Memorial returns entire varsity softball team from 2023

With last year’s entire varsity team intact, the Old Abes look to use that experience to their advantage on the softball field this season.

“We return our entire varsity team including our five seniors,” said Memorial head softball coach Kari Winkler, adding that “Erin Holzinger was Second Team All-Conference and Kaylee Gunderson was Honorable Mention,” last season in the Big Rivers Conference.

Winkler feels the depth of veterans on the squad will definitely be an asset and one of the strengths to this year’s incarnation of the Memorial High School softball team.

“The biggest strength is the fact that we return all our varsity team members and our younger players have a year of varsity experience under their belt. We also have several athletes who are very versatile and come to play a variety of positions,” the head coach told the Leader-Telegram.

With a Big Rivers Conference record of 2-12 last season and an overall record of 4-18, Winkler knows that certain areas of the team’s game will have to be upped this season to improve upon last year’s numbers.

“We are working on developing some additional pitchers so we have some flexibility within our lineup, and also to help keep our pitchers fresh,” Winkler, who is entering her fourth year as Memorial’s head coach, noted when asked what aspect of the team will need the most work this season.

As for what has impressed the head coach most so far during practices this season, Winkler said that “I’m excited to see the energy and enthusiasm from our athletes, as well as how much our younger players have developed. It’s been extremely beneficial to have the opportunity to practice outdoors prior to our first game.”

Winkler brings close to two decades of coaching experience to the job — including four years as a junior varsity coach at Chippewa Falls High School and 11 years as the junior varsity coach for the Old Abes prior to be named Memorial’s head softball coach before the start of the 2021 season. Winkler’s entire professional career has been spent teaching physical education at Memorial. When asked what teams will be the strongest contenders in the Big River Conference this season, the answer was simple: “Chippewa is always the team to beat in the conference.”

The Old Abes first game of the season (weather permitting) is set for Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. against Hudson at Gelein Field at Carson Park. Memorial then travels to Hudson for an away contest against the Raiders on Thursday. First pitch for that game is also set for 4:30.