NORFOLK, Va. – After a year of uncertainty if games would be played due to COVID-19, the Norfolk State softball team looks to build on their success from a season ago after earning their second consecutive winning season for the first time since the 1997 and 1998 seasons.
The 2022 is just a few days away and the expectations are high for this Spartan squad. Seven total players were named to the Preseason All-MEAC teams highlighted NSU being picked to finish in a first-place tie with Morgan State.
"It is a compliment that they other coaches hold us in that kind of regard and that it is your work ethic that you have," said fifth-year head coach James Inzana. "But there is always work to be done and they are all coming after you. There is no time to sit back and enjoy it as we got to keep working and moving forward."
In addition to the team predicted to finish first, the Spartans had five players selected to the preseason All-MEAC first team and a pair to the preseason All-MEAC second team. The first team selections were redshirt senior catcher Tuli Iosefa, senior first baseman Gabby Vaughan, junior outfielder Imani Moore, and junior pitchers Cam Andersen and Alexis Robinson. Andersen was also named the All-MEAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Senior outfielder Alison Guckin and redshirt sophomore outfield Yrral Davis were both All-MEAC second team honorees.
The Spartans will host 28 games at home on the NSU Softball Field this season, beginning with the NSU-Hampton Classic this weekend against the Pirates and Hartford Hawks. The 2022 MEAC Softball Championship will be played on campus May 11 through May 14.
Outfield
With three preseason All-MEAC selections in the outfield in Moore, Guckin, and Davis, the Spartans have a strong core to use and the depth to strike fear into the opposing lineups.
A third team All-MEAC selection last spring, Moore made 29 starts in her 32 appearances all in the outfield. She hit .320 on the year in 100 at bats, finishing with 25 runs on 32 hits, with three doubles, two triples, seven RBI, 12 walks and 15 stolen bases. Moore was second in the MEAC in stolen bases and runs scored. She ranked 68th in all of Division I for stolen bases per game (0.47).
Guckin, meanwhile, was fourth in the MEAC in stolen bases with 11 last season. She ranked 126th in the nation in stolen bases per game (0.37). Guckin played in 30 games and made 18 starts on the year and had eight hits in 47 at bats with 11 runs scored, one double, four RBI, nine walks and 11 stolen bases.
A MEAC All-Tournament team selection last season, Davis made nine starts in 20 appearances for the Spartans. She went 7-for-26 with five runs, one triple, seven RBI, five walks and two stolen bases.
"I think our outfield is solid," state Inzana, "I feel our outfield is a lot better than it was last year in every aspect in every arm. Our play, range, and communication are off to a tremendous start to say the least. I am extremely please in how Coach Mike Johnson has our outfield looking right now. The underclassmen are coming up to speed real fast too."
Those underclassmen include returning sophomore Victoria Ruiz and freshmen Victoria Taylor, Lauren Sheehan, Hannah Jessie, Brianna Rucker and Rylie Gilbreath.
Infield
A pair of preseason All-MEAC selections show up on the infield roster for NSU this season in Iosefa and Vaughan. Both were named to the first team by the MEAC coaches and sports information directors.
Iosefa led the team with a .330 average, eight home runs, 36 RBI, 66 total bases, 17 walks, a .641 slugging percentage and a .434 on-base percentage. She led the league in RBIs and sacrifice flies (4) and stood second in home runs and slugging percentage. For her efforts she was named to the MEAC All-Tournament team and named to the VASID All-State First Team.
"Tuli is the pivot point for us at catcher," added Inzana. "Everything goes through her, and she sets the pace and is the calm in storm for us and the other players see that. We have a couple of freshmen who are doing really well to right now, too."
Vaughan finished last season with a .324 batting average and started 36 of 39 games for the Spartans. She was named to the All-MEAC First Team in the outfield while also selected to the VaSID All-State Second team. Vaughan stood third in the MEAC in home runs (5), fourth in total bases (60), fifth in hits (35), RBI (23) and slugging (.556), and 10th in hitting (.324).
Other returning infielders include senior Lily Potter, juniors Loren Hudson, Elizabeth Ritchie, and Morgan Johnson, sophomore Gabby Gosman, as well as newcomers Rylie Gilbreath, Kenna Higa and Madison Buzalka.
Pitching
In the circle, the Spartans have a pair of preseason All-MEAC selections in Andersen and Robinson.
Andersen enters the season after going 7-5 a season ago with a 3.07 ERA in 16 appearances with 14 starts. Of the 326 batters she faced in 73 innings of work she struck out 66 while forcing hitters into a .217 batting average. At the plate she had nine hits including three doubles to go along with her five RBI's.
Meanwhile, Robinson made nine starts with 15 total appearances last spring while going 6-6 with a 2.16 ERA in 64.2 innings of work. She finished with 40 strikeouts and just eight walks. She stood second in the MEAC in ERA and fourth in opposing batting average (.239). Her 0.87 walks per seven innings ranked 10th in all of Division I last season.
"I just want them to continue to grow and keep getting better as they have the past two seasons," stated Inzana, "Joana Vallejo is throwing really, really well right now and our freshman Brierra Tyler is throwing very hard right now and now she's starting to understand the importance of location. When you add both in our transfer from Longwood, Maison Myers, that makes us really deep in the circle."
NSU plays the first four weekends of the season in the Tidewater area, with three of those being played at home on the NSU Softball Field. The Spartans will travel to Hampton for the HU Classic the weekend of February 19-20 before returning home to co-host the Battle at the Bay Feb. 25-27 and the Spartan-Pirate Clash March 4-6.
