The University of Mississippi Athletics
2009 Ole Miss Softball Season Outlook
2/9/2009 | Softball
It is a widely held belief that experience is one of the greatest teachers. Those who have experienced his or her turn at the plate with two outs, bases loaded, full count, down by one in the bottom of the seventh inning learn how to handle the pressures better each time they are faced with the situation. When the Ole Miss softball team takes the field for the first time in their 2008-2009 campaign, it will be counting on experience to carry the team farther than it has been in its history.
In her fourth year at the helm of the Ole Miss softball team, Missy Dickerson will look back on her past successes as a player and coach and count on a veteran team to take the Rebels back to the Southeastern Conference Tournament and earn its first trip to the NCAA Tournament. Dickerson was a part of a UCLA softball team that won three national championships and coached Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to three NCAA Regional berths and Ole Miss to three straight SEC Tournament appearances.
Dickerson will coach a team laden with veterans who have an understanding of what it takes to make it to the next level. The Rebels return 12 players that started at least one game last season and seven of the eight position starters. They also return two of three pitchers from a year ago, a duo that combined to throw 241.2 innings. All of these players have seen what it takes to make it to postseason and with the addition of four key newcomers, the Rebels anticipate they will be able to build on last year's successes and earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
"My expectations are always to do better than the year before," said Dickerson. "We were close last year to making it to NCAA postseason play, but a couple of key losses denied us that opportunity. The next step for our program is participating in the NCAA Tournament, and that is a top priority for this team in 2009."
Given all the upperclassmen on this year's squad, Dickerson believes leadership will be a key component to this year's team, especially since two seniors and seven juniors have returned.
"The returnees should have a complete understanding of the level of competition that we play. I think that's important and it should allow them to step up and be leaders for the younger players," Dickerson said. "These kids are used to playing a strong schedule, especially with the talent in our conference. We've have also had an amazing strength of schedule the past couple of years, so there should be no pressure on these kids. They know that all they have to do is play hard, because the experiences and toughness of our schedule will breed success."
The Pitching
The Rebels will rely on a mixture of experience and youth on the mound this season. Junior right-hander Becky Nye returns to lead Ole Miss in the circle. The McKinney, Texas, native topped the Rebels in wins (12), innings pitched (165.2), ERA (2.07) and strikeouts (121) last season. The dependable Nye also led the squad with 37 appearances and 14 complete games. Her 238 strikeouts through two seasons already ranks sixth on the school's all-time strikeout list.
"Becky must lead the staff this year," Dickerson said. "She has had the potential to do that the last couple of years and now it's her turn to shine. Becky definitely has the talent, she just needs to stay consistent as far as her emotions out on the mound and maintain a level of poise throughout the entire game."
Also returning is sophomore hurler Lindsey Perry, a Madison, Miss., native who pitched in 20 games a year ago, while compiling a 6-6 record with a 2.39 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 76.0 innings.
"With a year under her belt, we expect Lindsey to build off that experience she gained last year," Dickerson said. "I think that she will be able to step out there and be the competitor that we know she can be. She definitely has to have more consistency on the mound, and I think we saw that this past fall. Lindsey has worked really hard and come a long way with her presence out on the mound and the pitches that she's added to her repertoire."
The lone newcomer to the Rebel pitching staff is freshman Kelly Chandler, who hails from Terry, Miss. A two-time first team all-state selection, she won four straight state titles at Jackson Prep and accumulated an outstanding record of 126-47 over her high school career with 1,093 strikeouts with a 0.66 ERA.
"I think Kelly brings a competitiveness and a desire to be successful," Dickerson said. "She's young, and with any young student of the game, they have to come in and learn as fast as they can. I think right off the bat you start with a weakness and try to turn it into a strength as quickly as you can to adapt to this level."
The Offense
The Ole Miss offense will consist of a lineup highlighted by All-America and All-SEC performers and returns 77 percent of the runs batted and all but three home runs from a year ago.
The lineup will be led by first team All-America selection Lauren Grill. The junior from Tualatin, Ore., led the Rebels with a .393 batting average, 35 runs scored, 12 doubles, 12 homers, 41 RBI, a .727 slugging percentage and a .497 on-base percentage en route to first team All-America honors from Louisville Slugger and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). Grill is the first player in school history to earn first team All-America accolades. In addition, Grill finished in the top 10 in the SEC in batting, homers, slugging, on-base percentage, total bases and walks. She set single-season school records in batting, total bases, slugging, on-base percentage and walks.
