University of St. Thomas Athletics
Friday, February 11
Chicago, Ill.
9:30 a.m.
vs
Ball State
Photo by: Caleb Williams
Game Notes - Softball begins season at DePaul Dome Invitational
2/10/2022 11:53:00 AM | Softball
St. Paul, Minn. - St. Thomas softball gears up for the new season, taking on five teams at the DePaul Dome Invitational. The Tommies face off against Ball State, Eastern Illinois, Butler, DePaul, and Seattle over the three-day span in Chicago, Ill.
Inaugural Campaign
St. Thomas makes its debut at the NCAA Division I level after previously competing as a Division III institution. The Tommies became the first program to make the jump from NCAA Division III to Division I. The Purple will also make their debut this season as a Summit League member.
Picked Eighth in the Summit League
The Tommies were selected to finish eighth in the Preseason Summit League Coaches' Poll. St. Thomas is in its first year of competition in the Summit League. The Tommies finished just behind of Western Illinois for the seventh spot. Freshman shortstop Brooke Ellestad and senior third baseman Sarah Hudson were selected as Summit League Preseason Players to Watch.
2022 Schedule Highlights
The Tommies will play 54 games in 2022. The schedule features two teams that finished ranked in the 2021 USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll (No. 13 Missouri and No. 22 Louisiana). Three of the Purple's 2022 opponents finished receiving votes in last season's final USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll (Iowa State, Minnesota, and South Florida). Both Missouri (No. 11) and Louisiana (No. 23) are ranked in the top 25 of the 2022 USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll entering the season. St. Thomas will play seven midweek contests (Green Bay, Iowa State, and Minnesota). The Tommies welcome in three Summit League opponents for nine total home conference games (South Dakota, Omaha, and North Dakota). The Toms will play four Summit League opponents on the road (Western Illinois, Kansas City, South Dakota State, and North Dakota State). St. Thomas plays five tournaments before opening conference play at WIU. The Tommies will play a contest in 10 different states in 2022.
There is a New Captain On Board
Head coach Jennifer Bagley Trotter enters her first season at the helm of St. Thomas softball in 2022. Trotter has amassed over 675 wins in her coaching career entering the season, all of which came at Missouri Western (NCAA Division II). While at Missouri Western, Trotter totaled 13 seasons with 31 or more victories. This will be Trotter's first season as a head coach of a Division I program.
Returning Talent
St. Thomas welcomes back 15 letter winners and six players with starting experience as a pitcher or hitter. Coryn Jacobson, an outfielder with junior eligibility, led the Tommies with a .424 batting average last season. Jacobson had 23 extra-base hits and drove in 37 runs. Jacobson walked 30 times and was hit by eight pitches, while also stealing 20 bases. Kendall Hopkins, a pitcher from Las Vegas, Nev., has the most returning experience on the mound for St. Thomas. Hopkins went 9-1 with a .191 ERA in 66.0 innings last season. She struck out 52 batters and only allowed 47 base hits. Hudson, the team's other Preseason Player to Watch, batted .315 last season, with a .386 on-base percentage, and slugged at a .417 clip. Hudson tallied 40 base hits, seven of which were doubles, and two home runs while also driving in 28 runs. The third baseman scored 17 runs, walked 12 times, was hit by four pitches, and stole three bags.
Fresh Faces
St. Thomas welcomes 10 freshmen (Abby Boxrud, Cassidy Carby, Ella Cook, Christina Crawford, Ellestad, Sydney Hockett, Jenna Kuhn, Kaitlyn Raymond, Miki Snider, and Adrianna Young) in 2022. The Tommies also added three transfer student-athletes (Sara Benner, Alli Clark, and Isabelle True). Ellestad, one of the Tommies' selection for a Summit League Preseason Player to Watch, appeared in 26 games as a senior for Kimberly High School in 2021. She batted .522 with 15 home runs, eight doubles, and three triples. Ellestad added 16 stolen bases, three intentional walks, and was hit by three pitches. Clark joins the team after transferring from another Division I school, Wisconsin. Benner (Rock Valley College) and True (Kirkwood Community College) join St. Thomas after playing at a pair of two-year schools. Five of the 13 newcomers are infielders, three are outfielders, three are pitchers, and two play the catcher position.
Opening Weekend
The Tommies begin the season at the DePaul Dome Invitational in Chicago, Ill. for five games on Feb. 11-12. St. Thomas is set to face Ball State, Eastern Illinois, Butler, DePaul, and Seattle over the three-day span. The Purple take on Ball State and Eastern Illinois on Friday, Butler and DePaul on Saturday, and Seattle on Sunday. All five games will have stats broadcast live on depaulbluedemons.com.
Last Time They Met
The Tommies have not competed against any of their five opponents at the DePaul Dome Invitational prior to this season.
In Openers
2022 marks the team's first season at the Division I level and Friday's game against Ball State is the first opener in the team's DI history.
