Indiana University Athletics
Stanton Era Begins for IU Softball
2/6/2018 4:00:00 PM | Softball
By Andy Graham
IUHoosiers.com
The centerfielder is named Blitz.
It is an appropriate surname.
Because new coach Shonda Stanton is bringing an attacking style to Indiana softball.
Stanton's Marshall Thundering Herd stampeded for 162 stolen bases last season, leading the nation in that category while going 42-12 and earning a NCAA tournament berth.
IU senior Rebecca Blitz, who had a team-high 16 steals last spring, should fit right in with that approach.
"We're aggressive," Stanton said last week. "We talk all the time about having a 'lion's mentality,' where you want that next 60 feet of base path, and pounce on what you want to go after. That's what we're going to do."
Stanton, whose career record in 18 seasons at Marshall is 560-430-2 (.566), has brought along several members of Marshall's 2017 Conference USA Coaching Staff of the Year to help foster that culture.
Assistant coaches Kendall Fearn, who helps orchestrate the offense, and Chanda Bell, who works with the pitchers, are in Bloomington now. So is former Marshall All-American Morgan Zerkle, who will serve as a graduate student manager.
"The way you establish culture is taking control of your environment daily, and the staff is critical in that regard," Stanton said, "so I was very fortunate to bring both Kendall and Chanda with me. They're both very good at what they do.
"And it's really nice to have (graduate manager) Michelle Huber and Jake Combs with us. Michelle was on staff and played here, and Jake is a senior (student assistant). We've been able to kind of lean on them, as they both understand the inner workings of how things are here."
Stanton and staff are also getting to know a Hoosier squad that returns eight starters from a 23-31 season, during which the other numbers were more competitive than the record indicates.
The former coaching staff did not leave the cupboard bare.
The whole starting outfield hit .300 or better last season, with Blitz (.333) flanked by classmate Aimilia McDonough (.300) in left and sophomore Gabbi Jenkins (.310) in right.
Senior first baseman Taylor Uden hit .304 with seven homers and a team-leading 35 RBI as a junior. Senior shortstop Rachel O'Malley (.266) and sophomore Katie Lacefield (.265) also return, as does sophomore catcher Bella Norton. Freshman Annika Baez is a second-base candidate.
Tara Trainer, a junior who posted a 3.17 earned-run-average and right at a strikeout-per-inning (173 in 174 2/3) is back to pitch and the Hoosiers also welcome back sophomore Josie Wood, who went 13-9 with a 3.69 ERA in 2016 before missing last season to injury.
So Hoosier native and former Franklin Central ace Bell, the first pitcher to throw both a no-hitter and a perfect game at Kentucky, has experienced and often effective hurlers with whom to work.
"Pitching is everything," Stanton said. "That's why I have Chanda Bell here, so she can get that job done for us, but we're excited about what we have in the circle right now. I think that's our strength.
"Tara Trainer is such a hard worker. She sets a good example. We're going to get her to pound the strike zone a little bit more this year. And then bringing Josie (Wood), she's going to be a beast out there, too. I think the two of them are going to log a lot of innings and be aces for us. I'm excited to see what they can do. We're in good hands there. We've got some depth, also, in (sophomore Emily) Goodin, (senior Emily) Kirk and (redshirt sophomore) Conenna."
The Hoosiers hit .272 as a team last season (with the opposition at .276) and posted a solid .966 fielding percentage last season (with foes at .965).
"I think we'll take care of the ball (defensively) and I'd like to increase our offensive output, and I think we can," Stanton said. "I'd like to see more extra-base hits. More power numbers. Along with more stolen bases. And I think we'll get there.
"I'd like to see Uden in double-digit (homers). I think we have a couple of freshmen who could do it for us, too, in Anni Baez and Maddie Westmoreland (who can catch or play infield). I'd like to see 'A-Mac' (McDonough) have her best year, as a senior. Katie Lacefield will be a hard-contact kid, too. She'll be consistent, but I'd like to see her get some power numbers."
Fearn – in addition to having the Thundering Herd running the bases – helped guide Marshall's bats to a collective .313 team average over the past four seasons, posting three of the top four run-scoring campaigns in program history over that stretch.
"We have a foundation for offense," Stanton said of the IU lineup. "The good thing is we're not counting on one kid. We're just counting on everybody in the lineup to do their job.
"The kids have been great, too – we couldn't be any more pleased about how coachable they've been. They've been willing to work. We're big on how a working culture equates to a winning culture."
