CHICAGO, Ill. - The Green Bay Phoenix softball team will open its 2020 season this weekend in Chicago, Ill., at the Rambler Rumble. The tournament will consist of five games for the Phoenix in total, two of which being against opponents who they played in the opening tournament last year (Western Illinois and Evansville).
 
The Phoenix are led by first-year head coach Sara Kubuske, who  comes to Green Bay from the University of Indianapolis, where she spent the past 10 seasons as the top assistant for one of the winningest programs in all of NCAA Division II. She helped lead the Greyhounds to an NCAA Regional in all 10 of her seasons, while also being named the NFCA Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year in three of those seasons.
 
Green Bay will feature one of the youngest teams in the Horizon League once again as they only have one senior in Bailey Schultz. Five freshman and seven sophomores make up 12 of the 18 roster spots for Coach Kubuske as she looks to develop a young core. Junior Morgan Bihun will look to be a force to be reckoned with again this year as she was a Horizon League First Team honoree last year. Bihun hit .296 with 5 home runs and 22 RBIs and she'll look to continue that momentum this season.
 
Friday, Feb. 7 vs Western Illinois at 10:00 AM
Friday, Feb. 7 vs Butler at 12:30 PM
Saturday, Feb. 8 vs Omaha at 10:00 AM
Saturday, Feb. 8 at Loyola at 3:00 PM
Sunday, Feb. 9 vs Evansville at 10:00 AM 
 
Scouting the Western Illinois Leathernecks- The Leathernecks come off a 20-20 record in 2019 going 12-6 in Summit League play. This year, Western Illinois was picked to finish tied for 5^th in the preseason coaches' poll. Jasmine Lara started and hit in the leadoff spot in all 40 games last season in a Second Team All-Summit League campaign where she hit .308 and 31 runs scored. Danielle Olson started 22 of 26 games last season as a freshman and drove in 18 runs with one home run to her name.
 
Scouting the Butler Bulldogs: The Bulldogs return 2019 All-BIG EAST honorees Maddie Moore and Lauren Fey, as well as junior left-hander Alyssa Graves, who led the BIG EAST in strikeouts a season ago. Moore batted .441 with 15 hits, three doubles, seven RBI, while Fey batted .333 with 17 hits, one double and six RBI in BIG EAST games. Head coach Scott Hall enters his 10th season with the Bulldogs, who finished 16-32 (4-12 BIG EAST) last season. Butler was picked seventh in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll. 
 
Scouting the Omaha Mavericks: Omaha was selected seventh in the Summit League Preseason Poll after finishing 4-43 last season. Head coach Amanda Eberhart is in her second season with the Mavericks and returns Summit League Players to Watch Jamie White and Emma Dargy. White led Omaha last season with a .263 batting average while tallying four doubles, five home runs and 21 RBI as a freshman. Emma Dargy collected Second Team All-Summit honors after hitting .254 with eight doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI.
 
Scouting the Loyola Ramblers: The Ramblers finished last season with a 25-25 overall record (9-16, MVC). Four Loyola student-athletes earned All-MVC accolades, highlighted by Allyson Ivey and Kiley Jones, both named to the first team. Additionally, Katie Kasubke and Brooke Wilson picked up honorable mentions. Head coach Alicia Abbott is set to begin her first season with the Ramblers, replacing Jeff Tylka after five seasons. 
 
Scouting the Evansville Purple Aces: The Purple Aces will face Green Bay again in the opening tournament once again this year as last year they barely edged the Phoenix in a 5-4 final score line at the Total Control Sports Invitational. Evansville finished the 2019 season with a 19-30 overall record and 9-16 in MVC play. Eryn Gould started all 49 games last season behind the plate and was named to the All-MVC First Team as she led the Purple Aces with a .306 batting average, 10 home runs, 31 RBI, 30 runs. Senior Katie McLean also hit above .300 last year and was a valuable part of the Evansville defense as she earned a spot on the MVC All-Defensive Team.

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