The No. 20 Nebraska softball team will travel to Iowa City, Iowa, to take on the Hawkeyes this weekend. The games are set for 5 p.m. (CT) on Friday, 2 p.m. (CT) on Saturday and 1 p.m. (CT) on Sunday.
The Huskers are No. 20 in the NFCA Coaches Poll and have been ranked every week this season. They were also tabbed No. 21 in the ESPN/USA Softball rankings.
Last weekend, the Huskers hosted the Purdue Boilermakers for a three-game conference series. The Big Red grabbed victories on Saturday (13-1, five innings) and Sunday (6-0) but took a loss on Monday (2-6). Kacie Hoffmann and Hannah Camenzind each had a multi-homer game in the series. H. Camenzind also grabbed the Saturday victory in the circle, while Jordyn Bahl claimed the win on Friday. Bahl allowed no earned runs in that game while picking up a save and striking out 13 batters across her two appearances in the series. The Papillion, Neb., native earned Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors for the second consecutive week.
All three games this weekend will be streamed on B1G+. Every game will have a free radio broadcast with Nate Rohr on the call. The radio broadcast is available at Huskers.com/listen and on the official Huskers app.
Leading Off
Nebraska now has 69 home runs this season, which ranks third in school history. The school record is 76.
Ava Kuszak has started 98 games in her career. Saturday’s game is expected to be her 100th career start. Kuszak is also three hits away from 100 in her career.
The Huskers are ranked No. 20 in the NFCA Poll. NU has been ranked by the NFCA every week this season.
Jordyn Bahl has pitched 22.1 straight innings without allowing an earned run.
Kacie Hoffmann is six hits away from 100 in her career.
The Huskers’ pitching staff ranks 12th nationally in improved ERA, including first in the Big Ten and second in the Power 4 conferences. NU’s ERA in 2024 was 4.35 and it is 2.61 in 2025.
Ava Bredwell is 20 RBIs away from amassing 100+ hits, 100+ runs and 100+ RBIs in her career. Abbie Squier is 27 RBIs and five runs away from that accomplishment.
Nebraska has 16 run-rule victories on the year. The school record for most run-rule wins in a season is 17 (2015).
Nebraska has scored 10+ runs in 15 of its 35 games this season.
Husker Pitching Staff Coming Off Quality Week
The Nebraska pitchers have been steadily improving over the course of the season, and their work culminated this past week.
As a collective, NU’s pitchers had a 1.08 ERA over the course of the Huskers’ matchup with Omaha and three games against Purdue.
The group owned an opponent batting average of .185 and totaled 32 strikeouts to only six walks.
Nebraska’s ERA differential from 2024 to 2025 is ranked 12th nationally, first in the Big Ten and second in Power 4 conferences. Last year, the Big Red had an ERA of 4.35 and this year, it is at 2.61.
Jordyn Bahl has pitched 22.1 straight innings without an earned run. She grabbed a 2-0 record last week with wins against Omaha and in the first game against Purdue.
Hannah Camenzind went 5.0 innings in the second game against Purdue and claimed the victory after allowing no runs and only two hits.
Kylee Magee had a season-long outing of 4.1 innings in game three against the Boilermakers.
Husker Home Run Quick Hitters
The Nebraska softball team has enjoyed a solid season at the plate, most notably with its home run numbers.
Nebraska is second in the nation with 69 home runs in only 35 games.
NU is on pace to hit 99 home runs in a 50-game regular season. The school record for home runs in a season is 76 in 2022.
A total of 14 Huskers have hit a home run this season, including 12 players with multiple home runs.
The Huskers have homered five times in a game on four occasions this season, including three consecutive games to open the Troy Cox Classic.
Nebraska has produced 11 innings this season with multiple home runs, including five innings with three or more home runs.
Nebraska has hit back-to-back home runs five times this season, including three times with three consecutive home runs that includes a school-record four straight home runs against San Jose State on Feb. 22.
Ava Kuszak (twice), Jordyn Bahl, Abbie Squier Emmerson Cope (twice) and Hannah Camenzind have all had a multi-homer game this season, including a three-home run game from Kuszak against Montana on Feb. 16 which tied the Nebraska and Big Ten records for home runs in a game.
