Written by: Quincy Bentley | Sports Editor<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the Western softball team gears up for their spring season, there\u2019s a sense of energy and excitement in the air. The \u201cWolves,\u201d backed by a wave of fresh talent and determination, are ready to make this season unforgettable. With insight from players and coaches, here’s why fans should be ready to rally behind this exceptional group. Coach Boytz believes this year\u2019s team stands out because of their sheer determination. \u201cWe have the will to win. Everyone on this team is gritty, scrappy and genuinely likes each other. It\u2019s rare to see a group come together so quickly. That chemistry will serve us well this season.\u201d Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Written by: Quincy Bentley | Sports Editor As the Western softball team gears up for their spring season, there\u2019s a sense of energy and excitement in the air. The \u201cWolves,\u201d backed by a wave of fresh talent and determination, are ready to make this season unforgettable. With insight from players and coaches, here’s why fans […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[3463,245,5515,5512,5518,5521,5520,5523,3627,5522,454,5524,5525,5514,5510,507,3958,4155,3967,2267,5511,5517,685,1376,246,834,5509,5516,5513,5519,684,66,39],"class_list":["post-22090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports","tag-3463","tag-athletics","tag-ball","tag-catcher","tag-centerfielder","tag-curve-ball","tag-double","tag-drop-ball","tag-field","tag-first-base","tag-games","tag-grand-slam","tag-hit","tag-home-run","tag-left-fielder","tag-oregon","tag-pitch","tag-pitcher","tag-players","tag-season","tag-second-base","tag-shortstop","tag-single","tag-softball","tag-sports","tag-spring","tag-standout","tag-team-bonding","tag-third-base","tag-triple","tag-western","tag-wolves","tag-wou"],"modified_by":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/westernhowl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22090","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/westernhowl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/westernhowl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/westernhowl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/westernhowl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22090"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/westernhowl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22090\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22093,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/westernhowl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22090\/revisions\/22093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/westernhowl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/westernhowl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/westernhowl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/em><\/strong>Jessica Morgan, a senior pitcher from Lewistown, Montana, is entering her final season with the team. Morgan has been laser-focused during the offseason, stating, \u201cLast year, I was really working hard on my drop ball. This offseason, I\u2019ve worked on perfecting it along with my curveball.\u201d Morgan isn\u2019t just looking to elevate her own performance, though. When asked about any personal goals she has set this season, Morgan said, \u201cNo matter what happens, I want to be a good role model.\u201d Her dedication to both the game as well as her teammates is a true example of leadership.
Victoria Zimmerman, a junior from Ellensburg, Washington, has been refining her mental game during the offseason. \u201cAfter last season, I found myself overthinking a lot,\u201d she said. \u201cThis offseason, I\u2019ve worked on staying mentally strong, and I\u2019ve put a lot of effort into improving offensively \u2014 I\u2019m really excited to bring my full swing into play this year.\u201d Her experience and hunger to improve are clear indicators that she\u2019s ready to take her performance to the next level.
<\/em><\/strong>Despite being a young team, what makes Western softball so special is its tight-knit group of players who share chemistry both on and off the field. First-year and California native Lauren Maure shared, \u201cIt\u2019s been family-oriented since the beginning. The team atmosphere is very inclusive, and everyone\u2019s worked hard to build relationships.\u201d
Junior Sydney Conklin, a native of Corvallis, Oregon, echoes these statements, saying, \u201cThis is by far the most tight-knit team I\u2019ve been a part of. Everyone is super cool and eager to build something special together.\u201d
With many new players in the mix, building team culture has been a priority. Sophomore Brooklyn Schneidt, from Meridian, Idaho, embraced this opportunity. \u201cAlmost the whole team is new, so we got to create our own culture. We\u2019re very equal as a team, and we always make sure everyone is involved,\u201d she said.
<\/em><\/strong>Head Coach Aly Boytz, a proud Western alumni, leads this young team with passion and purpose. \u201cAs a former player, I know what these players are going through,\u201d she said. \u201cWe talk a lot about life outside of softball. My philosophy is about creating an environment where we learn and grow from every game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/em><\/strong>Fans have every reason to believe this will be a standout season for the \u201cWolves.\u201d Whether it\u2019s the relentless work ethic of Jessica Morgan, the growing confidence of Victoria Zimmerman or the dynamic chemistry of the entire roster, this team is ready to leave it all on the field.
As junior Sydney Conklin noted, one player to watch is Maddie Doyge: \u201cShe\u2019s hungry to come back and has been absolutely dialed in.\u201d Other players pointed to Conklin as a potential breakout star, given the incredible effort she\u2019s put in to overcome a gruesome elbow injury.
This season wouldn\u2019t be complete without the \u201cWolves\u2019\u201d cherished traditions. From their pre-season retreat on the coast to their annual tournament in California, these rituals strengthen the bond between coaches and players. Sophomore Brooklyn Schneidt recalls playing icebreaker games on the beach, while Conklin looks forward to the team\u2019s pregame hype song: \u201cLove\u201d by Keyshia Cole.
<\/em><\/strong>With all the talent, grit and unity this team has to offer, the 2025 Western softball season promises to be one to remember. Mark the calendars, bring some peers and get ready to check out the team that\u2019s not just playing softball, but creating a legacy \u2014Let\u2019s go \u201cWolves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n