How roster shakeup helped Wichita State softball open season with new culture
The first sign that this Wichita State softball season might feel different won’t show up in a box score.
It will be in the dugout after someone walks. The noise after a sacrifice bunt. The way players celebrate a teammate’s diving catch. After an offseason defined by roster turnover and transfer portal movement, WSU coach Kristi Bredbenner believes the Shockers have rediscovered something: shared joy.
That belief will get its first public test this weekend when Wichita State opens its season at the Getterman Classic, hosted by Baylor. The Shockers will play five games in three days, all streamed on ESPN+, starting Friday with a 12:30 p.m. game against nationally-ranked Mississippi State and a 5:30 p.m. game against Baylor. A Saturday doubleheader features a 2:30 p.m. game against Northwestern State and a 5 p.m. rematch against Baylor, while Sunday concludes with a 9 a.m. game against New Mexico.
“There seems to be more joy for each other this year,” Bredbenner said. “That’s always going to be a big part of culture, seeing each other’s success and celebrating it. I didn’t see as much of that last year. There was a little bit more me-over-we mentality with some of our kids. I think that’s changed this year.”
The shift comes after the most turbulent offseason of Bredbenner’s 15-year tenure. Wichita State, long known for thriving through smart transfer additions, found itself on the other side of the portal cycle with several key players from last season’s team leaving. Combined with graduation losses, the Shockers return only seven players from last season’s 29-25-1 team that finished fifth in the American Conference.
It gave Bredbenner an opportunity to reset the program’s culture around the “gritty” identity she expects. None of the seven returners have more than one year in the program, and when paired with 14 newcomers, this roster has been able to establish its own standards from the ground up.
“It was so great for us to receive so many new people because we were able to turn things around from what it was last year,” WSU sophomore pitcher Ryley Nihart said. “Last year we had a standard and a way of doing things that wasn’t necessarily the right way. I think with how many new people that we have this year, we were able to create our own way and our own culture and a new way of doing things, which I think will be really good.”
Nihart, the American’s Co-Freshman of the Year from last season, headlines the returning core to build around. She posted an 11-7 record and 2.80 earned run average last season, while fellow sophomore Ava Sliger is also back after logging significant innings last spring.
The circle behind them has been retooled. Senior Division II transfer Jade Sanders, North Carolina transfer Janelle Wilson, Wisconsin left-hander Gabby Fakes and freshman high school All-American Jenna Edwards give WSU multiple new options. Bredbenner said all six pitchers could see action this weekend as roles begin to take shape.
Offensively, WSU must replace six of its top eight hitters from a team that slugged 72 home runs last season. The staff believes power will remain part of the identity.
McLennan Community College transfers Trinity Allen and Mickayla Tosch arrive with decorated credentials. Allen was the 2025 NJCAA National Player of the Year and a two-time All-American, while Tosch was also a two-time All-American and two-time Gold Glove winner in the outfield. Both flashed power during fall workouts.
North Texas transfer Ausha Moore is another dynamic bat who figures to hit near the top of the order and handle third base. Stanford transfer Johnna Schroder has impressed with her defensive versatility and left-handed bat, while Saint Louis transfer Chloe Rhine, the Atlantic-10 Defensive Player of the Year last season, is expected to anchor the infield at shortstop.
Among the returners, sophomore outfielder Brookelyn Livanec, who hit .364 with 37 starts last season, is the most established hitter, while senior Jodie Epperson (.290, eight home runs, 11 doubles) is expected to anchor the outfield in center field. Incoming freshmen Kinzey Wood and Kammie Smith have also been pushing for early roles.
Bredbenner said she expects constant rotation in the lineup this weekend and throughout the season, particularly at the corner outfield and designated player spots.
The schedule offers no soft landing. WSU, who was picked third in the American by league coaches, will face eight NCAA Tournament teams from last season — beginning with its very first game of the season against Mississippi State.
“We’re a young group and we’re going to have to stick together,” Bredbenner said. “We’re going to take some lumps. We’ve got one of the hardest schedules that I’ve had. That’s my jam. I enjoy putting our kids out there and competing against the best. If we want to be the best, then we’ve got to learn how to compete with the best. That’s the war we’re going into this weekend.”
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