ASU softball went 43-11 last season, winning its first Pac-12 Championship since 2011. But with new head coach Megan Bartlett arriving from Texas, a shift in team philosophy and culture is on the horizon.
ASU opens its season in the San Diego State University Season Kickoff against California State University, Northridge at 2 p.m. on Thursday, and San Diego State University on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Bartlett, who spent the past two seasons as an assistant at Texas, took over in June after Trisha Ford's departure to Texas A&M University. Ford led ASU to its 17th-straight NCAA Tournament last year and held an overall record of 212-89.
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"You've got to be a kid of high character, great work ethic, and not only be a fierce competitor but someone who can respect and empower the women next to them. Or you don't get to be a Sun Devil," Bartlett said.
Last season ASU strung out 16 consecutive wins and will return with star graduate student outfielder Yannira Acuña and senior outfielder Jazmine Hill. Both were ranked on Softball America's Preseason Top-100 player rankings. Yannira Acuña led ASU in hits, runs, doubles, and batting average last season.
"My parents always preached to me 'once you start something you have to finish it,' so I played all three years here as a Sun Devil, so I'd like to finish as a Sun Devil as well,"' Hill said. Hill said the addition of Bartlett was the "icing on the cake."
Hill and Yannira Acuña aren't the only players thrilled about Bartlett's arrival. Graduate student pitcher Marissa Schuld said, "The first time I met coach B, I just felt like something special was going to happen."
The 2023 ASU softball team welcomes eight new players. Bartlett said she began recruiting in the fall, and with new and returning faces, Bartlett has stressed the importance of team chemistry and establishing an identity.
New additions
Freshman outfielder Yannixa Acuña, younger sister of Yannira Acuña, arrives from Salpointe Catholic High School following a productive career bearing a 0.462 batting average, 53 RBIs and a state title in 2022. Yannixa Acuña is a base-stealing specialist holding 61 career stolen bases, 34 last season at Salpointe.
The Sun Devils also welcome stand-out freshman pitcher Kylee Magee, who D1 Softball named as one of the top 55 freshmen to watch this season.
Freshman outfielder Kalyn McCarthy earned third-team All-state and Mid-Suburban League All-Conference Team in her junior year following a season of hitting 0.347 and stealing 28 bases for her club team.
Another new addition is freshman utility Mackenzie Nicholson who will play with her sister, transfer infielder Taylor Nicholson, this season. Mackenzie Nicholson earned a nod on Extra Innings' top 75 players nationally in the class of 2022.
Freshman catcher Shannon Cunningham played in the Orange County All-Star Game and earned First Team All-Crestview League as a senior in high school.
Transfers
Infielder Alexa Milius enters Tempe as a graduate student with a lot of valuable experience and versatility. Milius spent the last two seasons at Virginia Tech, where she started double-digit games, rotating positions between designated hitter, catcher, and third base in 2021. While at Virginia Tech, Milius accumulated 32 RBIs and nine home runs. Bartlett said the addition of Milius would strengthen the program on and off the field.
Junior pitcher Deborah Jones transferred from Ball State along with assistant coach Jeremy Manley who joined Bartlett's coaching staff. Last season, Jones threw her career-high of 12 strikeouts and has thrown 229 career strikeouts.
Also arriving from Virginia Tech is junior pitcher Mac Osborne. Osborne started six games and held a 4-1 record at Virginia Tech.
The highly recruited redshirt transfer infielder Taylor Nicholson arrives in Tempe as a freshman following a medical redshirt season at Missouri. Nicholson entered the NCAA as the Extra Innings Softball 85th-ranked recruit following a 0.605 batting average, 31 stolen bases and 24 RBIs in her senior year of high school.
Sophomore pitcher Kenzie Brown transferred from Tulsa, where as a freshman, she led the team to three wins and pitched 52.2 innings.
Graduate student catcher Gianna Boccagno transferred to ASU from Boston College, where she started 143 games and led the team in seven home runs last year. Boccagno hit 22 home runs and 58 RBIs in her four-year career at Boston College.
Bartlett intends to instill some of the same characteristics into the Sun Devils that she and head coach Mike White instilled into the Longhorns which Bartlett said would help the team possibly make a run at the 2023 Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
"When things got tough, he (White) held the standard, and those kids continued to trust him and that staff, that it was the right call, the right plan, and how to move forward and continue to pull their focus and relief back," Bartlett said. "As a staff, if we can do that, we'll be able to make a run at Oklahoma City, absolutely."
Despite entering 22nd in USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll, the team won't put any pressure on themselves past trying to improve each day. Bartlett said it's a process of staying present and in the moment.
In 2023, ASU will face 13 squads that appeared in the 2022 NCAA Softball Championship and eight teams ranked in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll.
"There's going to be tough moments, and in those tough moments, if they can stick with us, stick with themselves and stick with their teammates, we're going to have a shot. We're going to have a shot at winning the whole thing," Bartlett said.
Edited by Kathryn Field, Jasmine Kabiri and Grace Copperthite.
Reach the reporter at asmit263@asu.edu and follow @AlfredS_III on Twitter.
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