Friday, February 10
College Station, Texas
9:00 am CT
Michigan State University
vs
Texas A&M - Commerce
Softball Opens 2023 Season in Lone Star State
2/8/2023 1:33:00 PM | Softball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State softball is set to open the 2023 season at the Texas A&M Invitational this weekend where they will meet Texas A&M University-Commerce, Tarleton, Northern Kentucky and host school Texas A&M.
This marks MSU's first trip to Texas since the 2018 season when the Spartans played three games at the Reveille Classic, also hosted by Texas A&M. The Spartans went 1-2 that weekend with a win over Marist and a pair of losses to the Aggies. Michigan State is 33-18 (.647) in season openers in program history and have gone 5-5 over the last 10 seasons.
Last season Michigan State opened the year in Leesburg, Florida facing Pittsburgh, #19 Kentucky, UConn, #13 Virginia Tech and Akron. The Spartans finished that weekend 3-2 with wins over three unranked opponents.
Michigan State enters 2023 with a new head coach for the first time since 1994 after the retirement of long-time head coach Jacquie Joseph. The Spartans worked quickly to bring in Sharonda McDonald-Kelley to enter a new era. McDonald-Kelley is a Texas A&M graduate and spent the last four seasons at Campbell where she led the Camels to consecutive NCAA Regionals in 2021 and 2022.
Texas A&M Invitational Schedule
Links to live stats and streaming available here
Friday, February 10
9:00 a.m. CST vs. Texas A&M-Commerce
2:00 p.m. CST vs. Tarleton
Saturday, February 11
10:00 a.m. CST vs. Northern Kentucky
3:30 p.m. CST at Texas A&M
Sunday, February 12
9:00 a.m. CST vs. Northern Kentucky
FIRST TIMERS
Opening weekend marks the first time Michigan State will face Texas A&M-Commerce, Tarleton and Northern Kentucky in program history.
2023 is the first season of NCAA DI competition for Texas A&M-Commerce after previously competing at the NCAA DII level. The Lions were an NCAA Regional competitor at the DII level in 2022. A&M-Commerce returns just four players from last season's roster. None of the four met minimum statistical requirements. TAMUC head coach Brittany Miller is no stranger to B1G competition, having pitched at Iowa from 2006-09. Miller (neé Weil) was a four-time All-B1G selection, earning B1G Pitcher of the Year twice, setting the Hawkeye career record for strikeouts, complete games, innings pitched and games pitched.
Tarleton made the jump to NCAA DI in 2021 and have gone 47-61 prior to this weekend since that move.
Northern Kentucky is 0-4 against the B1G all-time, losing all four meetings during the 2022 season. The Norse went 0-2 against Michigan and Northwestern. NKU head coach Kathryn Gleason is a Michigan alum, playing under Michigan State alum Carol Hutchins from 1993-96. Gleason then coached at Michigan State as an assistant from 2004-09.
HOMECOMING
Michigan State head coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley is a Texas A&M alum as well as a Texas native, hailing from Houston.
Coach Sho was a four-time All-Big 12 selection as a player at Texas A&M from 2004-07. McDonald-Kelley is the Aggie career record holder with 153 stolen bases, while ranking second all-time in hits (249) and runs scored (195). Coach Sho is also the Texas A&M single season record holder for runs (60) and her 73 consecutive stolen bases during her time in College Station tied an NCAA record.
Assistant coach Nadia Taylor is a native of Humble, Texas just outside of Houston and played at the University of Texas from 2009-12. Current student-athletes with Texas ties include Camryn Wincher (Houston) and Faith Guidry (Mont Belvieu).
NEWCOMERS
The Spartans have 12 newcomers on the roster in 2023 with five transfers and seven freshmen.
Transfers include pitcher Ashlyn Roberts (New Mexico), infielder Anna Fox (Tennessee), pitcher Madison Taylor (Ball State), infielder Collette Allen (Redlands) and outfielder AJ Millitello (Utah). Allen is a mid-year transfer from NCAA DIII University of Redlands where she was an NFCA All-American.
Michigan State brought in just one transfer last season, with Jess Mabrey joining the team from University of the Pacific.
Freshmen Kayla Bane, Mandy Esman, Bibianna Rodriguez, Sydney Doloszycki, Hailey Bila and Britain Beshears were all a part of the class signed by now retired head coach Jacquie Joseph and reaffirmed their commitment to the new coaching staff. Freshman Gabbie Evans was previously committed to Campbell University prior to signing with the Spartans.
MILLER MAKING HER MARK
Junior Ashley Miller owns six of the top 16 single game strikeout performances in program history. In 2022 Miller had six games of 12 or more strikeouts, twice reaching 14. Miller's 14 strikeout performances against Elon and Akron are the most in regulation, with the only two ranked higher coming in extra innings. Miller struck out 14 against Elon in just six innings on March 4, 2022.
Entering 2023, Miller ranks eighth for career strikeouts with 343 total.
Strikeouts, Career No. Years
1. Jessica Beech 659 2001-04
2. Kristina Zalewski 643 2014-18
3. Stacey Smith 408 1994-97
4. Becky Gray 407 1999-02
5. Rachel Turney 406 2005-07
6. Bridgette Rainey 368 2015-18
7. Lauren Kramer 358 2009-11
8. Ashley Miller 343 2021-pres
LOOKING FORWARD
Michigan State returns to the Elon Phoenix Invitational next week where they will face Elon, Fordham, Saint Francis and James Madison. Last season the Spartans went 3-2 in Elon with wins over Elon, East Carolina and Detroit Mercy.
