Friday, February 12
Jacksonville, Fla. (Pruitt Softball Complex)
10 A.M.
NC State
vs
Coastal Carolina
Photo by: Greg Mintel
Homecoming for Mirabella in Wolfpack’s Season Opener
2/11/2016 10:16:00 AM | Softball
NC State softball opens the season at the River City Leadoff Classic
Weekend Schedule
Friday - Coastal Carolina - 10 a.m.
Friday - Kansas - 12:30 p.m.
Saturday - UNCG - 3 p.m.
Saturday - Jacksonville - 5:30 p.m.
Sunday - Coastal Carolina - 12:30 p.m.
As the lone member of the NC State softball team from the state of Florida, no one could be more excited about opening the season in Jacksonville this weekend than Courtney Mirabella.
The junior pitcher is a native of Bradenton, Fla., which is located south of Tampa and only a few hours from the Jacksonville University campus where the Wolfpack will compete this weekend.
Fortunately for Mirabella, she has had the opportunity to pitch in her home state each of the past two seasons. In her freshman year, she threw a no-hitter against Florida A&M and pitched a couple strong innings last season against top-ranked Florida in Gainesville.
"I always love returning to my home state to play," said Mirabella. "I have a lot of family from Jacksonville and I'm really excited to see them and have them support our team.
"It will probably be warmer there as well, so I'm excited for that too."
After having the opportunity to learn from three-time All-ACC selection Emily Weiman the previous two seasons, Mirabella says she has learned a lot about how to pitch at this level and what she needs to do in order to be successful.
"Emily was a great role model for me the past two years and I plan on taking all the information I learned from her into the season," Mirabella explained. "I know that people look up to me, so I have to set a good example and keep my composure on the field."
Heading into her junior season, Mirabella has already had a taste of success and she wants to build on that. She pitched in 26 games last year and compiled a 2.80 earned run average (ERA) to go along with a 7-5 mark in the circle.
Mirabella finished the year with 130 strikeouts, an average of 8.7 strikeouts per seven innings which was the third most in the ACC and 26th in the nation. She threw her second career no-hitter against Dayton and fanned 10 batters in that contest.
Following a strong offseason in which she has strengthened her core, Mirabella is excited to start the year and see how her hard work translates to the field.
"I'm really excited to get my junior year started and have a third season with my teammates," said Mirabella. "We've gone further and further in the NCAA Tournament each season I've been here, so I'm looking forward to helping us go deep in the tournament this season."
No stranger to success, Mirabella enjoyed a standout prep career at Braden River High School, which resulted in her number being retired by the program. She was named the Class 7A Player of the Year as a senior and was the runner-up for the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year accolade.
"Having my number retired was one of the biggest honors I've had as a softball player," Mirabella added. "It was a huge honor to know that all my hard work in high school paid off and was recognized."
NC State softball head Shawn Rychcik says that Mirabella has the big-game experience and mentality to be great and the team will lean on her to headline the pitching staff during the 2016 season.
Rounding Third with Coach Rychcik: Season Preview
Previewing the Weekend
Powerful Returns
NC State returns the bulk of its batting lineup from a season ago. Three players with 10 or more home runs last year are back for 2016. All-ACC selection Tyler Ross headlines the group with 14, while Molly Hutchison and Maggie Hawkins hit 13 and 11 home runs, respectively.
In addition, Meredith Burroughs narrowly missed the mark with nine as a freshman in 2015.
Welcome Back to Sommer
The Wolfpack batting order welcomes redshirt junior Hanna Sommer back to the lineup for 2016, after she missed the entire 2015 season with an injury. She has a career batting average of .270 with 16 home runs to help strengthen the NC State lineup.
Linear Progression
When head coach Shawn Rychcik took the job in the summer of 2012, he knew he had a challenge on his hands but saw the pieces in the program to make a quick turnaround.
In his first year, Rychcik took the Wolfpack to the Knoxville (Tenn.) Regional Final, which was the first time in program history that the squad had been to a regional final. In 2014, he guided NC State to a 5-4 upset over fourth-seeded Georgia to advance to the regional final without a loss, also a first for the program.
Last season, he led the Pack to a regional championship and Super Regional berth, which was the next step in the process after making such huge strides in his first two years. NC State became the first team from the state of North Carolina to advance to an NCAA Super Regional and is one of the youngest in the state with the program starting in 2004.
About the Opponents
Coastal Carolina
Kansas
UNCG
Jacksonville
Friday - Coastal Carolina - 10 a.m.
Friday - Kansas - 12:30 p.m.
Saturday - UNCG - 3 p.m.
Saturday - Jacksonville - 5:30 p.m.
Sunday - Coastal Carolina - 12:30 p.m.
As the lone member of the NC State softball team from the state of Florida, no one could be more excited about opening the season in Jacksonville this weekend than Courtney Mirabella.
The junior pitcher is a native of Bradenton, Fla., which is located south of Tampa and only a few hours from the Jacksonville University campus where the Wolfpack will compete this weekend.
Fortunately for Mirabella, she has had the opportunity to pitch in her home state each of the past two seasons. In her freshman year, she threw a no-hitter against Florida A&M and pitched a couple strong innings last season against top-ranked Florida in Gainesville.
"I always love returning to my home state to play," said Mirabella. "I have a lot of family from Jacksonville and I'm really excited to see them and have them support our team.
