The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/641955
OLYMPIC SPORTS UPDATE changes," said head coach Carol Hutchins, who is in her 32nd year at the helm of the Michigan program. "We need to expect it's going to be very difficult and we're going to have to work really hard. "This team has that burden of ex‑ pectation that I frankly don't have, and we don't spend one minute on it." "I don't see [the expectations] as a burden at all," added senior infielder Sierra Romero, who was named the ESPNW National Softball Player of the Year in 2015 after batting .449 with 22 home runs and 83 RBI. "Michigan softball has a target on its back, and that's the way we look at it. Each game, everyone is in our way." That doesn't mean the Wolverines will be focusing on last season's suc‑ cess, however. They know that pre‑ season rankings are all but a hollow projection of past accomplishments. "No one knows who was ranked second last year in the preseason, but clearly they were wrong," Hutchins noted. Nonetheless, it is not easy to forget coming so close to a national title, and that is a distinct positive for the Wolverines. "I think [in 2014] and [2015], we knew we were good enough to be there," junior outfielder Kelly Christ‑ ner said. "I think the fact that we ac‑ tually made it to the World Series and almost won a national championship — it really hit us that we are good enough. … We have enough skill and talent throughout the lineup." Heading into the 2016 season, a position of focus for Michigan will be catcher, where the team must make up for the departure of four‑year starter Lauren Sweet. The head coach notes that, while Sweet is certainly not an easy player to replace, there are multiple can‑ didates who could assume the role. The team will be looking mainly to freshmen Alex Sobczak and Katie Al‑ exander to do so. "It's a big hole to fill," Hutchins said. "There's a lot to be said for be‑ ing a freshman and being a catcher — it's one of the toughest learning curves there is. [Sobczak] really is ahead of where Sweet was at this time [in her career], but she's now going to need the game experience to get better. "And a really pleasant surprise has been Katie Alexander, who I originally recruited to be a bullpen catcher. But she's much better than a bullpen catcher, and she's going to have some time for us and give us some depth there." Another important position for Michigan, as always, will be the pitching staff. Luckily for the Maize and Blue, they return junior ace Me‑ gan Betsa, who posted a 31‑5 record and a 1.72 ERA in 2015 while holding batters to a .168 batting average. Voted the 2015 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, Betsa will lead the way, though she won't be the only pitcher in the dugout. Despite having to re‑ place Haylie Wager, who pitched her way to a 25‑3 record, from last year's team, U‑M will return fifth‑year se‑