Kansas Softball Staff Selects Captains for 2015

LAWRENCE, Kan. – With the 2015 softball season getting closer and closer to first pitch, the Kansas softball staff selected who will be leading the Jayhawks during the upcoming season. On Tuesday afternoon, head coach Megan Smith announced that seniors Chanin Naudin, Alicia Pille and Maddie Stein, along with junior Chaley Brickey, will share the leadership responsiblities for 2015.

“It’s a great group of leaders that complement each other very well,” said Smith of the 2015 captains. “All four of them have worked extremely hard since the moment they stepped on campus to make our program better. They all truly care about Kansas softball and their teammates.”

Stein is a two-time captain for the Jayhawks after first serving in that capacity as a sophomore, while Brickey, Naudin and Pille are all first-year captains. The captains combined have an overall record of 75-39 in the past two seasons and helped guide KU back to the NCAA Tournament last spring, its first postseason appearance since 2006. Aside from the many achievements on the field, the captain corps also take care of business in the classroom and are active members of the Jayhawk and Lawrence communities. 

A native of Haltom City, Texas, Brickey led the squad in seven offensive categories this past season, including a .365 batting average, 12 home runs, 41 RBIs and 42 walks. Her 42 walks in 2014 set a new single-season mark for base on balls after surpassing the previous record of 35 set by Tracy Bunge in 1985. Brickey also earned All-Big 12 Second Team accolade for the second year in a row and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region honors.

A two-time Academic All-Big 12 selection, Naudin started every game except two in 2014 at third base. The senior hit .258 with 40 hits, including a team-high 15 doubles and five home runs, 24 RBIs and 24 runs scored.

Pille, a 2014 Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection, went 12-7 in the circle last year with 130 strikeouts and six shutouts in 129.2 innings of work. The Royce City, Texas native tossed her first career no-hitter against Jackson State on Feb. 22 and was two outs away from a perfect game at UMKC on April 8.

Stein, a senior from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, started every game in 2014. She hit .358 with 13 doubles, a triple, a home run and 40 RBIs. Stein’s list of achievements during her junior campaign included NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete honors, Academic All-Big 12 and All-Big 12 Defensive Team honors.
 
“We have a good variety of vocal leadership and work ethic leadership in the weight room,” said Smith. “They cover all the bases as a group and I am excited to see how they will lead us this season.”
 
After reaching a NCAA Regional in 2014, Kansas looks to repeat in 2015 and go even further into the postseason. The Jayhawks return 13 letterwiners from last season and welcome nine newcomers, including seven freshmen and two transfers. The 2015 campaign kicks off in early February.
 
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