This marks MSU's first trip to Texas since the 2018 season when the Spartans played three games at the Reveille Classic, also hosted by Texas A&M. The Spartans went 1-2 that weekend with a win over Marist and a pair of losses to the Aggies. Michigan State is 33-18 (.647) in season openers in program history and have gone 5-5 over the last 10 seasons.
Last season Michigan State opened the year in Leesburg, Florida facing Pittsburgh, #19 Kentucky, UConn, #13 Virginia Tech and Akron. The Spartans finished that weekend 3-2 with wins over three unranked opponents.
Michigan State enters 2023 with a new head coach for the first time since 1994 after the retirement of long-time head coach Jacquie Joseph. The Spartans worked quickly to bring in Sharonda McDonald-Kelley to enter a new era. McDonald-Kelley is a Texas A&M graduate and spent the last four seasons at Campbell where she led the Camels to consecutive NCAA Regionals in 2021 and 2022.
Texas A&M Invitational Schedule
Links to live stats and streaming available here
Friday, February 10
9:00 a.m. CST vs. Texas A&M-Commerce
2:00 p.m. CST vs. Tarleton
Saturday, February 11
10:00 a.m. CST vs. Northern Kentucky
3:30 p.m. CST at Texas A&M
Sunday, February 12
9:00 a.m. CST vs. Northern Kentucky
FIRST TIMERS
Opening weekend marks the first time Michigan State will face Texas A&M-Commerce, Tarleton and Northern Kentucky in program history.
2023 is the first season of NCAA DI competition for Texas A&M-Commerce after previously competing at the NCAA DII level. The Lions were an NCAA Regional competitor at the DII level in 2022. A&M-Commerce returns just four players from last season's roster. None of the four met minimum statistical requirements. TAMUC head coach Brittany Miller is no stranger to B1G competition, having pitched at Iowa from 2006-09. Miller (neé Weil) was a four-time All-B1G selection, earning B1G Pitcher of the Year twice, setting the Hawkeye career record for strikeouts, complete games, innings pitched and games pitched.
Tarleton made the jump to NCAA DI in 2021 and have gone 47-61 prior to this weekend since that move.
Northern Kentucky is 0-4 against the B1G all-time, losing all four meetings during the 2022 season. The Norse went 0-2 against Michigan and Northwestern. NKU head coach Kathryn Gleason is a Michigan alum, playing under Michigan State alum Carol Hutchins from 1993-96. Gleason then coached at Michigan State as an assistant from 2004-09.
HOMECOMING
Michigan State head coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley is a Texas A&M alum as well as a Texas native, hailing from Houston.
Coach Sho was a four-time All-Big 12 selection as a player at Texas A&M from 2004-07. McDonald-Kelley is the Aggie career record holder with 153 stolen bases, while ranking second all-time in hits (249) and runs scored (195). Coach Sho is also the Texas A&M single season record holder for runs (60) and her 73 consecutive stolen bases during her time in College Station tied an NCAA record.
Assistant coach Nadia Taylor is a native of Humble, Texas just outside of Houston and played at the University of Texas from 2009-12. Current student-athletes with Texas ties include Camryn Wincher (Houston) and Faith Guidry (Mont Belvieu).
NEWCOMERS
The Spartans have 12 newcomers on the roster in 2023 with five transfers and seven freshmen.
Transfers include pitcher Ashlyn Roberts (New Mexico), infielder Anna Fox (Tennessee), pitcher Madison Taylor (Ball State), infielder Collette Allen (Redlands) and outfielder AJ Millitello (Utah). Allen is a mid-year transfer from NCAA DIII University of Redlands where she was an NFCA All-American.
Michigan State brought in just one transfer last season, with Jess Mabrey joining the team from University of the Pacific.
Freshmen Kayla Bane, Mandy Esman, Bibianna Rodriguez, Sydney Doloszycki, Hailey Bila and Britain Beshears were all a part of the class signed by now retired head coach Jacquie Joseph and reaffirmed their commitment to the new coaching staff. Freshman Gabbie Evans was previously committed to Campbell University prior to signing with the Spartans.
MILLER MAKING HER MARK
Junior Ashley Miller owns six of the top 16 single game strikeout performances in program history. In 2022 Miller had six games of 12 or more strikeouts, twice reaching 14. Miller's 14 strikeout performances against Elon and Akron are the most in regulation, with the only two ranked higher coming in extra innings. Miller struck out 14 against Elon in just six innings on March 4, 2022.
Entering 2023, Miller ranks eighth for career strikeouts with 343 total.
Strikeouts, Career No. Years
1. Jessica Beech 659 2001-04
2. Kristina Zalewski 643 2014-18
3. Stacey Smith 408 1994-97
4. Becky Gray 407 1999-02
5. Rachel Turney 406 2005-07
6. Bridgette Rainey 368 2015-18
7. Lauren Kramer 358 2009-11
8. Ashley Miller 343 2021-pres
LOOKING FORWARD
Michigan State returns to the Elon Phoenix Invitational next week where they will face Elon, Fordham, Saint Francis and James Madison. Last season the Spartans went 3-2 in Elon with wins over Elon, East Carolina and Detroit Mercy.
Players Mentioned
1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
2B
/ Softball
2B
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
3B
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
1B
/ SoftballA Road Less Traveled | Spartans All-Access
Thursday, April 17
A Higher Standard | Spartans All-Access
Tuesday, February 11
Spartans All-Access: Jenae Wash
Thursday, April 11
Spartans All-Access: Coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley
Thursday, April 20