2023 Marshall Thundering Herd softball team


The 2023 Marshall Thundering Herd softball team represented Marshall University during the 2023 NCAA Division I softball season. The Thundering Herd played their home games at Dot Hicks Field and were led by fifth-year head coach Megan Smith Lyon. They were members of the Sun Belt Conference.

2023 Marshall Thundering Herd softball
ConferenceSun Belt Conference
Record45–10 (17–5 SBC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Corey Lyon
  • Maddie Holub
Home stadiumDot Hicks Field
Seasons
← 2022
2024 →
2023 Sun Belt Conference softball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T   PCT W   L   T   PCT
Louisiana  ‍y 22 2 0   .917 47 14 0   .770
South Alabama  ‍‍‍ 20 4 0   .833 39 14 0   .736
Marshall  ‍‍‍ 17 5 0   .773 45 9 0   .833
Troy  ‍‍‍ 14 9 1   .604 33 19 1   .632
Texas State  ‍‍‍y 13 9 1   .587 34 23 1   .595
James Madison  ‍‍‍ 13 11 0   .542 28 19 0   .596
Coastal Carolina  ‍‍‍ 11 13 0   .458 36 20 0   .643
Louisiana-Monroe  ‍‍‍ 7 17 0   .292 25 32 0   .439
Georgia State  ‍‍‍ 7 17 0   .292 18 36 0   .333
Southern Miss  ‍‍‍ 6 17 0   .261 22 24 0   .478
Georgia Southern  ‍‍‍ 6 18 0   .250 17 34 0   .333
Appalachian State  ‍‍‍ 4 18 0   .182 23 28 0   .451
† – Conference champion
‡ – Tournament champion
y – Invited to the NCAA tournament
As of May 28, 2023[1]
Rankings from NFCA/USA Today

Preseason

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Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll

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The Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 2, 2023. Marshall was picked to finish sixth in the conference with 80 votes.[2]

Coaches poll
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Louisiana 144 (12)
2 Texas State 130
3 South Alabama 118
4 Troy 99
5 James Madison 93
6 Marshall 80
7 Southern Miss 68
8 Appalachian State 63
9 Louisiana–Monroe 44
10 Coastal Carolina 43
11 Georgia State
Georgia Southern
27

Personnel

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2023 Marshall Thundering Herd softball team
Players Coaches
# Pos. Name Bats/throws Height Year Home town
00 C Autumn Owen /
Jr Mill Spring, North Carolina
1 OF Grace Chelemen / 5 ft 3 in (1.6 m) Sr Woodhaven, Michigan
2 OF Kasey Wilhoit   /
Jr Trafalgar, Indiana
3 OF Erica Holt /
Jr Newport Beach, California
4 OF Alex Coleman /
So Asheboro, North Carolina
5 P Savannah Rice /
Jr Marshall, North Carolina
6 OF Aaliyah Crews /
Fr Loxahatchee, Florida
8 C Abby Darnley /
Fr Eleanor, West Virginia
9 INF Lauren Love /
So Matthews, North Carolina
11 INF Sydney Bickel /
Jr Peoria, Arizona
13 INF Rielly Lucas /
So Huntington, West Virginia
14 P Cailey Joyce   /
Sr Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
17 C Emily Allen /
So Parkersburg, West Virginia
20 INF Camryn Michallas   /
Jr Huntington, West Virginia
21 P Sydney Nester   /
Sr Hillsville, Virginia
24 P Bri Godfrey /
Fr Deerfield Beach, Florida
48 P Bub Feringa /
So Glendale, Arizona
49 INF Brooklyn Ulrich   /
Fr Mesa, Arizona
Head coach

Megan Smith Lyon (North Carolina)

Assistant coach(es)

Corey Lyon (Baker)
Maddie Holub (Fort Hays State)


Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  •   Injured
  •   Current redshirt

