PROVO, Utah – Coming off its sixth-straight West Coast Conference championship,11th-straight conference title and 15th-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Regionals, BYU softball is looking to keep building on its programs history in 2020.
“We are looking to get better every day as a team,” BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. “We look to adhere to our core values which are being selfless, resilient and driven. We want to be able to bounce back when adversity hits, overcome adversity, care about the person on our left and our right and be driven to excellence.”
Including 12 returning players, BYU’s roster will consist of two seniors, seven juniors, five sophomores and five freshmen. The Cougars return two starting pitchers, Arissa Paulson and Autumn Moffat for another season. Also returning are 2019 All-WCC First Team honorees Moffat, Paulson, Marissa Chavez and Rylee Jensen-McFarland as well as Taylei Williams who garnered honorable mention.
In the preseason poll, the Cougars were voted to claim the 2020 WCC Conference title by the league's head coaches with all the first-place votes. Moffat, Paulson, Chavez, Jensen-McFarland, and Williams all claimed spots on the 2020 preseason All-WCC team.
Pitching
The 2020 team is highlighted by its pitching staff. With four pitchers on the roster, the Cougars are experienced while also adding new talent. BYU will lean on its veteran starting pitchers in Paulson and Moffat. Paulson, the 2019 WCC Pitcher of the Year, will return for another season in the circle but will also see time at first base. The redshirt junior finished out the 2019 season earning All-WCC First Team honors as well as earning a spot on the NFCA All-Pacific Region First Team. She tallied 163.1 innings pitched last season with 120 strikeouts for a 2.74 ERA. Also, returning as a starting pitcher is Moffat who garnered All-WCC First Team honors following the 2019 season. The junior picked up 13 wins during her 2019 campaign with 140.1 innings pitched and a team-best 2.54 ERA.
BYU adds two new pitchers to its rotation in redshirt freshman Reggie Kanagawa and freshman Carley Brown. Kanagawa is a right-hander who missed the 2019 season due to surgery while Brown is coming to BYU as the No. 19 overall pitcher in the 2019 recruiting class. Both will see time inside the circle throughout the season.
Outfield
The outfield is led by senior Rylee Jensen-McFarland who has made a large impact since her freshman year at BYU. Following the 2019 season, Jensen-McFarland earned NFCA All-Pacific Region First Team, All-WCC First Team and WCC All-Academic honors while leading the team in starts, batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs, hits, RBI, doubles, home runs, total bases and walks. Jensen-McFarland, who was married in December 2019, will be BYU’s starting left-fielder and lead-off hitter.
Taylei Williams will join Jensen-McFarland in the outfield seeing time mostly at the center-field position. In her first season with the Cougars, Williams played in 54 games and led the team in stolen bases. The Utah native could also see time at shortstop.
Junior college transfer HannahJo Peterson and sophomore Aubrielle Paulson will also help out at the right field position, while Peterson could see time at the second base position.
Infield
WCC Defensive Player of the Year Erin Miklus returns for her junior campaign and will take charge at second base, complemented by All-WCC First Team honoree Marissa Chavez at shortstop. Redshirt senior Emilee Erickson and redshirt sophomore Martha Epenesa will hold down third base.
Sophomore Brooke Hill and freshman Huntyr Ava will see time at the first base position while Ava could make some appearances in the outfield as well.
Catching
Junior Morgan Bevell and freshman Kaylee Erickson will handle the catching position during the 2020 season. Both command the position and have strong throwing arms.
Bridget Fleener will be listed as a catcher but will spend most of her time as the designated player or in the outfield after sitting out the 2019 season with an injury.
BYU will begin its 2020 slate in Mexico at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. The Cougars will play a doubleheader on Thursday, Feb. 6 against Nevada at 10 a.m. CST followed by a game against George Washington at 12:30 p.m. CST. Both games will be played at Nancy Almaraz Stadium.