Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics
East Carolina at #23 Wichita State
Friday, April 21 | 6 PM
Saturday, April 22 | 3 PM
Sunday, April 23 | 12 PM
Wichita, Kan. | Wilkins Stadium
ESPN+ | StatBroadcast.com
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
FRIDAY
RV Weekend
Senior Night Recognition - Lauren Mills
$20 Ticket & Tailgate Bundle
SATURDAY
RV Weekend
Senior Day Recognition - Zoe Jones
SUNDAY
RV Weekend
Senior Day Recognition - Sydney McKinney
Mini Helmet Giveaway
QUICK HITS
• Wichita State welcomes East Carolina to Wilkins Stadium for Senior Weekend.
• Wichita State will recognize its three seniors Lauren Mills, Zoe Jones and Sydney McKinney before each game of the series.
• Wichita State is ranked in all four polls: NFCA (#23), USA Softball (#23), Softball America (#22) and D1 Softball (#22).
• Wichita State's RPI is 21 entering the weekend.
• Wichita State's 37-8 record is the best start through 45 games in school history.
• Wichita State is 9-1 in its last 10 games.
• Wichita State has three Top 10 wins this season - #9 Arkansas, #2 Oklahoma State and #3 Oklahoma State.
• Wichita State's win at #3 Oklahoma State was the highest ranked road win in school history.
• Wichita State's win over #2 Oklahoma State was the highest ranked win in school history.
• Wichita State has nine shutouts in 2023. The 2022 Shockers had five all season.
• After playing just 11 home games in 2022, Wichita State has 27 games at Wilkins Stadium in 2023.
• Wichita State received three first place votes in the AAC Preseason Poll and was picked to finish 2nd, just one point behind UCF.
• Sydney McKinney has been awarded AAC Player of the Week honors three times in 2023 (Feb. 20, April 3, April 10).
• Zoe Jones was American Player of the Week on March 27.
• Alex Aguilar is a 2-time AAC Pitcher of the Week (Mar. 20, Apr. 10).
• Lauren Howell has been named the American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week twice (Feb. 20, March 6).
• McKinney was also named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week on Feb. 21.
• McKinney leads the country in hits and batting average.
• McKinney led the nation in hits and batting average in 2022.
• McKinney is the NCAA DI active leader in hits and at bats.
• McKinney became the first Shocker with 300 career hits on Feb. 19 vs. FDU.
• McKinney is the program's all-time hits, batting average, runs and total bases leader, while also owning single season records for those categories.
• McKinney is one of 25 finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.
• Addison Barnard has 67 career home runs, the most all time at Wichita State and in American Athletic Conference history.
• Barnard finished the 2022 season leading the nation in home runs per game and RBI per game, and ranked second in home runs, RBI and slugging percentage.
• Barnard's 33 home runs broke her own single season record.
• Barnard became the first known player in NCAA history with 30+ home runs and 25+ stolen bases.
• Barnard is the only active DI player with 60+ HR and 50+ SB.
• Barnard ranks 2nd among NCAA DI active players in career home runs.
SERIES HISTORY VS. EAST CAROLINA
All but one meeting between Wichita State and East Carolina have taken place since the Shockers joined the American in 2018. The two programs first met back on March 20, 1999 on a neutral field. Wichita State has won the last four meetings and leads the overall series, 11-3.
LAST MEETING WITH THE PIRATES
Wichita State swept last season's regular season series in Greenville by scores of 24-1, 6-4 and 8-1. In the series opener Wichita State hit a program record 10 home runs and scored a record 24 runs. Seven of those 10 home runs came in one inning. The Shockers completed the sweep with wins of 6-4 and 8-1.
DON'T LET ADDIE GET HOT
One of the nation's premiere home run hitters got off to a slow start in 2023, but seems to be getting into a groove. In her first 17 games of the season, Addison Barnard had just two home runs. She has 10 in her last 24 games, including her first multi-home run game of 2023 vs. Northern Colorado. On March 17 vs. Northern Colorado, Barnard became the school's all-time home run leader with her 59th career round-tripper, passing Madison Perrigan's previous mark of 58. She also sits at the top of the list in American Athletic Conference history.
SLAMMIN SAMI
Since the calendar turned to April, freshman Sami Hood has found a groove at the plate. She is hitting .353 over her last 11 games with four home runs, 10 RBI and seven runs scored. Two of those four home runs came in wins against top five ranked Oklahoma State. In conference play, Hood is hitting .343 with two doubles, two home runs and eight RBI.
RPI - WEEK SEVEN
Wichita State checked in at No. 21 in the week seven RPI rankings on April 19. The Shockers have already faced 12 teams in the Top 65, including No. 3 Oklahoma State (twice), No. 4 Stanford, No. 15 Arkansas, No. 31 Nebraska, No. 34 UCF, No. 38 Minnesota, No. 39 Boise State, No. 41 San Diego State, No. 48 Texas State, No. 53 South Dakota State, No. 56 South Florida and No. 61 Kansas. Wichita State still has games against No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 61 Kansas.