"Lauren brings a presence of leadership to our lineup that includes consistent power," said Dickerson. "It was evident last year in the number of intentional walks."
Senior Lisa Conchos finished second on the team with nine doubles last year, and her 31 career doubles is second all-time in school history behind Heather Swinney's 42 career doubles. Conchos turned in a nine-game hitting streak a year ago, which tied for the fifth longest streak in school history. She is also only the second player in school history with two career grand slams.
Junior Ashley Dowdy, an All-SEC freshman pick two years ago, finished second of the squad last season with a .361 on-base percentage and was third with 16 RBI. Dowdy ranks fifth in school history in slugging percentage, eighth in triples and 10th in home runs.
Returnees also include junior Alise Doubt, who finished second on the club last year with a .280 batting average and stole a team-leading five bases; junior Amber Tramp, who smashed six doubles and knocked in 14 runs last season; and senior Michelle May, who finished second on the squad with four home runs.
"I'm hoping that Lisa Conchos has a big senior year and goes out in style," Dickerson said. "We have several people that could step up and have big seasons for us. Aly Presswood, Ashley Dowdy, Amber Tramp and Michelle May could all do that. It's just a matter of finding who is going to do it."
In addition to the returnees, Dickerson is excited about what a trio of newcomers can bring to the lineup. Freshmen Corrine Doornberg of Langley, British Columbia; Amanda Hutcheson of Loganville, Ga.; and Cali Overbeck of Atoka, Tenn., bring an element missing from the Rebel lineup - speed.
"With Corrine and Amanda joining the squad, I think we have added a speed dimension to our lineup that we haven't had in the past," Dickerson said. "Their speed and quickness will allow us to put more pressure on the opposing defense and staff. I think that adding that dimension will give us more numbers on the bases and, hopefully, allow us to get more run production during the game."
The Defense
In the field, the Rebels return seven of the eight position starters and 11 players that started at least one game. With that abundance of depth, Dickerson plans to tweak the lineup to find the best offensive combination.
"I think we have a lot of depth," she said. "One of my biggest issues right now is figuring out who is going to play where. Defensively, we have several options and I am looking for that combination of offensive production and defensive prowess."
Last season the Rebels were led defensively by catcher Amber Tramp. The Keller, Texas native was a stalwart at the backstop position. Tramp turned in a .985 fielding percentage in 53 starts at catcher and gunned down four runners. Aly Presswood also turned in a school record .995 fielding percentage in 202 chances in the outfield and at first base.
"It is exciting to be able to have so many options," said Dickerson. "It definitely forces competition and makes the kids work harder for there spots on the field. You always have an idea of what you want to do, however, we won't know for sure until we step out on the field for that first game."
The Schedule
After playing 19 games against ranked opponents last season, fans can expect a similar road for the Rebels in 2009. Seven of the Rebels' opponents this season were ranked in the final top-25 polls, including three squads that were among the top 10. Also, Ole Miss will face 16 teams that earned NCAA Tournament bids last year and three squads that advanced to the Women's College World Series.
"There is no easing into the schedule this year," Dickerson said. "We start off at Louisiana-Lafayette in a three game series and they finished fifth at the College World Series last year. After that, we are going to Baylor to face a top Big 12 team as well as several other strong programs."
Dickerson wanted to set a schedule that would prepare her team for postseason play and breed success. Playing a tough and diverse schedule helps the team learn from situations that cannot be simulated in practice.
"What I have tried to do is schedule as tough as we possibly can, because that is only going to breed confidence and teach our team how to improve. Scheduling our trip to California and playing all those West Coast schools gives us an opportunity to see how we fare against some of the top programs in the country. I think playing a competitive schedule helps us when we move into SEC play, because our conference is one of the top two conferences in the country."
After opening the season Feb. 6 with the three-game series at Louisiana-Lafayette and then playing five more games hosted by Baylor, beginning Feb. 13, the Rebels finally return to Oxford for the home opener Feb. 27 by hosting Mississippi Valley State, North Florida, South Carolina-Upstate and Tulsa in the Red & Blue Classic.
"The fight is won or lost far away from the witnesses- behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights." Muhammad Ali used these words to explain his successful career. When the Ole Miss softball team dances under the lights of the Ole Miss Softball Complex for its first game at the end of February, it hopes to show how experience, hard work and preparation can lead to championships.
