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Huskers Welcome Indiana for Two-Game Series

Apr 17, 2025 / NU Athletics

Photo Credit: NU Athletic Communications
Photo Credit: NU Athletic Communications
The No. 18 Nebraska softball team is set to host the Indiana Hoosiers for a two-game Big Ten series on April 18-19. Friday’s game is set to start at 5 p.m. (CT), while Saturday’s matchup will start at 1 p.m. (CT). 
 
NU was tabbed No. 18 by the NFCA Coaches Poll this week, No. 21 by USA Softball and D1 Softball and No. 22 by Softball America.
 
Last weekend, the Huskers traveled to Evanston, Ill., to take on the Northwestern Wildcats. The Big Red came out of the weekend with a sweep, where the first two games came in run-rule fashion. It was the first time that Northwestern had lost a conference series since 2022 and the first time they’d been run-ruled twice in a row since 2016. Jordyn Bahl pitched two complete games in the series and struck out 25 batters while allowing only one run. She earned Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors for her performance. Kylee Magee threw the second game of the series, her first complete game of the year, and allowed one run and only three hits. Offensively, Bahl had eight RBIs, six hits and two homers, while Ava Kuszak, Samantha Bland and Hannah Camenzind added a homer apiece in the series. 
 
Friday’s game will be on B1G+ and Saturday’s contest will be televised on Nebraska Public Media. 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. Fans are reminded that Bowlin Stadium is cashless and reentry will not be allowed. 
 
Leading Off
  • Nebraska now has 84 home runs on the season and has the school record for most homers in a season.
  • Nebraska has been prone to big innings, scoring four or more runs in an inning 32 times, including 14 innings with six or more runs and seven innings with eight or more runs.
  • Ava Kuszak is currently tied for eighth place in school history with 16 home runs on the season, and Jordyn Bahl is tied for fourth in school history with 31 extra-base hits. 
  • The Huskers are ranked No. 18 in the NFCA Poll. NU has been ranked by the NFCA every week this season.
  • Nebraska is currently ranked sixth nationally in run differential. The Huskers have outscored their opponents 351-126 on the season and have notched 20 run-rule victories.
  • With her next home run, Jordyn Bahl would become the first player in school history to notch 15 homers and 15 doubles in the same season. Bahl is also two pitching appearances away from 100 in her career.
  • NU currently has three athletes batting above .400 -- Jordyn Bahl, Ava Kuszak and Olivia DiNardo. The only time the Huskers have finished the season with multiple batters above .400 was when it had two in 2015.
 
Hot Hitters Standing Out
Jordyn Bahl, Ava Kuszak and Samantha Bland have been standing out, both in the Big Ten and nationally. 
  • Three of the Big Red’s six record-tying home runs in game two against Iowa came courtesy of Samantha Bland, who is now tied for the Nebraska and Big Ten records with three home runs in a single game. She is tied with Kaylan Jablonski, Christie McCoy and Ava Kuszak, who knocked three homers against Montana earlier this season.
  • Bland had a nine-game hitting streak that started on March 29 against Purdue and ended on April 13 at Northwestern. She had the highest average on the team at .536 during that streak, along with 14 RBIs, five homers, 15 hits and two doubles. 
  • There are only 20 players in the nation that average more than one hit, one run and one RBI per game. Both Jordyn Bahl and Ava Kuszak are on that list, and Nebraska is the only team to have two players meet those qualifications.
  • Bahl has 31 extra-base hits on the year and is part of a group of only eight players nationally who have 30+ extra-base hits.
  • Kuszak ranks fourth in the Big Ten with her 16 home runs and would tie for eighth in school history if the season ended today.
 
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 84 home runs in only 42 games and is on pace to hit 100 home runs in a 50-game regular season. NU broke the school record for single-season home runs against Creighton on April 9.
  • A total of 14 Huskers have hit a home run this season, including 13 players with multiple home runs.
  • The Huskers have homered five times in a game on five occasions this season, including three consecutive games to open the Troy Cox Classic.
  • Nebraska has produced 15 innings this season with multiple home runs, including five innings with three or more home runs.
  • Nebraska has hit back-to-back home runs seven 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, Samantha Bland, Abbie Squier, Emmerson Cope (twice) and Hannah Camenzind have all had a multi-homer game this season, including three-home run games from Kuszak against Montana on Feb. 16 and Bland at Iowa on April 5, both of which tied the Nebraska and Big Ten records for home runs in a game.
  • Kuszak has hit more home runs herself (16) than 97 NCAA Division I teams. Together, Kuszak (16) and Jordyn Bahl (14) have combined for 30 home runs. Their two-player combined total of 30 home runs would rank 107th among all NCAA Division I teams this spring and would be more than five Big Ten schools have hit as a team.
  • Ten Huskers – Bahl, Kuszak, Squier, Bella Bacon, Alina Felix, Hannah Camenzind, Malia Thoms, Lauren Camenzind and Samantha Bland – have already matched or exceeded their career season highs in home runs.
 
