Five programs to the mix for 2022 as Makenna Dowell (Auburn) and Lauren Espalin (Cal) got to campus in the fall. Dowell started 120 career games for the Tigers and led the team with 19 RBI and 42 hits in 2021, while her .294 average was second on the team. Espalin appeared in 154 games at Cal and ranked third on the team in 2021 with a .318 batting average.

TALENTED FRESHMAN
The addition of three talented freshmen bolsters the depth of the opening day roster. Kayla Chavez (Chino Hills, California) and Emily Leavitt (Chino, California) made the trek to the Land of 10,000 Lakes from the west coast and Nani Valencia came from Georgetown, Kentucky. Leavitt and Chavez both earned high spots on the Extra Innings Softball class of 2021 prospects list coming in at No. 21 and No. 31, respectively, and were club teammates with Athletics Mercado. Leavitt posted a 28-8 career record in the circle at Ayala HS with a 0.93 ERA and 407 strikeouts. Chavez was a MaxPreps All-American her sophomore season at Chino Hills HS hitting .421 with 13 home runs. Valencia was selected as a high school All-American by Extra Innings Softball holding a batting average of .526 with 31 home runs and 124 RBI during her prep career.

DENHARTOG RISES
With her next home run, DenHartog will tie current assistant coach Katie Richardson (2012-15) and Kendyl Lindaman (2017-18) for fourth in program history with 40 career home runs. Jordanne Nygren (1999-2003) leads the all-time ranks for the Gophers at 51, while Tyler Walker (2012-15) and Shannon Beeler (1996-99) tallied 43 in their tenure. The senior from Hopkins, Minn., DenHartog is currently averaging one home run per 10.1 trips to the plate and has added 121 RBI across 116 games played.

SHUT 'EM DOWN
Senior Autumn Pease returns to the Maroon and Gold as one of the Big Ten's top pitchers following a 2021 season where she posted a 12-3 record, earning NFCA Great Lakes Region Second Team and All-Big Ten Second Team honors. The Murrieta, Calif., product tossed a no-hitter against Nebraska and had a 1.75 ERA that ranked fourth in the conference, in 116 innings of work. She commanded the strike zone all year issuing just 1.2 walks per seven innings, which was 25th in the NCAA.

BATTLING THE BEST
Minnesota's schedule, one of the toughest in the nation, includes matchups with 12 different teams that made the 2021 NCAA Tournament and three teams that made the 2021 Women's College World Series, including opening-day opponent Georgia. Eight teams on the docket are currently ranked inside the top 25 of the 2022 USA Today/NFCA Coaches' Preseason Poll and three more are receiving votes, along with the Gophers. They also are set to battle teams from four of the five power conferences.

UP NEXT
The Gophers head to Arizona for six games in a four-day stretch Feb. 17-20 taking part in the Littlewood Classic hosted by Arizona State.

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Players Mentioned

Kayla Chavez

Natalie DenHartog

Makenna Dowell

Lauren Espalin

Ellee Jensen

Sara Kinch

Emily Leavitt

Autumn Pease

Nani Valencia