Kuszak has hit more home runs herself (12) than 91 NCAA Division I teams.
Together, Kuszak (12) and Jordyn Bahl (11) have combined for 23 home runs. Their two-player combined total of 23 home runs would rank 111th among all NCAA Division I teams this spring and would be more than five Big Ten schools have hit as a team.
Twelve Huskers – Bahl, Kuszak, Squier, Bella Bacon, Alina Felix, Malia Thoms, Lauren Camenzind and Alina Felix – have already matched or exceeded their career season highs in home runs.
Huskers in the Record Books
As it stands, the 2025 squad would rank first in school history in slugging percentage (.636), second in on base percentage (.421) and third in home runs (69).
The Big Red scored 10+ runs in five straight games from Feb. 14-16 for the first time in program history.
NU notched five home runs in three straight games for what is believed to be the first time in school history.
In the Huskers’ game against San Jose State at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, they hit four straight home runs for the first time in program history.
Nebraska scored 102 runs in its first 10 games of the season, which marked the quickest the team has hit the 100-run milestone.
The Huskers scored 200 runs in their first 23 games of the season, which marked the quickest the team has hit the 200-run milestone.
Ava Kuszak posted three home runs in the second game against Montana and is now tied with Kaylan Jablonski and Christie McCoy for the school record for home runs in a game.
Bahl Solid at the Plate
Nebraska softball pitcher and utility player Jordyn Bahl has not only had an impact in the circle, but her offense is a force to be reckoned with.
Bahl ranks in the top 25 nationally in extra-base hits (12th), runs per game (13th), and slugging percentage (22nd).
On the season, 24 of Bahl’s 46 hits have gone for extra bases. She averages an extra-base hit every 4.4 at bats and almost one extra-base hit per game.
Bahl has nearly as many hits herself as she has allowed as a pitcher. Bahl has 46 hits in 105 at bats at the plate and in the circle, she has allowed only 55 hits in 424 opponent at bats.
Bahl has also scored more runs herself (42) than she has allowed (39) in 107.1 innings in the circle.
What Nebraska Returned in 2025
Nebraska’s 2025 roster consists of 25 total athletes. Fourteen of those are returners.
The Huskers welcome back 14 letterwinners from last season – Bella Bacon, Jordyn Bahl, Samantha Bland, Ava Bredwell, Katelyn Caneda, Dakota Carter, Emmerson Cope, Alina Felix, Mckinley Malecha, Caitlin Olensky, Abbie Squier, Malia Thoms, Talia Tokheim and Haidyn Warner.
NU returns half of its starting lineup from 2024 in outfielder Samantha Bland, catcher Ava Bredwell, first baseman Bella Bacon, second baseman Katelyn Caneda and designated player Emmerson Cope.
Nebraska returns three of its top five hitters from 2024 – Ava Bredwell (.329), Emmerson Cope (.304) and Alina Felix (.302).
Returners Ava Bredwell, Samantha Bland, Bella Bacon and Katelyn Caneda each started in more than 95 percent of the Huskers’ games last season.
Huskers Hit the Portal
Nebraska utilized the transfer portal this offseason, bringing in six new players — Hannah and Lauren Camenzind and Kacie Hoffmann from Arkansas, Olivia DiNardo from Arizona, Kylee Magee from Arizona State and Ava Kuszak from Wisconsin.
Hannah Camenzind was a second-team All-SEC member in 2023. Over her two seasons with the Razorbacks, she posted a 14-3 record with 3.11 ERA over 119.1 total innings. At the plate, she batted .308.
Lauren Camenzind was a third-team NFCA All-South Region member in 2023. Over her two seasons at Arkansas, she played in 86 games (79 starts) at both catcher and shortstop.
DiNardo racked up numerous accolades during her two years at Arizona. She was a second-team NFCA All-West Region member in 2023 and a Third-Team member in 2024 and was named a Second-Team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honoree in 2023. Over the course of two seasons with the Wildcats, DiNardo started 102 games and built up a batting average of .340, along with 15 doubles, 20 home runs and 74 RBIs.
Hoffmann played in 106 games with 96 starts during her time with Arkansas. She hit .244 and logged 16 doubles, 15 home runs and 47 RBIs.