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 (5th), total bases (6th), runs per game (7th), slugging percentage (10th), runs (13th) and doubles (19th).
  • On the season, 31 of Bahl’s 58 hits have gone for extra bases. She averages an extra-base hit every 4.1 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 58 hits in 127 at bats at the plate and in the circle, she has allowed only 70 hits in 539 opponent at bats.
  • Bahl has also scored more runs herself (51) than she has allowed (46) in 133.0 innings in the circle.
 
Huskers in the Record Books
  • The 2025 Nebraska softball team is first in school history with 84 home runs on the season.
  • As it stands, the 2025 squad is third in school history in extra-base hits with 166 on the season. It would rank first in slugging percentage (.649) and on-base percentage (.433). 
  • 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.
  • NU scored 300 runs through 37 games, which marked the quickest the team has hit the 300-run milestone. Before this year, the fastest pace was games 43 in 2015.
  • Ava Kuszak and Samantha Bland have both posted three-homer games and are now tied with Kaylan Jablonski and Christie McCoy for the school record for home runs in a game. 
  • Kuszak is currently tied for eighth place in school history with 16 home runs on the season, and Jordyn Bahl is tied for fourth in school history with 31 extra-base hits. 
  • If the season ended today, Bahl would be first in school history in batting average (.457), Olivia DiNardo would be tied for sixth (.412) and Kuszak would be 10th (.403). Bahl would also rank first in slugging percentage (.937), while Kuszak would rank third (.863). 
 
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.
 
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 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 Indiana (28-12, 7-7 Big Ten)
Indiana is 28-12 on the season with an even 7-7 mark in Big Ten competition. As a team, the Hoosiers bat .384, which is the best average in the conference. Their pitching staff owns an ERA of 4.26. 
  • Indiana and Nebraska have common opponents in Texas Tech, Iowa and Ohio State. Both teams lost to Texas Tech -- the Hoosiers did twice -- but the Huskers went 2-1 against Iowa while Indiana was 0-2. Both NU and IU were 1-2 against Ohio State.
  • Indiana’s batting average of .384 is the highest in the country. Every player that has started more than 15 games for the Hoosiers has an average above .335.
  • The Hoosiers are first nationally in doubles per game (2.11) and third in total doubles (78). They also rank first in the nation with an on-base percentage of .475.
  • Taylor Minnick leads the Hoosier bats in almost every offensive category. She has a .513 batting average, which is sixth nationally, along with 59 hits, 50 runs scored, 18 doubles, 12 homers, two triples, 49 RBIs and 117 total bases. She owns a slugging percentage of 1.017 and an on-base percentage of .615.
  • Two-way player Brianna Copeland has racked up 12 home runs and 38 RBIs this season, along with 86 total baes, 47 runs scored and nine doubles on a .339 average.
  • Avery Parker has 10 homers and 12 doubles on the season, along with a .431 batting average. She adds 50 RBIs on 53 hits.
  • Melina Wilkinson has started every game this season and has 45 hits, 32 RBIs, six homers, 10 doubles and four triples. 
  • Kinsey Mitchell has started every game for the Hoosiers and has 32 RBIs on 42 hits, including 13 doubles and two home runs. 
  • Aly VanBrandt has 20 RBIs on the year with two homers, eight doubles, a triple and 45 hits.
  • Madalyn Strader has the second-highest batting average on the team at .439. She adds nine RBIs, three triples and two doubles in 82 at bats.
  • Alex Cooper owns 20 RBIs, 51 total bases, three homers, seven doubles and 28 runs scored across a .340 batting average.
  • Copeland has thrown the majority of the Hoosiers’ innings at 101.2 and has an ERA of 4.96 with a 12-5 record. She has struck out 117 batters and allowed 72 earned runs.
  • Jasmine Reyes is 6-3 on the season with an ERA of 4.05. She has pitched 64.0 innings, the second-most on the team, and struck out 31 batters while allowing 37 earned runs.
  • Jenae Berry has the best ERA on the team at 3.41 and has pitched 51.1 innings. She has a record of 9-4 and has allowed 25 earned runs and struck out 19 batters.
  • Kentucky transfer Taylor Hess is 1-0 with a 3.61 ERA across 21.1 innings. She has allowed 11 earned runs and struck out 10 batters.
  • Shonda Stanton is in her eighth season at Indiana and 27th overall. She has a career record of 825-606-2 and 238-151 with the Hoosiers.

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