Stanton will have Zerkle, who concluded her Marshall playing career last spring as both an All-American and an Academic All-American, help serve as a liaison between the new staff and the IU players.
"Morgan understands our coaching staff and what the student-athletes are going through," Stanton said. "She understands our coaching style and she can kind of bridge that gap, in terms of what they're feeling and how we can get these student athletes to that next level quicker."
Stanton quipped that she'll resist the temptation to suit Zerkle up: "It's tempting to cut her hair, dye it blond and put her in a uni."
But Stanton likes the Indiana talent and plans to get more. On the IU job just six months, she knows it'll take more time for her and her staff to build recruiting relationships, but the Ohio native values the level of high school softball played in the Hoosier state.
"Indiana high school softball is outstanding," Stanton said. "And we definitely want to be recruiting inside-out, from the state of Indiana and then work into the region. And we'll go all over the country, too.
"When I was at Marshall, (high school) softball in that state wasn't real strong. And even though we'd recruit regionally, it was often easier for me just to go pluck a kid out of California, with the amount of kids available out there who liked the idea of coming into a college town, where you love the pride and loyalty to the school. So we'll recruit nationally, as well."
Stanton added she admires and wants to emulate how baseball coach Chris Lemonis has cultivated in-state recruiting augmented by regional and national signings as for his current nationally-ranked squad.
"I love what Chris Lemonis has done with baseball," she said. "Look at their roster and what they've done with Indiana kids. I'd love to get to that point. We're not there yet, because we're behind in terms of building relationships here and a lot of those top kids are already committed, but we fully intend to get there.
"We see kids committed to Tennessee, Washington, all sorts of Power 5 schools a fair distance from our state. We have to keep those kids home. That's going to be our goal. But that's going to take some time. And you've got to win. That's our mission."
Stanton feels that, while patience will be required, that winning trend could start soon. Maybe even this season, which begins with a twin-bill Friday against Boise State and Oregon State as part of a five-game showcase this weekend at Arizona State.
"It's an exciting group of athletes," she said of her current squad. "And we're going to play hard. We're not going to be perfect. But if we swing and miss, we're going to barrel that next pitch up. If we see a pitch go over the fence, we're going to set that next kid down.
"We're going to get after it. We're all-in. Being aggressive is in my nature. That'll never change. That's how we're going to be. It's going to be exciting for fans to watch".
The blitz is on.
IUHoosiers.com
The centerfielder is named Blitz.
It is an appropriate surname.
Because new coach Shonda Stanton is bringing an attacking style to Indiana softball.
Stanton's Marshall Thundering Herd stampeded for 162 stolen bases last season, leading the nation in that category while going 42-12 and earning a NCAA tournament berth.
IU senior Rebecca Blitz, who had a team-high 16 steals last spring, should fit right in with that approach.
"We're aggressive," Stanton said last week. "We talk all the time about having a 'lion's mentality,' where you want that next 60 feet of base path, and pounce on what you want to go after. That's what we're going to do."
Stanton, whose career record in 18 seasons at Marshall is 560-430-2 (.566), has brought along several members of Marshall's 2017 Conference USA Coaching Staff of the Year to help foster that culture.
Assistant coaches Kendall Fearn, who helps orchestrate the offense, and Chanda Bell, who works with the pitchers, are in Bloomington now. So is former Marshall All-American Morgan Zerkle, who will serve as a graduate student manager.
"The way you establish culture is taking control of your environment daily, and the staff is critical in that regard," Stanton said, "so I was very fortunate to bring both Kendall and Chanda with me. They're both very good at what they do.
"And it's really nice to have (graduate manager) Michelle Huber and Jake Combs with us. Michelle was on staff and played here, and Jake is a senior (student assistant). We've been able to kind of lean on them, as they both understand the inner workings of how things are here."
Stanton and staff are also getting to know a Hoosier squad that returns eight starters from a 23-31 season, during which the other numbers were more competitive than the record indicates.
The former coaching staff did not leave the cupboard bare.
The whole starting outfield hit .300 or better last season, with Blitz (.333) flanked by classmate Aimilia McDonough (.300) in left and sophomore Gabbi Jenkins (.310) in right.
Senior first baseman Taylor Uden hit .304 with seven homers and a team-leading 35 RBI as a junior. Senior shortstop Rachel O'Malley (.266) and sophomore Katie Lacefield (.265) also return, as does sophomore catcher Bella Norton. Freshman Annika Baez is a second-base candidate.
Tara Trainer, a junior who posted a 3.17 earned-run-average and right at a strikeout-per-inning (173 in 174 2/3) is back to pitch and the Hoosiers also welcome back sophomore Josie Wood, who went 13-9 with a 3.69 ERA in 2016 before missing last season to injury.
