Friday, Scptsmbor 0, 1S33
Daily Nebraskan
Pago 13
New women's Softball coach
revives team's hopes and spirits
ByJ&ckDei&cr
Six months ago, there was a question a very
real question of whether Nebraska would field a
sollball team this year.
Dut the once-disgruntled team Is undergoing a
resurrection In spirit, if not a quick return to the
supreme circle of NCAA women's Softball. And most
of the revival can be traced to the enthusiasm of
first-year coach Wayne Daigle.
"The atmosphere is good, the morale is better, we
hustle a lot more and our attitudes are up," said
Denise Day-Eckert, a returning letterwinner from
last spring's disastrous 17-18 campaign.
That season, the last under Nancy Plantz, was
plagued by conflicts within the team and walkouts,
which led the Women's Athletic Department to can
cel most of the spring schedule. When the season
was over, the team that made it to the 1932 College
World Series had crashed from first to last in the
conference.
But Daigle seems to be scoring hits with his new
players.
"I think he's great," freshman second-base hopeful
Lori Richins said.
"He is the coach that I want to play for," transfer
Lisa Busby said.
Busby, Leslie Richardson, Ginger Cannon and
Amy Love played for Daigle at Sam Houston State
University last year and decided to follow him to
Nebraska. All four will spent this season as
redshirts.
"I figure that if I can practice another year with
Coach Daigle and learn even more from him, then it
will be better for me next year and in the long run,"
Busby said.
The rest of Nebraska's recruiting was "virtually
non-existent" this summer, Daigle said, because of
the late start But still he landed three quality ball
players.
They are Richins, from northern California, and
catcher Stacy Sunny and first baseman Lori Nielson,
former members of the Santa Monica Raiders. The
Raiders, an 18 and under team, won the senior
National Championship two years in a row.
Nielson is battling transfer Dee Steele for first
base honors, while Sunny could play almost any-'
where else, Daigle said. Sunny turned down offers
from Oklahoma State and Kansas so she could play
for Daigle.
"I heard about Coach Daigle and that he was
coming to Nebraska," Sunny said. "It sounded really
good because he is a very good coach, and I like
Nebraska's program."
"For as short a period of time we had to recruit, we
were fortunate to get those three," Daigle said. "We
will have to do better next year if we are to continue
improving, but as far as I'm concerned, this program
doesn't have to back away from anybody in
recruiting." . .
Daigle was NAIA national coach of the year at
Sam Houston in 1981. His teams won the NAIA
national championship in 1981, an NCAA Division II
national championship in 1982 and was runner-up
to California State at Northridge in 1983. During
that span, Daigle compiled a 190-65 record.
"He's an excellent coach who really knows his
stuff" said Day-Eckert, the Huskers' leading hitter
(.330) last season. "He's going to take us places. He is
a real asset to our program."
"This team has a very good attitude and Denise is
Good Food Good Drink
BIG RED
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Misty's has the
e Idsas
Bus rides to and from home games from Misty's to
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Football tours to all away games. Pep ys
Friday nights before all home games with the UN L
Pep Band (Havelock only)
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Serving the Midwest's Finest Prime Rib
the epitome of it," Daigle said. "She could be a prima
donna, but she isnt. She works as hard as anybody
on the team."
The most pleasant surprise so far this fall, Daigle
said, is the optimistic attitude of the team and its
eagerness to learn a new playing style. Daigle and his
assistant coach, Kalum Haack, are encouraged by
the quickness with which the players are adapting
to Daigle's new philosophy.
. I am pleasantly surprised at the attitude of the
older girto," Daigle said. They are working real hard
and their attitude' b real positive."
Daigle will get his first opportunity to see how well
his team will perform under game situations when
the Huskers take on archrival Creighton September
, 13 in a double-header at Mabel Lee Field.
"We want the girls to take a good approach into
that game," Daigle said. "We want them to act and
play like winners and then get everybody to think
like Coach Haack and I."
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H.B. DEilUD'S
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Every hour Is happy tour at
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Read About Our No. 1 Team in
U Uli
Saturday, September 10, 1963
A Daily Nebraskan publication
Vol. II. No. 1
' " " C" " as
y
'J". ..." . .' . . . ' "! , '. ..' .W . .. 1
Distributed free around campus
before each home football game
A Daily Nebraskan Publication
63rd & Havelock