Kuszak earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and third-team NFCA All-Great Lakes Region accolades in 2024. During her two seasons at Wisconsin, she played in 76 games with 65 starts and notched 16 doubles, 10 home runs and 33 RBIs on a .278 batting average.
Magee was named a member of the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team at Arizona State in 2023. She suffered an injury early in the 2024 season. She pitched in 27 games with 24 starts and compiled a 3.51 ERA and two saves, along with striking out 79 batters in 89.2 innings.
Huskers Returning from Injuries
Nebraska faced significant adversity in 2024, as a total of six players suffered season-ending injuries, including four that are returning for the 2025 season. Additionally, Arizona State transfer Kylee Magee had to use the offseason for rehab.
Jordyn Bahl suffered a knee injury in the Huskers’ 2024 season opener that required season-ending surgery. Bahl was a First-Team All-American, the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and one of 10 national finalists for player of the year in 2022 and 2023.
Abbie Squier, a returning All-Big Ten and all-region selection, returns after being out for the 2024 season due to surgery. In 2022 and 2023, she was the Big Red’s starting left fielder.
Dakota Carter, the Huskers’ designated player, was deemed out for the 2024 season before it even began. In 2023, she scored 13 runs as a pinch runner and appeared in 39 games.
Caitlin Olensky suffered a season-ending injury in the Huskers’ conference opener against Illinois last year. Before her injury, she compiled a record of 3-2 with a team-best 3.30 ERA.
Emmerson Cope was out for almost a month of the 2024 season after battling a back injury. When she was in the lineup, the Topeka, Kan., native amassed an ERA of 4.76 in the circle. She racked up 21 hits, 10 runs, six homers and 19 RBIs.
Talia Tokheim missed the first 23 games of the season while rehabbing an injury from 2023. She returned for nine games before suffering another season-ending injury in game three of the Penn State series. In her limited time on the field, she notched 46 total bases and seven home runs.
Kylee Magee suffered a season-ending injury after racking up six appearances with four starts in her sophomore year with the Sun Devils. In her first two years at Arizona State, she struck out 79 batters in 89.2 innings.
Scouting Iowa (21-12, 3-4 Big Ten)
Iowa is 21-12 with a 3-4 mark in Big Ten competition. As a team, the Hawkeyes bat .290 and have an ERA of 3.64.
The Huskers and Hawkeyes have common opponents in Tennessee, Texas Tech, Missouri, UCLA and South Dakota State. NU grabbed wins over the Vols, Tigers and two over the Jackrabbits, while Iowa defeated SDSU twice, split two games with UCLA and lost to the other teams.
Jalen Adams is fifth nationally and second in the Big Ten with 15 victories on the year.
Senior Hannah Lindsay was named the Big Ten Co-Player of the Week on Feb. 17, the Hawkeyes’ only weekly honor so far this season.
Jena Young bats .385 on the season and has a homer, eight doubles and 18 RBIs. She also boasts a 1.030 OPS.
Soo-Jin Berry has a team-high eight home runs this year, along with seven doubles on a .380 batting average.
Lindsay owns 21 RBIs in 77 at bats and has a .299 batting average and three home runs.
Allyssa Ramos and Desiree Rivera each have 13 RBIs. Ramos posts an average of .278, while Rivera’s is .261. They each add two home runs.
Tory Bennett has started every game for the Hawkeyes and has notched 20 hits, 16 RBIs and four doubles on a .222 average.
Devin Simon has also started every game and has a .280 average. She has 23 hits and 16 runs, along with six doubles and a homer.
Adams is the Hawkeyes’ ace, as she has pitched 114.1 innings and is 15-4 on the season. She has allowed 36 earned runs and struck out 84 batters.
Talia Tretton owns an ERA of 3.43 and a record of 6-5 across 79.2 innings pitched. She has allowed 39 earned runs and has 65 strikeouts and 44 walks.
Haley Downe (11.31 ERA, 4.1 IP), Andrea Jaskowiak (5.31 ERA, 3.2 IP) and Jaylee Ojo (24.00 ERA, 2.1 IP) make up the rest of Iowa’s pitching staff.
Karl Gollan was named head coach on March 7 and is leading the team in 2025 after Renee Gillispie stepped aside for personal health reasons.
Huskers.com
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