"It will probably be warmer there as well, so I'm excited for that too."
After having the opportunity to learn from three-time All-ACC selection Emily Weiman the previous two seasons, Mirabella says she has learned a lot about how to pitch at this level and what she needs to do in order to be successful.
"Emily was a great role model for me the past two years and I plan on taking all the information I learned from her into the season," Mirabella explained. "I know that people look up to me, so I have to set a good example and keep my composure on the field."
Heading into her junior season, Mirabella has already had a taste of success and she wants to build on that. She pitched in 26 games last year and compiled a 2.80 earned run average (ERA) to go along with a 7-5 mark in the circle.
Mirabella finished the year with 130 strikeouts, an average of 8.7 strikeouts per seven innings which was the third most in the ACC and 26th in the nation. She threw her second career no-hitter against Dayton and fanned 10 batters in that contest.
Following a strong offseason in which she has strengthened her core, Mirabella is excited to start the year and see how her hard work translates to the field.
"I'm really excited to get my junior year started and have a third season with my teammates," said Mirabella. "We've gone further and further in the NCAA Tournament each season I've been here, so I'm looking forward to helping us go deep in the tournament this season."
No stranger to success, Mirabella enjoyed a standout prep career at Braden River High School, which resulted in her number being retired by the program. She was named the Class 7A Player of the Year as a senior and was the runner-up for the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year accolade.
"Having my number retired was one of the biggest honors I've had as a softball player," Mirabella added. "It was a huge honor to know that all my hard work in high school paid off and was recognized."
NC State softball head Shawn Rychcik says that Mirabella has the big-game experience and mentality to be great and the team will lean on her to headline the pitching staff during the 2016 season.
###
Rounding Third with Coach Rychcik: Season Preview
Previewing the Weekend
- NC State will make its first trip to the Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex on the Jacksonville University campus.
- Entering the 13th season of competition for the program, the Wolfpack is 6-6 all-time in season openers and 1-2 under fourth-year head coach Shawn Rychcik.
- NC State is familiar with each of the four teams it will play this weekend, as there has been at least one prior matchup with each team.
- The Pack owns a combined 27-6 record against the opponents it will face in the River City Leadoff.
Powerful Returns
NC State returns the bulk of its batting lineup from a season ago. Three players with 10 or more home runs last year are back for 2016. All-ACC selection Tyler Ross headlines the group with 14, while Molly Hutchison and Maggie Hawkins hit 13 and 11 home runs, respectively.
In addition, Meredith Burroughs narrowly missed the mark with nine as a freshman in 2015.
Welcome Back to Sommer
The Wolfpack batting order welcomes redshirt junior Hanna Sommer back to the lineup for 2016, after she missed the entire 2015 season with an injury. She has a career batting average of .270 with 16 home runs to help strengthen the NC State lineup.
Linear Progression
When head coach Shawn Rychcik took the job in the summer of 2012, he knew he had a challenge on his hands but saw the pieces in the program to make a quick turnaround.
In his first year, Rychcik took the Wolfpack to the Knoxville (Tenn.) Regional Final, which was the first time in program history that the squad had been to a regional final. In 2014, he guided NC State to a 5-4 upset over fourth-seeded Georgia to advance to the regional final without a loss, also a first for the program.
Last season, he led the Pack to a regional championship and Super Regional berth, which was the next step in the process after making such huge strides in his first two years. NC State became the first team from the state of North Carolina to advance to an NCAA Super Regional and is one of the youngest in the state with the program starting in 2004.
About the Opponents
Coastal Carolina
- Finished the 2015 season with a 33-24 overall record and a 16-7 mark in the Big South Conference.
- NC State leads the all-time series, 12-2, and won the last meeting in Conway, S.C., 7-0, on April 1, 2015.
- The Chanticleers were chosen to finish second in the Big South preseason coaches poll and catcher Morgan Noad was selected as the preseason Player of the Year.
Kansas
- Finished the 2015 season with a 40-15 mark and 8-10 record in Big 12 play. Kansas advanced to the NCAA Regional Final of the Missouri Regional.
- NC State and Kansas have met four times and the series is tied at two apiece.
- The Jayhawks were tabbed fourth in the Big 12 preseason poll.
UNCG
- Finished the season with a 25-22 overall record and 7-10 mark in the Southern Conference.
- The Wolfpack owns a 12-2 advantage in the all-time series.
- Last year, the teams met in Greensboro, N.C., with the Wolfpack winning, 11-8, on March 18.
- Despite UNCG being picked fifth in the SoCon preseason poll, senior catcher Lindsay Thomas was named Preseason Co-Player of the Year.
Jacksonville
- Ended the 2015 season with a 28-28 mark and a 10-13 clip in Atlantic Sun conference play.
- NC State and Jacksonville have only met once and the Wolfpack won that contest in 2008, 7-1.
- The Dolphins were chosen to finish sixth in the Atlantic Sun.
Players Mentioned
P/1B
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
C/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
P
/ Softball#BehindThe20 with former Pack Stars Abbie Sims and Renada Davis
Wednesday, April 24
Softball: Players Presser (2/15)
Thursday, February 15
Softball: Coach Leftwich Presser (2/15)
Thursday, February 15
EmpowHER with Aisha Weixlmann #Shorts #NCState #GoPack
Monday, October 16