Campbell previews 2025 YSU softball campaign
BEAVER TOWNSHIP — The Youngstown State softball team won the Horizon League regular season championship last season, the second time in four years that they accomplished that feat.
Over the past nine seasons, they have never finished below fourth in the nine-team league — with a runner-up, four third-place and a fourth-place finish also to their credit.
Head coach Brian Campbell, last year’s conference Coach of the Year, heads into his 17th season at the helm cautiously optimistic about the upcoming campaign, despite losing what he calls a core of players who contributed to their success the last few seasons.
“Last season was just a special year,” Campbell told the Curbstone Coaches during Monday’s meeting at Avion Banquet Center. “We had multiple upperclassmen, four- and five-year starters, players with experience who were able to play as a team, and that was big. They stuck together and were highly competitive. Pitcher Sophie Howell was a first-team selection, Conchetta Rinaldi a second-team pick and Co-Defensive Player of the Year, and we were able to add Sara Fessler, a transfer, so there was just a mix of players that really helped last season.
“We pretty much lost the right side of our team and up the middle with our catcher, first baseman, second baseman, Sophie [Howell] on the mound and also Devin Ryan, another pitcher who did a nice job for us needing to be replaced.”
The cupboard is anything but bare for Campbell, whose team opens up with the University of Dayton on Feb. 7 in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Dotting his 21-player roster this season is a graduate player, fifth-year player, one senior, five juniors, seven sophomores and six freshmen.
“We are definitely turning over our roster, and with multiple starters having graduated, we will be a much younger team,” said Cambell, who is 10 wins shy of No. 400 as the Penguins’ head coach. “As far as our senior, fifth-year and graduate players, we have three excellent leaders. Elyssa Imler was the Horizon League Player of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection last year. She’s a fifth-year player along with Cassandra Carlson, a graduate student as well as Taylor Truran, a senior who has helped us throughout her career as a first baseman-designated hitter.
“The one thing I am looking for from our juniors and seniors is teaching the majority of our roster, the sophomores and freshmen, as they go through the process. It’s what we do and how we do it because the game changes at this level. It is a lot faster but it’s those little things, because there are a lot of adjustments that players have to make and our upperclassmen have done a good job of that.”
Four local players are set with Imler hailing from Minerva, Bree Kohler of South Range, Austintown Fitch’s Ayla Ray and Champion’s Bella Meyer also vying for playing time.
“Elyssa has worked very hard through her years here,” Campbell said. “When it was announced that she was the league’s player of the year, it was awesome to see her face with the camera on her, a shock but a well-deserved honor. Bree is a great young lady who is very versatile. She is playing the outfield this year but helping out with pitching as well. Bella and Ayla are two incoming freshmen who have helped us through the fall. Both had an excellent fall season, so it is nice to see them start that adjustment. They come from excellent programs and have experience, so they bring that level of knowing how to compete.”
In addition to Kohler on the hill, Campbell will count on Kelsey Ogan, Autumn Boyd, Autumn Behlke and Maci Boggess, with Alivia Boothe, Reese Campbell-Schaller and Cassandra Carlson set behind the dish.
Kennedy Dean and Truran are first base hopefuls while Ray, Ellie Hardman and Kami Diaz are battling at second base.
Imler and Meyer are the shortstops with Lydia Wilkerson, a second-team league selection and all-Freshman team honoree last season, and Grace Pilaczynski set for duty at the hot corner.
Kohler, Ashlyn Bishop, Lauryn Swanson, Macy Littler and Audrey Thomas comprise the outfield contingent.
“We have a lot of interchangeable parts,” Campbell said. “We will rotate players in the outfield, and with so many lefties and righties on the team, it also gives us the opportunity for different individuals to serve as designated hitter.”
The conference once again poses a challenge as all teams look to advance to post-season play.
“The Horizon League is always competitive, it’s a league in which any team can light it up and beat one another,” Campbell said. “In any given week, different teams are coming out and either winning or splitting a series. I have always enjoyed the Horizon League since coming to YSU. It gives us a chance to compete against some excellent teams when we get into league play.”
YSU will play 22 games in Spartanburg, Rock Hill and Greenville, South Carolina before their home opener against conference foe Cleveland State on March 14.
“I love the South Carolina-North Carolina-Virginia trips we have taken,” Campbell said. “We look at it as giving us an opportunity to head South, but understand we don’t want to go to the 80 or 90 degree weather, because when we come back, that’s not what we are going have.
“This will be our first time on dirt so there will be a few hiccups, but the competition that we play is exceptionally good. There are teams that have gone to regionals, while others have either won their conference or been regular season champions, so we will play quality games. It’s a learning process and being a younger team with several positions turned over, it will give us a chance to see what we have, use different rotations and just go out and compete.”
Next Monday, Trevor Charpie, YSU first-yar head baseball coach, will serve as guest speaker.