LINCOLN ‹ Nebraska coach Rhonda Revelle says patience won't just be a virtue it will be critical as she prepares to field her youngest team in 15 seasons with the Cornhuskers.
Nebraska enters Friday's season-opening Kajikawa Classic at Tempe, Ariz., with no seniors and eight newcomers from last year's team, which finished 37-20. With that in mind, Revelle said it will be important for her and her assistant coaches to remain positive with their young team.
"We're going to make some mistakes and we're going to make some young mistakes," Revelle said. "We just know from the outset that we're going to make some mistakes, but that we're going to try to learn and grow and not keep making the same mistakes. I'm really looking forward to the challenge as a coach."
While Nebraska's lineup is sure to feature many new faces, Revelle said she's been impressed with the work ethic she's seen so far.
"I think the thing about this team that I've really appreciated is I really feel like they've utilized every practice day and a lot of time on their own to go in and do extra work," Revelle said. "They're really a hard-working group.
"We have some experience at positions, but I really feel like that if we think about this thing for the long haul, we're going to keep getting better every day."
Especially early on, Revelle said the Huskers will lean on the experience of veteran players like junior first baseman Crystal Carwile.
"Crystal is really solidifying the infield," Revelle said. "When she can see heads start to spin, she's calming them down and calling out the defenses."
Carwile, a two-time All-Big 12 Conference selection, said she's well aware of her role this season.
"Really just being a leader on the field a big voice in the infield," Carwile said. "We have a younger team, but as I see it in the infield, I'm just ready to step up.
"I really want the younger girls to step up and be louder and outdo me."
Like Revelle, Carwile said she's optimistic about what she's seen from the crop of newcomers.
"Day by day, we're getting more comfortable with each other," Carwile said. "It just takes time."
Among Nebraska's every-day starters, only Carwile (.289 batting average, 3 home runs, 27 RBIs in 57 starts last season), center fielder Meghan Mullin (.318 with 10 RBIs in 57 starts), Haley Long (.272 with 13 RBIs in 49 starts) and designated player Brittany Pascale (.223 with one homer and 11 RBIs in 54 starts) return with significant starting experience.
The start of the season will be extra tough for Nebraska. Besides having to face No. 3-ranked Arizona State and No. 7 Northwestern this weekend, Huskers' starting pitcher Molly Hill (17-9 with a 1.05 ERA last season) is expected to miss the first 2-3 weeks of the season after having arthroscopic knee surgery.
Five players, including Grand Island freshman shortstop Heidi Foland, are scheduled to start in their first games as Huskers.
"It's refreshing," Revelle said. "It has really been energizing for me as a coach, taking note and learning lessons along the way because maybe it's the way to go because a lot of times, maybe we get too far out ahead of ourselves.
"They goal for this year is "win this pitch" and "one at a time."
2008 Nebraska Schedule
Feb. 15-17, Kajikawa Classic at Tempe, Ariz. (15, California, 11:30 a.m.; 15, Idaho State, 4 p.m.; 16, vs. Arizona State, 6:30 p.m.; 16, vs. Memphis, 8:30 p.m.; 17, vs. Northwestern, 10 a.m.); 22-24 Cardinal Classic at Louisville, Ky. (22, vs. Mississippi, 11 a.m.; 22, vs. Louisivlle, 3 p.m.; 23, vs. Northern Illinois, 2 p.m.; 24, TBA); 29, NFCA Leadoff Classic at Columbus, Ga. (vs. Tennessee Tech, 12:30 p.m.; vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, 5:30 p.m.).
March 1-2, NFCA Leadoff Classic at Columbua Ga. (1, vs. North Carolina, 12:30 p.m.; 1, vs. Syracuse, 5:30 p.m.; 2, vs. Tennessee, 9 a.m.). 8, Northern Colorado (DH), 1 p.m.; 9, Northern Colorado (DH), noon; 14-17, Rebel Round Robin at Las Vegas (14, vs. BYU, 7 p.m.; 15, vs. BYU, 1 p.m.; 15, vs. Utah Valley State, 3 p.m.; 16, vs. UNLV (DH), 3 p.m.; 17, vs. Southern Utah (DH), 5 p.m.; 21, at Texas 6:30 p.m.; 22, at Texas, noon; 26, at Creighton, 6 p.m.; 29, Oklahoma, 2 p.m.; 30, Oklahoma, noon.
April 2, South Dakota State (DH), 4 p.m.; 5, at Texas Tech, 2 p.m.; 6, at Texas Tech, noon; 9, Creighton, 6 p.m.; 12, Baylor, 2 p.m.; 13, Baylor, noon; 15, at Iowa State; 17, Iowa State, 5 p.m.; 19, at Oklahoma State, 2 p.m.; 20, at Oklahoma State, 1 p.m.; 23, North Dakota State (DH), 2 p.m.; 26, Texas A&M, 2 p.m.; 27, Texas A&M, noon; 30, Kansas (DH), 3 p.m.
May 3, Missouri, 1 p.m.; 4, Missouri, noon.; 9-11, Big 12 Championship; 16-18, NCAA Regional; 23-25, NCAA Super Regional; 29, Women's College World Series.
June 1-4, Women's College World Series.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]