Preview: No. 4 Nebraska Softball vs Iowa

How to Follow Along

• Matchup: No. 4 Nebraska (37-6, 17-1) vs Iowa (25-22, 6-12)
• When: Friday, April 24
• Where: Bowlin Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.
• Time: 3 p.m. CDT 
• Watch: B1G+
• Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
• Matchup: No. 4 Nebraska (37-6, 17-1) vs Iowa (25-22, 6-12)
• When: Friday, April 24
• Where: Bowlin Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.
• Time:  30 mins. after the first game
• Watch: B1G+
• Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
• Matchup: No. 4 Nebraska (37-6, 17-1) vs Iowa (25-22, 6-12)
• When: Saturday, April 25
• Where: Bowlin Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.
• Time:  1 p.m. CDT
• Watch: B1G+
• Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Iowa Scout

The Iowa Hawkeyes are coming off a crazy midweek matchup at Northern Iowa that resulted in a 21-17 win over the Panthers. They also evened the CyHawk series with a victory over Iowa State, 7-2.

Iowa and Nebraska share four common opponents this season: LSU, Minnesota, Washington, and South Dakota State. Nebraska went 1-8 against the four programs while Iowa was 1-8.

Head Coach

• Stacy May-Johnson | 1st season as head coach at Iowa
• Has 20 years of coaching experience
• Head coach at Fresno State (2022-25)
• Head coach at Utah Valley (2020-21)
• Associate head coach at Eastern Kentucky (2018-19)
• Assistant at Purde (2017)
• Assistant at Louisville (2015-16)
• Assistant at Iowa (201-14)
• Volunteer assistant at Louisville (2008-10)
• Played at Iowa from 2003-06
• Three-time All-Big Ten
• 2003 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
• Ranks in the top 15 in program history in career games played, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, and batting average
• Played 5 seasons with the Chicago Bandits (NPF)
• Member of the U.S. National Team

2024-2025 Record & Awards

• Record: 35-18, (B1G 15-7, 6th)
• B1G Awards: N/A
• All-B1G: 1x First Team, 1x Second Team, 1x All-Defensive

All-Time Series

• Nebraska leads 29-20
• April 6, 2025, last matchup, 5-2 Iowa

Key Returners

• Devin Simon | Jr. | OF | Leads Iowa with a .327 batting average, 50 hits, 38 runs scored, and .412 on-base percentage. She is 18-for-20 in stolen bases.
• Leah McAnally | Jr. | C | Has a team-high 34 RBIs with 11 doubles and seven homers.
• Tory Bennett | Sr. | OF | Has 31 RBIs on 44 hits and leads the team with nine home runs.

Key Departures

• Jalen Adams | Sr. | RHP | Transferred to Arizona
• Jena Young | Jr. | MINF | Transferred to Alabama
• Soo-Jin Berry | So.| INF | Transferred to UCLA
• Talia Tretton | So. | RHP/UTL | Transferred to Nevada
• Des Rivera | Sr. | C | Transferred to Mississippi State
• Hannah Lindsay | C | Graduated

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

• Kiara Sipe | So. | UTL | Transferred from Fresno State. Second on the team with a .326 average, 47 hits, and a .549 slugging percentage.
• McKenzie Leitgen | Fr. | UTL | Second on the team with eight home runs.
• Serayah Neiss | Sr. | LHP | Transferred from Fresno State, where she was the 2025 Mountain West Pitcher of the Year. Leads Iowa with an 11-7 record, 4.18 ERA, 115.2 innings pitched, 34 appearances, 16 starts, two complete games, and 71 strikeouts.

Outlook

Emotions will be running high with it being senior weekend but the Huskers won't let that affect them.

Nebraska will sweep this weekend, and quite frankly, they have to. NU cannot afford a loss to Iowa, especially if they want to hang on to the top spot in the Big Ten standings.