KU Softball Holds Media Day
Jan. 26, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
The Kansas softball team held its annual media day Monday in Hadl Auditorium. Head coach Tracy Bunge along with a handful of players spoke with reporters about the upcoming season, which begins Friday, Feb. 6 in the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.
Kansas Softball Media Day
January 26, 2008
Head Coach Tracy Bunge
On the team this year:
“We’ve worked extremely hard this year in preparations. It’s really nice as a coaching staff because we’ve got an older group this year. We’ve got a great deal of experience on our pitching staff as well as position-wise. We don’t have a lot of holes to fill. They are excited and ready to go. With the experience we have coming back and the level of excitement that we have had in practice, I’m really looking for some good things early in the year.”
On the tough schedule:
“Yes, we have a schedule that is going to test us, probably more so than we have had in the last couple of years. We start out with potentially three top-15 schools and four top-25 schools right off the bat. We are going to find out who we are and what we’ve got to do to be successful. This schedule is really going to prepare us for conference play and give us a chance to make a run at the conference title. That’s what this year is really about for us.”
On the pitching staff:
“I think our pitchers are going to be successful by being good, smart pitchers. They understand how to get people out in big situations and that they are going to have to get better in those big situations especially with runners in scoring position.”
On the upcoming season:
“I am probably more excited about this year than I have been in recent years. I’m excited about the challenge of the schedule and I’m excited about the talent that we have. I’m excited about the team because it is a fun group to coach. It’s a group that is very diverse, but has really come together as a team and is working for a common goal.”
Senior Outfielder Dougie McCaulley
On the experience on the team:
“Obviously we have a lot of experience coming back with eight starters. We have a lot of depth in both the infield and the outfield and I think that gives us an advantage. Also, we have all been together for quite some time now and we know each other really well. We know who can step up in certain situations and everyone contributes differently to the team.”
On the tough schedule:
“Our team is really excited about our schedule. I couldn’t think of any better way to go out as a senior. I want to go out playing the best of the best. When we play really good teams we have a tendency to play really well too. Growing up and watching teams like Arizona and Stanford in the world series, it is really exciting to have a chance to step on the field with those teams. In my opinion we are just as good. You can call us the underdog because we don’t have that number (ranking) in front of our name, but I think we will very soon.”
Senior Catcher Elle Pottorf
On her past injuries:
“My goal is definitely to try and stay healthy this year. Injury-free is definitely my goal. When I hurt my ACL, I would say that the first four weeks were the worst because I also tore my meniscus. I was in an immobilizer for a month and that was really hard because I had to be so reliant on other people for help. Although compared to my shoulder surgery, I definitely feel the ACL was a lot easier to come back from.”
On being one of the elder statesmen on the team:
“I definitely have been around KU for the longest period of time on the team. I think a lot of the girls that haven’t been around near as long will ask me questions about things they are unsure of. I am definitely also the person who gets the brunt of the jokes when we are talking about how old people are.”
On her history of getting hit by a lot of pitches:
“I honestly don’t think that I crowd the plate and that is why I get hit so frequently. The ball just seems to be coming at me more times than not and I just try to get out of the way as much as I can to avoid being hit in any bone-related areas.”
On the team:
“Our team is very experienced this year. Even the players that give us a lot of depth are experienced. I think that even if somebody is not having their best day we have a lot of players that can step up and help out. That should help a lot because I feel that over the last few seasons we have really started to fade towards the end of the season and we would like to change that this season.”
On sharing the catching duties:
“I am really happy that Brittany is here. I am prone to injuries for whatever reason and she does a great job of helping me out behind the plate. She is a good player and she helps give me a break and let my body rest. Hopefully it will allow me to play more games without getting injured.”