Roster
Last update: 9 April 2023

Schedule and results

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Legend
  Marshall win
  Marshall loss
  Postponement/Cancellation
Bold Marshall team member
2023 Marshall Thundering Herd softball game log
Regular season (43–9)
February (11–3)
Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record
Florida Spring Games
Feb. 10 vs. Portland State Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex • Leesburg, FL W
8–1
Nester
(1-0)
Nakoa-Chu
(0-1)
None 205 1–0
Feb. 11 vs. Butler Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex • Leesburg, FL L
6–7
Dyer
(1-0)
Joyce
(0-1)
None 128 1–1
Feb. 11 vs. Colgate Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex • Leesburg, FL W
5–4
Nester
(2-0)
Acker
(0-1)
None 133 2–1
Feb. 12 vs. Butler Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex • Leesburg, FL W
7–3
Nester
(3-0)
Dyer
(1-2)
None 304 3–1
Chattanooga Challenge
Feb. 17 vs. Maine Frost Stadium • Chattanooga, TN W
16–05
Nester
(4-0)
Rieth
(0-1)
None 107 4—1
Feb. 18 vs. Indiana State Frost Stadium • Chattanooga, TN W
3–2
Rice
(1-0)
Newbanks
(0-1)
None 189 5–1
Feb. 18 at Chattanooga Frost Stadium • Chattanooga, TN L
4–7
Long
(1-0)
Nester
(4-1)
None 5–2
Feb. 19 vs. Western Illinois Frost Stadium • Chattanooga, TN W
14–15
Godfrey
(1-0)
Rodriguez
(0-1)
None 103 6–2
Feb. 19 vs. Indiana State Frost Stadium • Chattanooga, TN W
1–0
Nester
(5-1)
Newbanks
(0-2)
None 215 7–2
Liberty Classic
Feb. 24 vs. Northern Illinois Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball StadiumLynchburg, VA W
5–0
Nester
(6-1)
Cassell
(0-1)
None 117 8–2
Feb. 24 vs. Morgan State Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium • Lynchburg, VA W
11–05
Rice
(2-0)
Raubuch
(1-3)
None 117 9–2
Feb. 25 vs. Princeton Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium • Lynchburg, VA W
10–26
Nester
(7-1)
Chambers
(1-1)
None 117 10–2
Feb. 26 at Liberty Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium • Lynchburg, VA L
4–58
Keeney
(3-5)
Nester
(7-2)
None 409 10–3
Feb. 26 vs. Elon Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium • Lynchburg, VA W
7–3
Rice
(3-0)
McCard
(1-2)
Godfrey
(1)
217 11–3
March (17–0)
Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record
Thundering Herd Round Robin
Mar. 2 Morehead State Dot Hicks FieldHuntington, WV W
9–16
Nester
(8-2)
Ogden
(1-3)
None ESPN+ 234 12–3
Mar. 2 Morehead State Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
9–15
Rice
(4-0)
Spicer
(1-2)
None 234 13–3
Mar. 4 Kent State Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
8–1
Nester
(9-2)
Bowers
(1-4)
None ESPN+ 670 14–3
Mar. 5 Kent State Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
10–25
Feringa
(1-0)
Irelan
(2-6)
None ESPN+ 545 15–3
Mar. 5 Pittsburgh Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
4–3
Nester
(10-2)
Drogemuller
(4-3)
None ESPN+ 545 16–3
Mar. 8 Ohio Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
6–4
Nester
(11-2)
Miller
(3-5)
None ESPN+ 396 17–3
Thundering Herd March Madness
Mar. 9 Cleveland State Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
9–16
Godfrey
(2-0)
Jenkins
(0-4)
Rice
(1)
243 18–3
Mar. 10 Winthrop Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
8–1
Nester
(12-2)
Boulware
(5-2)
None ESPN+ 139 19–3
Mar. 11 Cleveland State Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
9–15
Rice
(5-0)
Watts
(1-1)
None ESPN+ 243 20–3
Mar. 1 Rider Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
7–0
Nester
(13-2)
Schmierer
(1-3)
None ESPN+ 293 21–3
Mar. 18 at Appalachian State Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium • Boone, NC W
8–06
Nester
(14-2)
Northrop
(6-2)
None ESPN+ 241 22–3 1–0
Mar. 18 at Appalachian State Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium • Boone, NC Game cancelled
Mar. 19 at Appalachian State Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium • Boone, NC Game cancelled
Mar. 22 vs. UT Martin Knights Field • Louisville, KY W
4–1
Rice
(6-0)
Linneman
(4-4)
None 50 23–3
Mar. 22 Bellarmine Knights Field • Louisville, KY W
17–26
Godfrey
(3-0)
Jensen
(1-4)
None 80 24–3
Mar. 25 Southern Miss Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
4–0
Nester
(15-2)
Leinstock
(8-8)
None ESPN+ 671 25–3 2–0
Mar. 25 Southern Miss Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
17–96
Godfrey
(4-0)
Lee
(3-3)
None ESPN+ 641 26–3 3–0