So Hoosier native and former Franklin Central ace Bell, the first pitcher to throw both a no-hitter and a perfect game at Kentucky, has experienced and often effective hurlers with whom to work.
"Pitching is everything," Stanton said. "That's why I have Chanda Bell here, so she can get that job done for us, but we're excited about what we have in the circle right now. I think that's our strength.
"Tara Trainer is such a hard worker. She sets a good example. We're going to get her to pound the strike zone a little bit more this year. And then bringing Josie (Wood), she's going to be a beast out there, too. I think the two of them are going to log a lot of innings and be aces for us. I'm excited to see what they can do. We're in good hands there. We've got some depth, also, in (sophomore Emily) Goodin, (senior Emily) Kirk and (redshirt sophomore) Conenna."
The Hoosiers hit .272 as a team last season (with the opposition at .276) and posted a solid .966 fielding percentage last season (with foes at .965).
"I think we'll take care of the ball (defensively) and I'd like to increase our offensive output, and I think we can," Stanton said. "I'd like to see more extra-base hits. More power numbers. Along with more stolen bases. And I think we'll get there.
"I'd like to see Uden in double-digit (homers). I think we have a couple of freshmen who could do it for us, too, in Anni Baez and Maddie Westmoreland (who can catch or play infield). I'd like to see 'A-Mac' (McDonough) have her best year, as a senior. Katie Lacefield will be a hard-contact kid, too. She'll be consistent, but I'd like to see her get some power numbers."
Fearn – in addition to having the Thundering Herd running the bases – helped guide Marshall's bats to a collective .313 team average over the past four seasons, posting three of the top four run-scoring campaigns in program history over that stretch.
"We have a foundation for offense," Stanton said of the IU lineup. "The good thing is we're not counting on one kid. We're just counting on everybody in the lineup to do their job.
"The kids have been great, too – we couldn't be any more pleased about how coachable they've been. They've been willing to work. We're big on how a working culture equates to a winning culture."
Stanton will have Zerkle, who concluded her Marshall playing career last spring as both an All-American and an Academic All-American, help serve as a liaison between the new staff and the IU players.
"Morgan understands our coaching staff and what the student-athletes are going through," Stanton said. "She understands our coaching style and she can kind of bridge that gap, in terms of what they're feeling and how we can get these student athletes to that next level quicker."
Stanton quipped that she'll resist the temptation to suit Zerkle up: "It's tempting to cut her hair, dye it blond and put her in a uni."
But Stanton likes the Indiana talent and plans to get more. On the IU job just six months, she knows it'll take more time for her and her staff to build recruiting relationships, but the Ohio native values the level of high school softball played in the Hoosier state.
"Indiana high school softball is outstanding," Stanton said. "And we definitely want to be recruiting inside-out, from the state of Indiana and then work into the region. And we'll go all over the country, too.
"When I was at Marshall, (high school) softball in that state wasn't real strong. And even though we'd recruit regionally, it was often easier for me just to go pluck a kid out of California, with the amount of kids available out there who liked the idea of coming into a college town, where you love the pride and loyalty to the school. So we'll recruit nationally, as well."
Stanton added she admires and wants to emulate how baseball coach Chris Lemonis has cultivated in-state recruiting augmented by regional and national signings as for his current nationally-ranked squad.
"I love what Chris Lemonis has done with baseball," she said. "Look at their roster and what they've done with Indiana kids. I'd love to get to that point. We're not there yet, because we're behind in terms of building relationships here and a lot of those top kids are already committed, but we fully intend to get there.
"We see kids committed to Tennessee, Washington, all sorts of Power 5 schools a fair distance from our state. We have to keep those kids home. That's going to be our goal. But that's going to take some time. And you've got to win. That's our mission."
Stanton feels that, while patience will be required, that winning trend could start soon. Maybe even this season, which begins with a twin-bill Friday against Boise State and Oregon State as part of a five-game showcase this weekend at Arizona State.
"It's an exciting group of athletes," she said of her current squad. "And we're going to play hard. We're not going to be perfect. But if we swing and miss, we're going to barrel that next pitch up. If we see a pitch go over the fence, we're going to set that next kid down.
"We're going to get after it. We're all-in. Being aggressive is in my nature. That'll never change. That's how we're going to be. It's going to be exciting for fans to watch".
The blitz is on.
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UT
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UT
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UT
/ Softball
C
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IF
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P
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IF
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C/IF
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