Kevin Grundhoffer, Staff Writer

Auggie Softball has gotten off to a hot start this season. They’re 18-6 overall and have started out MIAC play 3-3. This is a far cry from where they were when they bottomed out at 5-29 in 2021. There has been steady progress since then in every season. This past year, they even finished with an even 20-20 record, which was the first time they finished with a .500 record or above since 2018. They also started their first 15 games in the 2023 campaign with a record of 12-4, which was the best start since 1984. They then beat this record with a start of 13-3 this season. 

Softball Head Coach Mel Lee earned her 100th career win early in the season. This is a milestone in her coaching career as well as her personal resilience in building a program back up that had fallen on hard times. Recruiting for division three softball is not easy but Coach Lee has navigated those tricky waters. This past year, she recruited a first-year class that filled many holes that were left by graduating seniors, as well as spots that need improvement. 

One of those recruits, sophomore infielder Olivia Hennager, is up for Womens Rookie of the Year at the upcoming Auggie Awards. She posted a .327 batting average which was second on the team to Zoie Johnson who had a .347 batting average. Hennager also led the team with 25 runs batted in (RBIs) as well as being a solid defensive player filling a position of need at third base. Hennager is not the only Auggie softball player up for an award. Senior infielder Katie Manecke is up for Womens Honor Athlete for academics and for her on-field play as she posted a .306 batting average. She also is a starting point guard on the basketball team. Junior infielder Torrie Rehder is yet another player up for an Auggie award. She is in the running for Womens Athlete of the Year. Rehder posted a .400 slugging percentage, which was third on the team and a .269 batting average. She’s also a star defensive specialist on the Auggie Volleyball team. These players, along with others, have led the charge to change the direction of the program. Four year starting catcher and senior Grace Syson came into a program that was struggling. Syson said in an interview with the Echo, that the change was due to a culture shift. She stated that the leaders as well as the coaches lead the shift centered around hard work. Syson said that meant “there needed to be a lot more work outside of our allotted practice time in order for change to happen.” It definitely shows now. Junior transfer, Morgann Paaske, remarked in an interview with the Echo on how “you could see it” when she was asked about the new culture and why that was a driving factor in her decision to come to Augsburg. She has been stellar in her first season at Augsburg, posting an 8-3 record as the starting pitcher with a 3.75 earned run average (ERA) and two shutouts. 

The Auggies have made so much progress over this four year span with the additions of newcomers and the implementation of their new culture. They turned a program around that seemed set up for failure. It is thanks to those who led the culture shift and those who bought in to that culture that created the team you see today. The Auggies will continue to make a push through conference play and don’t plan on anyone stopping their momentum now.