title: Minnesota Golden Gophers softball
text: # Minnesota Golden Gophers softball
  
  The Minnesota Golden Gophers softball team represents the University of Minnesota in National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I competition. College softball became a varsity sport at the University of Minnesota in 1974.
  
  ## History
  
  ### Coaching history
  
  | Years | Coach | Record | % |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1974–1975, 1977–1989 | Linda Wells | 350–264–1 | .570 |
  | 1976 | Jenny Johnson | 16–4 | .800 |
  | 1990–1991 | Teresa Wilson | 79–59 | .572 |
  | 1992–1998 | Lisa Bernstein | 239–182–1 | .568 |
  | 1999–2010 | Lisa Bernstein & Julie Standering | 356–300–2 | .543 |
  | 2011–2017 | Jessica Allister | 290–107 | .730 |
  | 2018–2020 | Jamie Trachsel | 102–40–1 | .717 |
  | 2021–present | Piper Ritter | 58–37–1 | .609 |
  
  ## Championships
  
  ### Conference Championships
  
  | Season | Conference | Record | Head coach |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1986 | Big Ten Conference | 15–9 | Linda Wells |
  | 1988 | Big Ten Conference | 15–8 | Linda Wells |
  | 1991 | Big Ten Conference | 20–4 | Teresa Wilson |
  | 2017 | Big Ten Conference | 22–1 | Jessica Allister |
  
  ### Conference tournament championships
  
  | Year | Conference | Tournament Location | Head coach |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1999 | Big Ten Conference | Ann Arbor, MI | Lisa Bernstein & Julie Standering |
  | 2014 | Big Ten Conference | Evanston, IL | Jessica Allister |
  | 2016 | Big Ten Conference | State College, PA | Jessica Allister |
  | 2017 | Big Ten Conference | Ann Arbor, MI | Jessica Allister |
  | 2018 | Big Ten Conference | Madison, WI | Jamie Trachsel |
  
  ## Coaching staff
  
  | Name | Position Coached | Consecutive season at Minnesota in current position |
  | - | - | - |
  | Piper Ritter | Head coach | 2nd (15th at Minnesota) |
  | Carly Wynn | Associate Head Coach | 2nd |
  | Katie Richardson | Assistant coach | 2nd |
  | Mariah Lopez | Graduate Manager | 1st |
  | Alex Mohoney | Student Manager | 1st |
  | Ben Sewell | Student Manager | 2nd |
  | Reference: ||||
  
  ## Roster
  
  2022 Golden Gophers Roster :
  
  | # | Name | Position | Bat/Throws | Year | Height | Hometown | High School/Previous Team |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 2 | Sydney Strelow | INF | R/R | JR | 5'4 | Kenosha, Wisconsin | Bradford High School |
  | 5 | Sara Kinch | C | R/R | SO | 5'10 | Temecula, California | Great Oak High School |
  | 6 | Chloe Evans | UT | L/R | SO | 5'9 | Seymour, Wisconsin | Seymour Community High School |
  | 9 | Rylie Costa | INF | R/R | SO | 5'5 | Tracy, California | Kimball High School |
  | 14 | Ansleigh Hollifield | RHP/INF | R/R | SO | 5/7 | Dacula, Georgia | Buford High School |
  | 15 | Emily Leavitt | RHP | R/R | FR | 5'6 | Chino, California | Ayala High School |
  | 17 | Maddy Ehlke | INF | L/R | SO | 5'10 | Green Bay, Wisconsin | Bay Port High School |
  | 18 | Ellie Jensen | OF | L/R | RS SR | 5'5 | Watertown, Wisconsin | Watertown High School |
  | 19 | Delanie Cox | UT | R/R | JR | 5'6 | Aurora, Colorado | Cherokee Trail High School |
  | 20 | Megan Dray | C/1B | R/R | GR | 5'9 | Lynchburg, Virginia | North Carolina |
  | 21 | Nani Valencia | INF | R/R | FR | 5'7 | Georgetown, Kentucky | Scott County High School |
  | 22 | Mackenzie Denson | OF | L/R | SO | 5'2 | Mansfield, Texas | Lake Ridge High School |
  | 24 | Lauren Espalin | OF | L/R | GR | 5'6 | San Dimas, California | California |
  | 25 | Autumn Pease | RHP | R/R | SR | 5'9 | Murrieta, California | Idaho State |
  | 31 | Natalie DenHartog | OF | R/R | SR | 5'8 | Hopkins, Minnesota | Hopkins High School |
  | 32 | Makenna Dowell | INF | L/R | GR | 5'2 | Suwanee, Georgia | Auburn |
  | 39 | Emily Hansen | UT | L/R | SR | 5'7 | Buffalo, Minnesota | Buffalo High School |
  | 55 | Clare Ceynowa | C | R/R | SO | 5'7 | Brainerd, Minnesota | Brainerd High School |
  | 67 | Ali Lindner | OF | L/R | SR | 5'7 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota | Harrisburg High School |
  | 77 | Kayla Chavez | INF | R/R | FR | 5'6 | Chino, California | Chino Hills High School |
  
  ## Notable players
  
  ### National awards
  
  **NFCA Catcher of the Year**
  
  * Kendyl Lindaman (2017)
  
  ### Conference awards
  
  **Big Ten Player of the Year**
  
  * Barb Drake, 1986
  * Kari Blank, 1991
  * Sara Groenewegen, 2015
  * Kendyl Lindaman, 2017, 2018
  
  **Big Ten Pitcher of the Year**
  
  * Sara Groenewegen, 2014, 2017
  * Amber Fiser, 2019
  * Autumn Pease, 2023
  
  **Big Ten Freshman of the Year**
  
  * Brenda Bixby, 1988
  * Sara Moulton, 2011
  * Sara Groenewegen, 2014
  * Maddie Houlihan, 2016
  * Kendyl Lindaman, 2017
  
  **Big Ten Coach of the Year**
  
  * Linda Wells, 1988
  * Teresa Wilson, 1991
  * Jessica Allister, 2017
  