Experienced.

That may be the best way to describe the ISU softball team this season. It is returning each starter from last year, and expectations have never been higher for coach Stacey Gemeinhardt-Cesler’s team.

“This is the most excited I’ve been for a season before because we have a really good team,” said junior pitcher Rachel Zabriskie. “We have a lot of seniors and a lot of leadership and since no starters left from last year, we have our groups back. We have four new people and that’s all, so we don’t have to teach as many things. Everybody knows it so we are just practicing it over and over. This will be the best season we’ve had yet. That’s for sure.”

The senior class is a big reason for that optimism. All five seniors started last season and have combined to play in 766 games for the Cyclones over the last three seasons. During that time together, the class seems to have meshed into the ultimate oligarchy.

“They all have a bit of a different leadership quality which helps with five of them,” Zabriskie said. “Sometimes you’d think that’s too many but since they all have a different quality, they can bring everything. We’ve got the talkers (Sydni Jones and Kelsey Kidwell), motivators (Alex Johnson), people that lead by example (Courtney Wray) and the people that just step back and comfort you when stuff goes wrong (Amanda Bradberry).”

While they all have different leadership styles, they are all focused on the same goals: winning games, and making it to the regional tournament.

“This is the year for us, but it’s the year for everybody else on the team too,” said senior catcher Johnson. “It’s not just about the seniors, it’s about everybody playing together as a team, because there are a lot of freshmen, sophomores and juniors that can contribute. So it’s not just about us seniors, but like I said, this is the year.”

Iowa State is coming off of an up and down season in which they went 26-29. Last year the Cyclones stared 13-2. They were plagued by massive injury problems, however, losing a couple of position players for stretches, along with every pitcher on the roster save Zabriskie for most of the conference season.

The personnel problems contributed to a 1-8 start in the Big 12 season. The Cyclones were able to turn it around a little with a 6-3 Big 12 finish.

“Playing so well in the second half of the conference portion of last season was huge,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “I think if we find some consistency, and we play the way we know we can play, then we will have success for an entire season.”

One thing that should help with that consistency is renewed depth on the mound. The Cyclones return Zabriskie who threw 171.1 innings last season — the second highest total in school history. Joining her will be freshman Tori Torrescano, who will likely be the second starter, and sophomores Tianna Allen, a transfer from College of St. Catherine, Katie Harms and Lauren Kennewell, who both sat out last season due to injury.

Also joining the staff will be senior Courtney Wray. Wray has been an utility player for the Cyclones for three years. Although she pitched in high school, the Cyclones decided she would be of better use in the field. Last year, they asked her to pitch out of necessity but after throwing for one inning in which she gave up no earned runs or hits, she, too, got injured.

“If she can help us out at a position, then that’s what we are going to do,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “That’s what she has done the whole time that she has been here. She’s played short stop, she’s played third base, she’s played outfield and pitched. That is really the definition of a utility player and she is so valuable to us. She can do all that defensively and then on offense, she has consistently been our three-hole hitter.”

With all the optimism and excitement, the Cyclones are ready to embark on what they believe will be their most successful season ever.