Jessica Allister couldn't remember who came up with one of her favorite proverbs. "The saying is, 'Excellence is a habit,' " the Gophers softball coach said. "You should want to do well in everything you do."

Credit for that adage goes to Aristotle, who said it more than 2,000 years before Allister took the Gophers' job last summer. She immediately applied it to the U's woeful program by instituting lofty new standards in everything from conditioning to classwork, which has set the foundation for a shift in fortunes. With four games remaining in Allister's first season, the Gophers' record is 30-21, assuring them of finishing above .500 for the first time since 2008.

Freshman pitcher Sara Moulton of Eagan has thrived in a setting where even an untucked shirt or untied shoe is not acceptable. One of the top pitchers in the Big Ten and the nation, she has 27 victories -- 11 more than the entire team recorded last season -- and threw her 14th shutout Wednesday to tie the school's single-season record. Senior Malisa Barnes has taken charge, too, hitting .438 while pushing her teammates to embrace Allister's insistence on accountability and attention to detail.

Allister, 28, was thrilled to get a job that four other candidates turned down. Though the work has just begun, she said, she is delighted at the progress made this season -- and the promise it could hold for the future.

"All the signs pointed to a program that could be taken to wherever the U wants it to be," said Allister, who was an All-America catcher at Stanford before assistant coaching stints at Georgia, Oregon and her alma mater. "This is a place where you can be successful, because there's a great base of support.

"We tried to establish an environment of being detail-oriented in everything we did, from the way you wear your uniform to taking care of business in the classroom. When we started, I think [the players] thought we were crazy. But they stepped up to the challenge, and it's been fun to see their hard work pay off."

Sophomore infielder Alex Davis admitted it was a tough adjustment. Co-coaches Lisa Bernstein and Julie Standering, who had been at the U for 19 seasons, were told in May that their contracts would not be renewed after a 16-37 season. As the coaching search dragged on through the summer, Davis repeatedly called Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi to get updates and tried not to worry.

Allister got the job Aug. 10, and her new mandates caused some culture shock. She believed the Gophers, who had finished eighth or lower in the Big Ten in five of the previous six seasons, needed to shore up their fundamentals and hold themselves to higher standards in all areas. The players bought in, Davis said, because Allister and her staff worked so hard to help them adjust.

The team soon realized that everything the coaches did was geared toward one aim: making excellence a habit. "There were times in preseason when we were running, and we were exhausted," Davis said. "It was so hard. But I wouldn't change anything she's done.

"She's trying to change the face of Minnesota softball, and we're working every day to meet her expectations. She pushes you to levels you never knew you could get to, because she doesn't want you to settle for mediocrity. She wants you to be the best. And that's what all of us want."

Allister said the only thing she expected this season was that the Gophers would improve. That's happened in large part because of Moulton, who has excelled as a rookie in the sport's most important position.

Minnesota's Miss Softball in 2010, Moulton has compiled a record of 27-13, tying the school's single-season record for victories. Her 14 shutouts are tied for the most in NCAA Division I, and her 302 strikeouts are the third-highest season total in Gophers history.

Moulton shares her coach's perfectionist tendencies. A student of the game, she adjusted swiftly to facing college hitters and has constantly sought ways to improve. She has also been helped by pitcher Alissa Koch, who has mentored Moulton even though Koch has seen far less playing time.

Other players Allister praised include Barnes, who has led them in improving their work ethic while increasing her batting average by 117 points over last season, and catcher Kari Dorle, who has worked well with the pitchers. Though she is pleased with their effort, Allister wants them to understand this is only the beginning for a program with plenty of room to rise.

"The most important part is that next season has to be better," Allister said. "I hope a little bit of success this season leaves them hungry for more. We can't do this for just one year. We've got to do it every year to be where we want to be."