(Minneapolis, MN) — The Golden Gopher softball season will get underway late next week with games in Florida. The team has been practicing indoors this winter in preparation for the upcoming season. The Gophers return four “super” seniors, meaning they were seniors last year, but will take advantage of an additional year of eligibility granted to all spring sport athletes last season because of the season being cut short by the pandemic. Pitcher Amber Fiser, outfielder Carly Brandt of Mankato, second baseman MaKenna Partain, and third baseman Katie Kemmetmueller of Rogers are the four “super seniors” returning. The Gophers will play an entire schedule made up of Big Ten games, including the first 12 games, which will be played over two separate trips to Florida. The first series of the season begins a week from Friday in Leesburg, Florida. Those 12 games will be followed by four-game series slated each weekend on individual Big Ten campuses. The Gophers open that portion of the schedule with a four-game set at Illinois starting on March 26th. The Minnesota home-opening series starts on April 2nd against Purdue. The regular season is scheduled to run through May 16th. Minnesota advanced the College Softball World Series for the first time ever in 2019.
Gopher third baseman Katie Kemmetmueller talked with MNN sports director Mike Grimm.
(photos courtesy of Gopher Sports)