Notes: FIU Panther Invitational

LAST TIME OUT

The Hawkeyes continued the 2025 preseason at the Lion Invitational hosted by East Texas A&M in Commerce, Texas. Iowa played Abilene Christian and East Texas A&M twice a piece on Friday and Saturday. Iowa’s final game against SIUE was canceled due to weather.

Iowa dominated the competition, walking away from the weekend 4-0, including three run-rule victories.

Six Hawkeyes hit over .400 in the four games with nine different players recording an RBI. Iowa outsocred their opponents 43-7 on the weekend. As a team, Iowa hit .404 on the weekened with a .712 slugging percentage. The Hawkeyes hit eight home runs on the weekend, matching the teams 2024 season totla from 2024.

Junior Jalen Adams and freshman Talia Tretton each picked up two wins in the circle. Iowa pitchers held hittes to a .238 batting average against.

ROSTER BREAKDOWN

Eight Hawkeyes hail from Iowa and California, three from Arizona and one each from Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada and Wisconsin. Iowa has one international athlete from Australia. The roster was comprised of eight freshmen, six sophomores, seven juniors, and five seniors. There are 18 returning letterwinners and eight newcomers.

INTERIM HEAD HONCHOS 

All three schools participating in the FIU Panther Invitational have interim head coaches for the 2025 season.

SCOUTING LAFAYETTE

Kelliner Croushore is in her first season as the interim head coach of Lafayette softball. The 2025 Leopards return 11 members of last years’ squad, including senior Mary Grace O’Neill, junior Olivia Catalina and sophomore Regan Dillon, three of the top five batting average leaders from last season. Lafayette’s 0-3 record includes two shutout losses against Bryant (7-0, 3-0), and a loss at Campbell (9-5).

SCOUTING FIU

Mike Meyers is entering his fourth season on the FIU softball coaching staff and will serve as the acting head coach in 2025. Sophomore outfielder Kally Meredith has been named to the 2025 Preseason All-Conference USA Team after a .383 batting average during her feshman season. The Panthers return a total of 11 position players from last season. Of the Panthers games so far, three have been against teams Iowa will take on this season. FIU defeated Indiana 4-3, and split with in state rival Iowa State.

HOME RUN HANNAH

After posting 16 RBIs and three home runs across four games at the Lion Invitational, senior catcher Hannah Lindsay was named Big Ten Co-Player of the week on February 17.

The Surprise, Arizona, native hit .667 in four-games at the Lion Invitational at East Texas A&M.

Lindsay currently ranks third in the conference in RBIs (16) and 14th nationally.

PLAYING THE BEST

The Hawkeyes are set to face eight different teams that made the 2024 NCAA Tournament: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana Lafayette, Missouri, Penn State, Tennessee and UCLA.

RETURNING CORE

The Hawkeyes return a strong core to the roster who accounted for 66% of the team’s RBIs last season.

Amongst returners is first-team all Big Ten and all-freshman honoree, Jena Young. She finished second on the team with a .373 BA. in her freshman campaign and recorded a hit in all but 10 games. Young led all freshman in the Big Ten in batting average. She is the toughest batter to strikeout, statistically in the, Big Ten, and struck out the least (5) number of times amongst starters in the conference. Young led the Hawkeyes with four home runs and 15 multi-hit games including a career-high 4-for-4 against Minnesota.

2024 NFCA Midwest all-Region honoree, Rylie Moss returns for her final season in the black and gold. Moss led the team with .390 batting average and started 39 games before a season-ending injury.

Jalen Adams threw 51% of innings last season for Iowa. She finished sixth in the conference with a 2.59 ERA. She was Iowa’s go-to arm in the circle throwing 159 2/3 innings this season; ninth in the Big Ten. In conference play she is ranked fourth with a 2.64 ERA.

Soo-Jin Berry appeared in 36 games in 2024 and finished third on the team hitting .322. She led the team with 26 RBIs.

Adams, Berry and Young were named Big Ten Players to Watch for 2025.

STRONG IN THE CIRCLE

In 2024, Iowa pitchers had a staff ERA of 3.30, fifth in the Big Ten, and held hitters to a .266 BA against. 

Jalen Adams threw 17 complete games on the season, tied for third most in the conference, including a no-hitter against Michigan State on March 29. Jaylee Ojo finished second in the Big Ten for K/7 with 8.6. and sixth for BA against holding hitters to a .223 BA. 

NEW ERA OF THE B1G

The Big Ten welcomed four new schools to the conference, three of which will compete in softball for the 2025 season. Big Ten  softball added NCAA tournament qualifiers Oregon, UCLA and Washington for softball. The Hawkeyes are set to host UCLA in their Big Ten home opener on March 22 in Iowa City.

UP NEXT

Iowa heads to Fayetteville, Arkansas for the Wooo Pig Classic Feburary 28-March 2. Iowa will face Missouri State and Arkansas twice each, and Illinois once.