The Minnesota Golden Gophers softball is the team that represents the University of Minnesota in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I competition. College softball became a varsity sport at the University of Minnesota in 1974 now more than 50 years ago.
History
Coaching history 1974–1975, 1977–1989 Linda Wells 350–264–1 1976 Jenny Johnson 16–4 1990–1991 Teresa Wilson 79–59 1992–1998 Lisa Bernstein 239–182–1 1999–2010 Lisa Bernstein & Julie Standering 356–300–2 2011–2017 Jessica Allister 290–107 2018–2020 Jamie Trachsel 102–40–1 2021–2026 Piper Ritter 175–158–2 2027–present Gretta Melsted 0–0
Championships
Conference Championships 1986 Big Ten Conference 15–9 Linda Wells 1988 Big Ten Conference 15–8 Linda Wells 1991 Big Ten Conference 20–4 Teresa Wilson 2017 Big Ten Conference 22–1 Jessica Allister
Conference tournament championships 1999 Big Ten Conference Ann Arbor, MI Lisa Bernstein & Julie Standering 2014 Big Ten Conference Evanston, IL Jessica Allister 2016 Big Ten Conference State College, PA Jessica Allister 2017 Big Ten Conference Ann Arbor, MI Jessica Allister 2018 Big Ten Conference Madison, WI Jamie Trachsel
Coaching staff Piper Ritter Head coach 4th (17th at Minnesota) Carly Wynn Associate Head Coach 2nd Annie Smith Assistant coach 2nd Bailey Oetting Assistant coach 2nd Brooklyn Daly Graduate assistant 1stReference:
Roster +2024 Golden Gophers Roster#NamePositionYearHeightHometownHigh School/Previous Team1Breezy BurnettOFSO5'7Jacksonville, FloridaTrinity Christian Academy2Sydney StrelowINFGR5'4Kenosha, WisconsinBradford High School3Addison LeschberINFSO5'8Thrall, TexasThrall High School4Maggie WernerINFSO5'10Greenville, WisconsinHortonville High School5Morgan DeBordOFGR5'2Hillsboro, OregonLoyola Marymount6Lucy HooperINFFR5'2Valley Center, KansasValley Center High School7Cameron GraysonUT/RHPFR5'5Noblesville, IndianaNoblesville High School8Tara WolockoC/UTFR5'3Kingwood, TexasKingwood High School9Jess OaklandINFSO5'9San Jose, CaliforniaSaint Francis High School11Sydney SchwartzP/INFSO5'10Victoria, MinnesotaChanhassen, Minnesota12Macy RichardsonUT/RHPFR5'6Tecumseh, NebraskaSterling Public Schools13Taylor KrapfCJR6'0Oviedo, FloridaDuke16Lacie LilyquistINFFR5'4Hudson, WisconsinHudson High School17Maddy EhlkeINFSR5'10Green Bay, WisconsinBay Port High School18Reili GardnerOFSR5'6Dyersville, IowaIllinois State19Delanie CoxUTGR5'6Aurora, ColoradoCherokee Trail High School21Nani ValenciaINFJR5'7Georgetown, KentuckyScott County High School22Bri EnterPGR5'4Jacksonville, FloridaFlorida State23Jacie HambrickPSR5'10Dewey, ArizonaGrand Canyon33Brooklyn JonesOFFR5'5Ramsey, MinnesotaAnoka High School77Kayla ChavezINFJR5'6Chino, CaliforniaChino Hills High School81Jessica SnippesRHPFR5'9Rosemount, MinnesotaRosemount High School
Notable players National awards NFCA Catcher of the Year Kendyl Lindaman (2017)
Conference awards Big Ten Player of the Year Barb Drake, 1986 Kari Blank, 1991 Sara Groenewegen, 2015 Kendyl Lindaman, 2017, 2018 Jess Oakland, 2024
Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Sara Groenewegen, 2014, 2017 Amber Fiser, 2019 Autumn Pease, 2023
Big Ten Freshman of the Year Brenda Bixby, 1988 Sara Moulton, 2011 Sara Groenewegen, 2014 Maddie Houlihan, 2016 Kendyl Lindaman, 2017
Big Ten Coach of the Year Linda Wells, 1988 Teresa Wilson, 1991 Jessica Allister, 2017
References