The 2021 Michigan Wolverines softball team was an American college softball team that represented the University of Michigan during the 2021 NCAA Division I softball season. The Wolverines were led by head coach Carol Hutchins in her thirty-seventh season, and played their home games at Alumni Field in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Previous season The Wolverines finished the 2020 season 15–8 overall, in a season shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Preseason Michigan was ranked No. 17 by NFCA/USA Today and ESPN.com/USA Softball, No. 18 by D1Softball, and No. 20 by Softball America in the preseason polls, the only Big Ten Conference team named in each poll.
Roster
Schedule and results
! style="" | Regular season (36–6) |- valign="top"
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |February 26|| vs. || || Sleepy Hollow Sports ComplexLeesburg, FL || 4–0 || Beaubien (1–0) || Bates (0–1) || — || 100 || 1–0 || 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |February 26|| vs. Purdue || No. 17 || Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex || 4–0 || Storako (1–0) || Henley (0–1) || — || 100 || 2–0 || 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |February 27|| vs. || No. 17 || Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex || 2–0 || || Doocy (0–1) || — || 0 || 3–0 || 3–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |February 27|| vs. Iowa || No. 17 || Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex || 6–5 || Storako (2–0) || Loecker (0–1) || — || 0 || 4–0 || 4–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffdddd" |February 28|| vs. || No. 17 || Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex || 1–2 || Sickels (2–1) || || — || 0 || 4–1 || 4–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffdddd" |February 28|| vs. Illinois || No. 17 || Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex || 1–2 || Jarvis (3–0) || Storako (2–1) || || 0 || 4–2 || 4–2
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |March 11|| vs. || No. 23 || Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex || 2–1 (8) || Beaubien (3–1) || Ferrell (1–4) || — || 86 || 5–2 || 5–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |March 11|| vs. Nebraska || No. 23 || Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex || 2–0 || Storako (3–1) || Wallace (2–1) || — || 74 || 6–2 || 6–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffdddd" |March 12|| vs. Nebraska || No. 23 || Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex || 4–5 (8) || Wallace (3–1) || Storako (3–2) || — || 74 || 6–3 || 6–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |March 13|| vs. || No. 23 || Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex || 8–0 (5) || Storako (4–2) || Schwartz (2–3) || — || 66 || 7–3 || 7–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |March 13|| vs. Wisconsin || No. 23 || Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex || 3–0 || Storako (5–2) || Schwartz (2–4) || — || 66 || 8–3 || 8–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |March 14|| vs. Wisconsin || No. 23 || Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex || 2–1 || Storako (6–2) || Hestekin (2–1) || — || 59 || 9–3 || 9–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |March 26|| at || No. 25 || Andy Mohr FieldBloomington, IN || 7–1 || Beaubien (4–1) || Goodin (3–3) || — || 98 || 10–3 || 10–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |March 27|| at Indiana || No. 25 || Andy Mohr Field || 3–1 (9) || Storako (7–2) || Goodin (3–4) || — || 103 || 11–3 || 11–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |March 27|| at Indiana || No. 25 || Andy Mohr Field || 8–1 || Beaubien (5–1) || Goodin (3–5) || — || 103 || 12–3 || 12–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |March 28|| at Indiana || No. 25 || Andy Mohr Field || 4–0 || Storako (8–2) || Goodin (3–6) || — || 56 || 13–3 || 13–3
|- align="center" bgcolor="#bbbbbb" |April 2 || || No. 23 || Alumni FieldAnn Arbor, MI || colspan=9| Postponed due to COVID-19 protocols |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbbbbb" |April 3 || Michigan State || No. 23 || Alumni Field || colspan=9| Postponed due to COVID-19 protocols |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbbbbb" |April 3 || Michigan State || No. 23 || Alumni Field || colspan=9| Postponed due to COVID-19 protocols |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbbbbb" |April 4 || Michigan State || No. 23 || Alumni Field || colspan=9| Postponed due to COVID-19 protocols |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |April 9 || at || No. 23 || Buckeye FieldColumbus, OH|| 7–0 || Beaubien (6–1) || Buresch (5–2) || — || 150 || 14–3 || 14–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |April 10 || at Ohio State || No. 23 || Buckeye Field || 3–1 || Storako (9–2) || Smith (7–6) || — || 177 || 15–3 || 15–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffdddd" |April 10 || at Ohio State || No. 23 || Buckeye Field || 2–3 || Buresch (6–2) || Beaubien (6–2) || — || 164 || 15–4 || 15–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |April 11 || at Ohio State || No. 23 || Buckeye Field || 11–0 || Storako (10–2) || Smith (7–7) || — || 151 || 16–4 || 16–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |April 14 || Michigan State || No. 22 || Alumni Field || 6–1 || Storako (11–2) || Ladd (2–6) || — || 93 || 17–4 || 17–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |April 16 || || No. 22 || Alumni Field || 4–2 || Beaubien (7–2) || Brann (3–5) || — || 96 || 18–4 || 18–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |April 17 || Maryland || No. 22 || Alumni Field || 2–0 || Storako (12–2) || Wyche (2–4) || — || 138 || 19–4 || 19–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |April 17 || Maryland || No. 22 || Alumni Field || 5–1 || Beaubien (8–2) || Ellefson (1–2) || — || 138 || 20–4 || 20–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |April 18 || Maryland || No. 22 || Alumni Field || 8–0 (5) || Storako (13–2) || Wyche (2–5) || — || 123 || 21–4 || 21–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffdddd" |April 23 || || No. 20 || Alumni Field || 1–4 || Williams (13–2) || Beaubien (8–3) || — || 192 || 21–5 || 21–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |April 24 || Northwestern || No. 20 || Alumni Field || 7–2 || Storako (14–2) || Boyd (3–2) || — || 181 || 22–5 || 22–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |April 24 || Northwestern || No. 20 || Alumni Field || 6–3 || Beaubien (9–3) || Williams (13–3) || — || 181 || 23–5 || 23–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |April 25 || Northwestern || No. 20 || Alumni Field || 2–0 || Storako (15–2) || Newport (4–3) || — || 164 || 24–5 || 24–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |April 30 || at || No. 19 || Beard FieldState College, PA || 7–1 || Beaubien (10–3) || Parshall (1–13) || — || 118 || 25–5 || 25–5
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |May 1 || at Penn State || || Beard Field || || Storako (16–2) || || — || 166 || 26–5 || 26–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |May 1 || at Penn State || No. 19 || Beard Field || 12–2 (6) || || Oatley (3–3) || — || 166 || 27–5 || 27–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |May 2 || at Penn State || No. 19 || Beard Field || 5–3 || Storako (17–2) || Parshall (1–14) || || 155 || 28–5 || 28–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |May 5 || at Michigan State || No. 19 || Secchia StadiumEast Lansing, MI || 1–0 (9) || Storako (18–2) || Miller (6–7) || — || 0 || 29–5 || 29–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |May 7 || || No. 19 || Jane Sage Cowles StadiumMinneapolis, MN || 3–0 || || Fiser (12–5) || Storako (1) || 0 || 30–5 || 30–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |May 8 || at No. 23 Minnesota || No. 19 || Jane Sage Cowles Stadium || 10–4 || Storako (19–2) || Fiser (12–7) || — || 0 || 31–5 || 31–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |May 8 || at No. 23 Minnesota || No. 19 || Jane Sage Cowles Stadium || 3–1 || Beaubien (13–3) || Pease (11–2) || — || 0 || 32–5 || 32–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffdddd" |May 9 || at No. 23 Minnesota || No. 19 || Jane Sage Cowles Stadium || 3–7 || Fiser (13–7) || Storako (19–3) || — || 0 || 32–6 || 32–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |May 14 || || No. 18 || Alumni Field || 3–0 || Beaubien (14–3) || Hitchcock (5–15) || — || 207 || 33–6 || 33–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |May 15 || Rutgers || No. 18 || Alumni Field || 13–0 (5) || Storako (20–3) || Vickers (0–4) || — || 143 || 34–6 || 34–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |May 15 || Rutgers || No. 18 || Alumni Field || 11–0 (5) || Beaubien (15–3) || Hitchcock (5–16) || — || 143 || 35–6 || 35–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |May 16 || Rutgers || No. 18 || Alumni Field || 2–1 || Storako (21–3) || Hitchcock (5–17) || — || 140 || 36–6 || 36–6
! style="" | Postseason (2–2)
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | May 21 || Seattle || No. 20 || Husky Softball StadiumSeattle, WA || 2–0 || || Nance (10–6) || — || 250 || 37–6 || 1–0 |- |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | May 22 || || No. 20 || Husky Softball Stadium || 2–1 || Storako (22–3) || Plain (30–3) || — || 250 || 38–6 || 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffdddd" | May 23 || No. 6 Washington (16) || No. 20 || Husky Softball Stadium || 0–2 || Plain (31–3) || || — || 200 || 38–7 || 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffdddd" | May 23 || No. 6 Washington (16) || No. 20 || Husky Softball Stadium || 5–10 || Plain (32–3) || Beaubien (16–5) || — || 200 || 38–8 || 2–2
Rankings
Awards and honors
Weekly AwardsPlayerAwardDate AwardedRef. Meghan Beaubien Co-Big Ten Pitcher of the Week March 2, 2021 Alex Storako Big Ten Pitcher of the Week March 30, 2021 Alex Storako Big Ten Pitcher of the Week April 13, 2021 Alex Storako Co-Big Ten Pitcher of the Week April 20, 2021 Alex Storako Big Ten Pitcher of the Week April 27, 2021 Meghan Beaubien Co-Big Ten Pitcher of the Week May 11, 2021 Julia Jimenez Co-Big Ten Player of the Week Meghan Beaubien Big Ten Pitcher of the Week May 18, 2021
Individual AwardsPlayerAwardRef. Lexie Blair Big Ten Player of the Year Alex Storako Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Carol Hutchins Big Ten Coach of the Year
All-Big TenPlayerSelectionRef. Lou Allan First Team Meghan Beaubien First Team Lexie Blair First Team Taylor Bump First Team Alex Storako First Team Julia Jimenez Second Team Taylor Bump All-Defensive Natalia Rodriguez All-Defensive
All-AmericanPlayerSelectionRef. Alex Storako Second Team
References