After a challenging 2024 spring softball season, Iowa State finished with a 20-31 overall record and 6-18 in conference play. The team is eager to reset this fall.
With the departure of Big 12 powerhouses Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC and the addition of Arizona, Arizona State and Utah, the conference looks more competitive than ever.
Cyclones head coach Jamie Pinkerton emphasized development as a key focus for the young squad.
“Our goal is to get 20 to 25 at-bats for all of our athletes, which is probably a huge ask,” Pinkerton said. “We’re in a rebuilding phase, with a lot of players coming straight out of high school who haven’t seen Division I pitching yet.”
Despite the rebuilding status, Iowa State will lean on leadership from seniors Angelina Allen and Angelita Fuentes. Allen, an All-American last season, posted a standout .435 batting average with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs. Fuentes is coming back after a season-ending injury.
“She had what I call a ‘Brock Purdy’ surgery,” Pinkerton said. “Not a full Tommy John, but it was bracketed.”
Supporting the seniors are junior pitchers Tatum Johnson and Jaiden Ralston. Freshman infielders Sereniti Trice and Jessie Clemons will also get significant playing time, giving the team a youthful spark.
“We don’t want to put too much pressure on the freshmen, but this is an under-the-radar class,” Pinkerton said.
With 24 players on the roster, 14 of them underclassmen, the Cyclones will be relying heavily on young talent to step up.
Fall practices have been a bit behind schedule, starting a week later due to a delayed academic calendar. Despite this, Pinkerton has seen progress.
“Tuesday was better and Wednesday was even stronger,” Pinkerton said. “The energy and effort have been there, though the intensity dipped a bit by day three, but we’re starting to fill in.”
Iowa State enters the fall season with a tough schedule, starting with a game against Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC).
“DMACC has been to the Juco World Series nine or 10 times in the last 11 years,” Pinkerton said. “They’ll press us and that’s why I always schedule them early.”
The Cyclones will also face Kirkwood, another strong junior college team, along with five Division I opponents, which Pinkerton believes will provide invaluable experience.
“We’ll be put under pressure early,” Pinkerton said. “Facing this kind of competition will show the newcomers how much faster the game is at this level.”
Iowa State will take the field against DMACC at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Cyclone Sports Complex.
