Four 'super seniors' kept Gophers softball strong through coaching changes

Five years ago, Katelyn Kemmetmueller and Carlie Brandt were part of a heralded freshman class excited to join a Gophers softball program that had become an NCAA tournament fixture under then-coach Jessica Allister.

Two head coaches later, the winning tradition continues, with the Gophers set to begin their eighth consecutive NCAA tournament when they play Fresno State on Friday night in Los Angeles.

That 2016 recruiting class has turned into "super seniors," who took advantage of the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility during the pandemic.

Going through those coaching changes — from Allister to Jamie Trachsel and now Piper Ritter — took strong belief in the program to keep them together. Allister left for Stanford and Trachsel for Ole Miss before Minnesota finally promoted Ritter, its longtime pitching coach.

"It definitely wasn't what I expected, but it's been a blessing in disguise," said Kemmetmueller, a third baseman from Rogers. "Having Coach Ritter here all five years has been great. She's done a great job transitioning to our head coach. The staff she brought in has been great. They're a well-rounded staff. It's helped us be a well-rounded team."

After reaching the 2019 Women's College World Series, the Gophers went 15-9-1 under Trachsel last year before the pandemic wiped out the rest of the season.

So far, Ritter's inaugural season running the program has been played entirely within the Big Ten. The Gophers reeled off a 19-2 stretch at one point and are 29-11 entering this NCAA regional hosted by UCLA, the tournament's No. 2 overall seed.

Second baseman MaKenna Partain, the team's leading hitter, joined sophomore center fielder Natalie DenHartog as first-team All-Big Ten performers this season. Kemmetmueller and Amber Fiser were second team all-league.

Ritter is grateful to the seniors who decided to return — including Fiser and Partain — who've helped make the Gophers contenders in her first season at the helm.

"Some of the greatest years I had were playing softball," said Ritter, a former Gophers standout pitcher. "For them to be able to come back — I'm glad the NCAA awarded them another opportunity. I believe all of them were thankful for it. I'm happy they chose to stay here to be a Gopher."

Kemmetmueller, a third baseman, completed her nursing degree last year, but she chose to play softball again to finish on her own terms.

"Deciding to come back for my fifth year was the best decision I could've made," she said.

In 2017, Allister's final year with the Gophers, they went 56-5 overall and 21-1 in conference to win the Big Ten title before she left to coach her alma mater at Stanford. Trachsel then became the program's first coach to reach the World Series before she left.

Now, Allister has Stanford back in the NCAA tournament, and Trachel has Mississippi there, too. Meanwhile, Kemmetmueller, Brandt, Partain and Fiser have kept the Gophers program going strong.