The Cyclone softball team had high hopes coming into the season. After a disappointing and injury-plagued season last year, the Cyclones’ senior-laden team set their eyes high, hoping to make their first regional tournament in Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler’s four-year career as the ISU coach.

In order to achieve that dream, the Cyclones played a much tougher tournament schedule at the beginning of the year to help improve the team’s RPI ranking. The plan worked as the Cyclones went 20-12 to begin the season.

The Big 12 season brought problems yet again for the veteran club, however, as Iowa State has started 3-11 in the conference, falling to a 25-25 record as of April 30.

The Cyclones are currently on the bubble for the 65-team regional tournament birth with an RPI rating of 53rd.

In order to qualify for the tournament, however, the team must have a record at or above .500.

As of Friday, the team was at .500 with two Big 12 series left. The Cyclones played No. 6 Texas on Saturday and Sunday, and will face Kansas in the final two-game series of the season. If the Cyclones can finish the regular season above .500, they will have a good chance of making the tournament thanks to their strength of schedule.

The team’s performance in the Big 12 Tournament, starting May 14, will also play a huge role in the team’s post season hopes. The past two seasons, the Cyclones have fallen in the second round.

Regardless of the team’s postseason fate, the Cyclones have already set numerous team records this season. The senior class has been paramount in rewriting the ISU record books.

Senior Alex Johnson set the RBI record, the double record and she is third on the list in total hits.

Joining Johnson on the hits list is fellow seniors Courtney Wray and Kelsey Kidwell who are second and seventh on the list. Junior Rachel Zabriskie broke both the wins record and the single season strikeouts record. She also broke the career strikeouts record. Zabriskie was the first Cyclone pitcher to reach 500 strikeouts and as a junior, is already at 605 strikeouts with at least five games left in the season.