Mar. 26 Southern Miss Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
4–0
Nester
(16-2)
Leinstock
(8-9)
None ESPN+ 683 27–3 4–0
Mar. 28 Northern Kentucky Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
13–15
Rice
(7-0)
Flores
(4-10)
None ESPN+ 567 28–3
April (12–6)
Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record
Apr. 1 Georgia State Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
6–1
Nester
(17-2)
Doolittle
(6-5)
None ESPN+ 495 29–3 5–0
Apr. 2 Georgia State Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
5–1
Rice
(8-0)
Adams
(3-8)
Godfrey
(2)
ESPN+ 393 30–3 6–0
Apr. 2 Georgia State Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
6–0
Nester
(18-2)
Hodnett
(4-8)
None ESPN+ 618 31–3 7–0
Apr. 7 at Louisiana–Monroe Warhawk FieldMonroe, LA W
13–26
Nester
(19-2)
Abrams
(4-8)
None ESPN+ 364 32–3 8–0
Apr. 8 at Louisiana–Monroe Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA W
4–3
Rice
(9-0)
Chavarria
(5-4)
Nester
(1)
ESPN+ 402 33–3 9–0
Apr. 8 at Louisiana–Monroe Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA L
3–5
Chavarria
(6-4)
Nester
(19-3)
None ESPN+ 402 33–4 9–1
Apr. 12 at Morehead State University Field • Morehead, KY W
4–2
Rice
(10-0)
Begley
(4-5)
None ESPN+ 72 34–4
Apr. 14 at Coastal Carolina St. John Stadium – Charles Wade-John Lott Field • Conway, SC L
3–4
Picone
(8-2)
Nester
(19-4)
None ESPN+ 315 34–5 9–2
Apr. 15 at Coastal Carolina St. John Stadium – Charles Wade-John Lott Field • Conway, SC W
5–3
Godfrey
(5-0)
Picone
(8-3)
Nester
(2)
ESPN+ 312 35–5 10–2
Apr. 16 at Coastal Carolina St. John Stadium – Charles Wade-John Lott Field • Conway, SC W
3–2
Nester
(20-4)
Brabham
(10-7)
None ESPN+ 298 36–5 11–2
Apr. 18 No. 18 Alabama Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV L
1–3
Esman
(4-2)
Nester
(20-5)
Fouts
(4)
ESPN+ 2,768 36–6
Apr. 21 James Madison Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
10–26
Nester
(21-5)
Muh
(4-2)
None ESPN+ 457 37–6 12–2
Apr. 22 James Madison Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV L
6–7
Muh
(5-2)
Godfrey
(5-1)
None ESPN+ 650 37–7 12–3
Apr. 23 James Madison Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
8–4
Nester
(22-5)
Berry
(9-3)
None ESPN+ 626 38–7 13–3
Apr. 25 No. 21 Virginia Tech Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
2–1
Nester
(23-5)
Lemley
(19-10)
None ESPN+ 1,064 39–7
Apr. 28 Texas State Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV L
0–3
Mullins
(17-9)
Nester
(23-6)
None ESPN+ 293 39–8 13–4
Apr. 29 Texas State Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV W
2–1
Rice
(11-0)
Glende
(1-1)
Nester
(3)
ESPN+ 479 40–8 14–4
Apr. 30 Texas State Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV L
1–96
Mullins
(19-9)
Nester
(23-8)
None ESPN+ 393 40–9 14–5
May (3–0)
Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record
May 4 at Georgia Southern Eagle Field at GS Softball Complex • Statesboro, GA W
4–0
Nester
(24-7)
Barnard
(1-10)
None ESPN+ 238 41–9 15–5
May 5 at Georgia Southern Eagle Field at GS Softball Complex • Statesboro, GA W
7–2
Rice
(12-0)
Belogorska
(1-3)
Feringa
(1)
ESPN+ 249 42–9 16–5
May 6 at Georgia Southern Eagle Field at GS Softball Complex • Statesboro, GA W
8–1
Nester
(25-7)
Belogorska
(1-4)
None ESPN+ 254 43–9 17–5
Post-season (2–1)
SBC Tournament (2–1)
Date Opponent (Seed)/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record Tournament record
May 11 vs. (7) Coastal Carolina (2) Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson ParkLafayette, LA W
2–1
Nester
(26-7)
Brabham
(12-12)
None ESPN+ 44–9 1–0
May 12 vs. (3) South Alabama (2) Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W
3–2
Nester
(27-7)
Hardy
(17-8)
None ESPN+ 918 45–9 2–0
May 13 vs. (1) Louisiana (2) Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA L
0–1
Landry
(17-4)
Nester
(27-8)
None ESPN+ 1,574 45–10 2–1
Schedule Source:[3]

*Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.

References

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  1. ^ "2023 Softball Standings". SunBeltSports.org. Sun Belt Conference. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  2. ^ "Louisiana Tops Sun Belt Softball Preseason Coaches Poll". sunbeltsports.org. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  3. ^ "Marshall Softball Releases 2023 Schedule". Marshall University Athletics. Retrieved April 10, 2023.