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2026 Preview: Omaha

Screenshot 2024-07-31 at 7.46.34 PMby: Brady Vernon01/16/26BradyVernon

Omaha has now made three straight NCAA Tournaments after appearing in the tournament for the first time in 2023. The Mavericks likely enter 2026 as the Summit League favorites as well. For this Mid-Major, which has quickly accelerated under Mike Heard, are they aiming for more than another postseason berth?

“We’ve been one out from a Super Regional. We don’t have a daily conversation, but we talk about it. It’s not just about this year, either, but the program as a whole, to take a step forward,” Heard said. “The experience that we have on this team is on our mind. They have to come out and enjoy the process.”

Omaha Softball Roster Movement

Impact Losses

INF Maggie O’Brien
INF Sydney Thomason

Transfer Additions

INF Taylor Sedlacek (Wichita State)
INF Bailey Sample (Bradley)

Freshman Class

RHP/UTL Hailey Boltz
RHP/UTL Caitlyn Semple
C/UTL Bridget Whitney
INF Berkley Hatten
INF Ellie Novitske

2026 Pitching Preview

Last season’s addition of Maddia Groff essentially had her pick up where Kamryn Meyer left off. Groff threw 206.2 innings, ending the year with a 27-7 record, 1.59 ERA and .87 WHP. According to 64Analytics, Groff had the second-lowest FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching: A statistic that estimates a pitcher’s run prevention independent of the performance of their defense) in the nation of pitchers with more than 100 innings at 0.87.

Groff enters her second year with the program after transferring home from SIU. A year together with the staff allows them to be more comfortable in how to call games, what they want to work on and how to grow, which has been a point of emphasis.

“We sat down over the summer. My thought is that with all of the video and scouting, how in-depth it is, teams will adjust. It’s important for her to reinvent herself,” Heard said. “She knows how to win, knows how to pitch. We’ve continued to work on things. We are finding one or two small things for them to change what they look at.”

Heard said it’s a goal this year to also keep Groff fresh for the postseason because, at the end of the day, she’ll pitch the most if and when they get there. Heard made a challenge to the rest of the staff: if everyone gets 10% better than 20, 30 innings can be taken off of Groff’s plate.

Similar to Groff, Alexis Wiggins, who transferred from Creighton, sophomores Alyson Edwards and Grace Hornbuckle also enter their second year at Omaha. Wiggins threw 92.1 innings behind Groff, the second-most on the team. She ended the year with a 4.40 ERA.

Edwards and Hornbuckle each finished the year with 29 and 30 innings, respectively. Edwards, who also hits, did really well in her outings, holding her own at a 2.90 ERA. To be fair, she did it against weaker teams, but if she’s able to eat those innings, that’s a positive.

Hornbuckle, the other lefty of the staff, had a 4.67 ERA but a .193 batting average against. The free passes hurt her, but she has good swing-and-miss stuff. According to Synergy Softball, she had a 31% whiff rate on both her riseball and dropball. If she’s able to pound the zone more than positive results should follow.

Freshmen Hailey Boltz and Caitlyn Semple are both two-way players. Boltz is a great athlete. Semple is coming off an ACL injury, but should be full go come season. She can absorb innings this season.

2026 Offensive Outlook

The focus for the Maverick hitters leading into 2026 has been better plate discipline to boost both on-base percentage and home run totals while cutting down the strikeouts. The now-graduated Sydney Thomason was the lone Omaha hitter with double-digit home runs last season, but Heard has seen others with the potential to reach that number if they can swing at the right pitch in the zone more often. A certain transfer portal addition with also help the power numbers.

Omaha made another splash this offseason as Taylor Sedlacek returns home to Nebraska after three seasons at Wichita State. Sedlacek hit 24 doubles and 29 home runs over the past two seasons with the Shockers and can fill the Mavericks’ shortstop vacancy.

“We were excited when we saw her in the portal,” Heard said. “I’ve followed her as a local kid. She wanted to play in front of mom and dad. She’ll step in at shortstop for us. She brings an elite bat, which was a big thing going into the offseason for us.”

Heard was pleased with what fellow transfer Bailey Sample did this fall. Sample is another senior with a powerful swing. She missed most of last season, but hit .281 with 11 doubles and five home runs back in 2024. She has shown more at Omaha than the staff originally expected when they recruited her from Bradley. Sample projects to be in the top half of the lineup, playing either third or first base.

Junior Rylee White could also see playing time on the left side of the infield. Heard she has improved each season, noting she’s probably the best defender on the team. If she’s able to produce at the plate with her initial opportunities, we’ll likely see even more of her.

While she only hit one home run, Rylinn Groff led the team with a .349 batting average. That was a massive improvement from her freshman year at SIU, where she hit for a .173 average.

The right side of the infield will also play a major part in the power production. Katherine Johnson, who transferred from SIU with the Groff sisters, had the highest slugging percentage (.521) of any of the returners. Johnson hit 14 doubles and seven home runs, clearly having the potential for double-digit blasts.

Haley Wilwerding did well in her first season as a full-time starter. She added seven doubles and eight home runs.

Omaha returns its entire starting outfield of Marra Cramer, Ava Rongisch, and Sammy Schmidt. That trio is the group Heard believes can push those home run numbers up. Cramer, who was best known for her outstanding defensive play, finished second on the team with nine home runs last season. She also hit 10 doubles and three triples. Rongisch and Schmidt combined for 11 home runs and 49 RBIs.

Boltz will have the opportunity to push for an outfield spot. She is much-needed depth because Rongisch and Schmidt have injury histories, allowing Heard to use Boltz if either needs to rest from time to time.

Edwards had her growing pains as a starter, but one of her two home runs came against Boston University’s Kasey Ricard in the NCAA Tournament. She certainly could see a sophomore jump.

Freshman Ellie Novitske has all the traits to be the starting shortstop of the future. This season, she’ll likely be more of a depth piece, being able to play at second or third as well.

Projected Lineup

C Rylinn Groff
1B Haley Wilwerding/Bailey Sample
2B Katherine Johnson
SS Taylor Sedlacek/Rylee White
3B Bailey Sample/Rylee White
LF Ava Rongisch
CF Marra Cramer
RF Sammy Schmidt
DP Haley Wilwerding/Alyson Edwards

Editor’s Note: These projections are predictions based on previous positions and conversations with coaches. This is a gentle reminder that a lot can change between now and February

Again, the outfield is pretty set; if it’s not the regular starters from last season, Boltz or senior Emma Durr, who has started 80-plus games, will be the first one off the bench. The infield will certainly have different formations. When and if they insert White at third base for games, Sample can slide over to first and Wilwerding can be the designated player. It wouldn’t be shocking if they make that change late in games as well.

2026 Softball America Preview Central

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