TOP 10 WINS
Wichita State owns a trio of Top 10 wins in 2023 after taking down No. 3 Oklahoma State on April 18 in Stillwater. The Shockers completed the regular season sweep of Oklahoma State with wins in Stillwater and Wichita. The win over the Cowgirls in Wichita marked the highest ranked win in program history, having never beaten a Top 5 team before the matchup. The road win over OSU marked the highest ranked win on the road in school history. Wichita State's resume now includes wins over No. 2/3 Oklahoma State (twice) and No. 9 Arkansas (March 14), making it the first season in school history with multiple Top 10 victories. Wichita State has four Top 10 wins under head coach Kristi Bredbenner, all four coming in the last three seasons.
TOP 25 FINALIST
Wichita State senior Sydney McKinney was named one of 25 finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year on April 19. A top 10 finalist a season ago, McKinney is once again putting the nation on notice. McKinney was named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List prior to the season before making the cut at 25. Considered the most distinguished individual honor in Division I college softball, the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award recognizes outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female collegiate softball players from across the country. The Top 25 Finalists will be narrowed down to 10 athletes on May 3, followed by the Top 3 Finalists set to be released on May 17.
SHOCKER SLUGGERS RETURN
Wichita State returns 100 of the 121 home runs hit from the 2022 team. Led by Addison Barnard (33), Wichita State brings back one of the nation's best offenses in 2023. Lauren Mills (16), Zoe Jones (15), Sydney McKinney (13), Lauren Lucas (10), Jessica Garcia (5), Lainee Brown (4), Bailey Urban (3) and Krystin Nelson (1) combined to hit the century mark in homers.
PITCHERS BEWARE
Wichita State obliterated the single season home run record for the second straight season in 2022. The Shockers crushed 103 in 2021, only to see the 2022 team set a new mark of 121. It only took 42 games for the 2022 team to match that number of 103. Wichita State has finished second nationally in home runs each of the last two seasons, behind only Oklahoma.
ALL HAIL THE HIT QUEEN
• Sydney McKinney is Wichita State's all-time hits leader with 361 in her career. She passed Britnee Barnett on April 29, 2022 vs. ECU with No. 251.
• McKinney is the NCAA DI active career leader in hits (361) and at bats (798). She ranks 2nd in runs scored (235), third in batting average (.451) and total bases (522) and 5th in triples (16).
• McKinney became the first Shocker with 300 career hits on Feb. 19 vs. FDU.
• McKinney's 235 career runs scored are the most in school history.
• McKinney shattered her own single season record for batting average. She set it at .439 in 2021 and hit a nation-leading .522 in 2022.
• With a career OBP of .503, McKinney currently holds the top spot in that category as well at Wichita State.
• She ranks second with 16 career triples.
• Her 42 career doubles place her in 5th on the school's all-time list.
ONE OF THREE
Wichita State is one of only three schools in the country, joining Oklahoma and Arkansas, to return multiple NFCA All-Americans from a season ago. The Shockers of course bring back NFCA Second Team All-Americans Addison Barnard and Sydney McKinney.
THE AMERICAN STANDARD
Since Wichita State entered the American Athletic Conference in 2018, the Shockers have been the league's top offensive team in the league. Not counting the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, Wichita State has led the American in batting average (2021, 2022), slugging percentage (2018-22), on base percentage (2019-22), runs (2019-22), hits (2022), RBI (2019-22), doubles (2018, 2021-22), home runs (2018-22), total bases (2018-22) and walks (2019, 2021).
HOME SWEET HOME
Just a season ago Wichita State took on the role of road warrior. The Shockers have 27 home games at Wilkins Stadium compared to only 11 in 2022. During the month of March Wichita State only leaves Wichita once. Seventeen of those 27 home games take place in the month of March, including matchups against 2022 NCAA Regional teams: Stanford, Nebraska, Missouri State, Arkansas, Minnesota and South Florida.
IN THE AMERICAN RECORD BOOKS
Wichita State is well-represented in the American Athletic Conference record books. Currently Sydney McKinney holds the single-season record for batting average, hits, on base percentage and runs. Addison Barnard is the single-season record holder for home runs, RBI, slugging percentage and total bases. On the career charts, McKinney already enters her final season holding the top spot in batting average, on base percentage, runs, total bases and hits. Barnard is the all-time home run leader and needs 27 RBI to surpass Wichita State's own Madison Perrigan for the most all-time in American history.
UP NEXT
Wichita State plays its final regular season home game on Tuesday, April 25 when the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners come to Wilkins Stadium for a 6 p.m. first pitch.