SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Omaha softball team was tabbed second in the 2023 Summit League Preseason Poll Wednesday morning, the league announced. Kamryn Meyer and Lynsey Tucker were selected as Athletes to Watch.
The Mavericks were selected behind the defending champions, South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits tallied six of the first-place votes, while Omaha and North Dakota State had one each.
North Dakota State came in at third, while South Dakota was selected fourth. Kansas City, St. Thomas, North Dakota, and Western Illinois round out the bottom half of the poll, respectively.
Last year, Omaha finished with a 32-14 overall record and 17-4 record in Summit League action. They earned the No. 2 seed for the second straight season. The Mavericks fell 2-0 in their first game to No. 3 North Dakota State before winning the next two games advancing to the Summit League Championship.
Omaha and South Dakota State squared off for the title for the second consecutive year. The Mavericks forced a winner-take-all, but the Jackrabbits prevailed for the trophy.
Meyer returns to the circle for Omaha and was named a Preseason Athlete to Watch. Last season, Meyer was named All-Region and All-Conference. Meyer led the league in ERA (1.13), opponent batting average (.138), strikeouts (285), shutouts (12) and wins (22). She ranked in the NCAA top-25 in six categories. With 11.2 strikeouts per seven innings, Meyer ranks second. She’s third with 12 shutouts, seventh with 3.52 hits allowed per seven innings, ninth with a 1.13 ERA, seventh in total strikeouts with 285, and 19th with 22 wins.
Meyer became the program’s single-season strikeout leader in the final week of the regular season notching her 260th of the year. She also set the program’s single-game record on two occasions. She retired 18 Tommies to break it and just a week later she downed 19 Coyotes to up it one more strikeout. Meyer pitched a no-hitter earlier this season vs. UTSA. It marked the second of her career. She also pitched two one-hitters.
Tucker joins Meyer on the Athlete to Watch list and holds the highest batting average of returning players. Tucker hit .322 last season with 28 total hits, including nine doubles and a triple. Tucker tallied 27 runs, 36 RBI, and led with 16 stolen bases.
Against Creighton, Tucker recorded a season-high two runs scored helping the Mavericks to a win vs. their crosstown rival. She also recorded a season-high two hits on six different occasions, including back-to-back games vs. South Dakota on May 8.
