WAUKESHA, Wis. – The Carroll University softball team has had its fair share of strong individual players over the years. Most recently all-conference athletes Sierra Grubor and Kaylee Learman, who have re-written the Carroll record books. How does Head Softball Coach Amy Gradecki replace those two bats in the line-up? "We can't replace them," says Gradecki "but it's not a replacement philosophy with this team."
 
Gradecki says this year's group of Pioneers, who call themselves 'Team 33' to represent the 33^rd season of Carroll softball, is more balanced all the way around, and have more value to the team than just heavy hitters at the top of the lineup. "We've been more creative on offense, we have more speed up and down now as well," says Gradecki. "It'll be very strategic and situational this season." Carroll's current roster stands at 24 students, 19 of which were with the program last season.
 
The Pioneers have never had an issue with their offense, often boasting some of the best numbers in the CCIW over the past few seasons. Last year, in 16 conference games, Carroll was only one of two teams in the conference to have at least a .300 team batting average with a conference leading 139 hits and a second-best OBS of .374. Carroll's success at the plate along with solid efforts from the circle landed them in the CCIW tournament for the second consecutive season. Carroll enters this season picked to make the tournament again, and to finish fourth in the regular season standings according to the CCIW Softball Pre-season Coaches Poll.
 
Carroll returns their four pitchers to the team as well in 2023, two senior leaders in Grace Bradley and Breanna Roberts, and two sophomore up and commers, Riley Pavelka and Andrea Kuhne. Pavelka led the team in strikeouts and ERA a season ago, coming into the rotation a quarter of the way into the season. Carroll pitching last season combined for a 2.83 ERA with 81 strikeouts, the third most in CCIW games.
 
But take away all of the pieces and the cores and the strong players, and you have a group of women who fit very well together. Senior Mathena Higgins mentions the team chemistry is really special this season, "it really feels like everyone on this team belongs to the Carroll softball family…When you play for your teammates, you leave it all on the field, and only success comes from teams who play like that."
 
Gradecki has mentioned that she sees this team as more motivated than ones in the past, "this group is very energetic, they communicate very well, and overall there's a large sense of comradery.
 
The Pioneers will begin the regular season with a four-game tournament hosted by Fontbonne this weekend. Carroll will head to its usual spring break destination in Clermont, Florida this March, then return to Waukesha to host six double-headers at Kilgour Field. The Pioneers boast eight seniors on the squad, a group that has been through adversity but is ready to take advantage of their final season, "Our freshman year really made it clear to us that we cannot take anything for granted," says Higgins. "We have the goal to soak up as much of our senior experience as we can and have fun with our team. We really want to live in the moment and appreciate every inning we get."