Follow Along
For more information on St. Thomas softball, follow along on Twitter at @USTSoftball, on Instagram at @tommiesoftball, and on Facebook at St. Thomas Softball.
Inaugural Campaign
St. Thomas makes its debut at the NCAA Division I level after previously competing as a Division III institution. The Tommies became the first program to make the jump from NCAA Division III to Division I. The Purple will also make their debut this season as a Summit League member.
Picked Eighth in the Summit League
The Tommies were selected to finish eighth in the Preseason Summit League Coaches' Poll. St. Thomas is in its first year of competition in the Summit League. The Tommies finished just behind of Western Illinois for the seventh spot. Freshman shortstop Brooke Ellestad and senior third baseman Sarah Hudson were selected as Summit League Preseason Players to Watch.
2022 Schedule Highlights
The Tommies will play 54 games in 2022. The schedule features two teams that finished ranked in the 2021 USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll (No. 13 Missouri and No. 22 Louisiana). Three of the Purple's 2022 opponents finished receiving votes in last season's final USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll (Iowa State, Minnesota, and South Florida). Both Missouri (No. 11) and Louisiana (No. 23) are ranked in the top 25 of the 2022 USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll entering the season. St. Thomas will play seven midweek contests (Green Bay, Iowa State, and Minnesota). The Tommies welcome in three Summit League opponents for nine total home conference games (South Dakota, Omaha, and North Dakota). The Toms will play four Summit League opponents on the road (Western Illinois, Kansas City, South Dakota State, and North Dakota State). St. Thomas plays five tournaments before opening conference play at WIU. The Tommies will play a contest in 10 different states in 2022.
There is a New Captain On Board
Head coach Jennifer Bagley Trotter enters her first season at the helm of St. Thomas softball in 2022. Trotter has amassed over 675 wins in her coaching career entering the season, all of which came at Missouri Western (NCAA Division II). While at Missouri Western, Trotter totaled 13 seasons with 31 or more victories. This will be Trotter's first season as a head coach of a Division I program.
Returning Talent
St. Thomas welcomes back 15 letter winners and six players with starting experience as a pitcher or hitter. Coryn Jacobson, an outfielder with junior eligibility, led the Tommies with a .424 batting average last season. Jacobson had 23 extra-base hits and drove in 37 runs. Jacobson walked 30 times and was hit by eight pitches, while also stealing 20 bases. Kendall Hopkins, a pitcher from Las Vegas, Nev., has the most returning experience on the mound for St. Thomas. Hopkins went 9-1 with a .191 ERA in 66.0 innings last season. She struck out 52 batters and only allowed 47 base hits. Hudson, the team's other Preseason Player to Watch, batted .315 last season, with a .386 on-base percentage, and slugged at a .417 clip. Hudson tallied 40 base hits, seven of which were doubles, and two home runs while also driving in 28 runs. The third baseman scored 17 runs, walked 12 times, was hit by four pitches, and stole three bags.
Fresh Faces
St. Thomas welcomes 10 freshmen (Abby Boxrud, Cassidy Carby, Ella Cook, Christina Crawford, Ellestad, Sydney Hockett, Jenna Kuhn, Kaitlyn Raymond, Miki Snider, and Adrianna Young) in 2022. The Tommies also added three transfer student-athletes (Sara Benner, Alli Clark, and Isabelle True). Ellestad, one of the Tommies' selection for a Summit League Preseason Player to Watch, appeared in 26 games as a senior for Kimberly High School in 2021. She batted .522 with 15 home runs, eight doubles, and three triples. Ellestad added 16 stolen bases, three intentional walks, and was hit by three pitches. Clark joins the team after transferring from another Division I school, Wisconsin. Benner (Rock Valley College) and True (Kirkwood Community College) join St. Thomas after playing at a pair of two-year schools. Five of the 13 newcomers are infielders, three are outfielders, three are pitchers, and two play the catcher position.
Opening Weekend
The Tommies begin the season at the DePaul Dome Invitational in Chicago, Ill. for five games on Feb. 11-12. St. Thomas is set to face Ball State, Eastern Illinois, Butler, DePaul, and Seattle over the three-day span. The Purple take on Ball State and Eastern Illinois on Friday, Butler and DePaul on Saturday, and Seattle on Sunday. All five games will have stats broadcast live on depaulbluedemons.com.
Last Time They Met
The Tommies have not competed against any of their five opponents at the DePaul Dome Invitational prior to this season.
In Openers
2022 marks the team's first season at the Division I level and Friday's game against Ball State is the first opener in the team's DI history.
Follow Along
For more information on St. Thomas softball, follow along on Twitter at @USTSoftball, on Instagram at @tommiesoftball, and on Facebook at St. Thomas Softball.
Players Mentioned
1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/UT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
SS
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P-2B
/ SoftballUTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
3B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/OF
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