Freshman Erika Smyth belted her first career home run in the seventh inning of the Gophers' win.
Minnesota head softball coach Jessica Allister enters her second year at the helm of the Gophers program after leading the team to an impressive turnaround in 2011.
The Jessica Allister era of Minnesota softball began on Aug. 10, 2010 when director of athletics Joel Maturi named the former Oregon assistant and All-American catcher from Stanford the sixth head coach in Minnesota history.
In her first year with the Gophers, Allister pushed her squad to improve every day and maintain a strong work ethic on the playing field and in the classroom. The results spoke couldn't be ignored.
The team nearly doubled its win total from the previous year, finishing the 2011 campaign with a 31-24 overall record and improving its Big Ten win total from two in 2010 to nine in 2011. Under Allister's guidance, the Gophers also saw a pair of student-atheletes recognized by the conference for outstanding performances in the field in Sara Moulton and Malisa Barnes.
Moulton -- the 2011 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, an All-Great Lakes Region player and an All-Big Ten honoree -- posted a 28-16 overall record in 2011 - the most wins in a season by a Minnesota pitcher and the 12th most regular season wins in the country this year - while also tying the school record and finishing fifth in the NCAA with 14 shutouts this season. The freshman struck out 330 batters- finishing second in the Big Ten and seventh in the nation - and held a 2.06 ERA in 47 appearances in 2011. Meanwhile, Barnes earned All-Big Ten honors after leading Minnesota with a .433 batting average (.423 in conference play) - a figure that tied for third in the Big Ten, 22nd in the country and third on Minnesota's single-season record list. Barnes also held a .569 overall on-base percentage (.600 in conference play) and ranked third in the Big Ten and seventh in the nation. Her 49 walks in 2011 crushed Minnesota's previous record of 36.
Academically, Allister's inaugural squad featured seven student-athletes who earned Academic All-Big Ten distinction.
Prior to taking over the reigns at Minnesota, Allister was one of the nation's top softball assistants -- helping three different programs to Super Regional appearances in the past four years with five trips in a six-year stretch. A proven developer of talent, Allister has groomed numerous student-athletes into elite softball players, including 10 NFCA All-Americans, and has consistently helped build nationally ranked programs throughout her career.
The Nacogdoches, Texas native served as an assistant at Oregon in 2010 when she helped coach the Ducks to one of the best seasons in program history, including their first-ever Super Regional berth. While in Eugene, Allister assisted in all aspects of the softball program with an emphasis on hitting, catching and outfielders. Off the field, Allister acted as recruiting and travel coordinator as well as program's primary contact for admissions, compliance and eligibility.
Prior to joining the staff at Oregon, Allister spent three years at her alma mater, Stanford University, where she was an assistant coach on a Cardinal staff that earned honors as the 2009 NFCA West Regional Coaching Staff of the Year. During her tenure in Palo Alto, Allister worked with the Cardinal catchers and coached Rosey Neill to 2008 and 2009 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year honors. In addition to her role working with the team's catchers, Allister also served as Stanford's first base coach and assisted with hitting and recruiting. During her tenure with the team, Stanford earned three-straight NCAA tournament bids and made a pair of Super Regional appearances in 2008 and 2009.
Allister's first coaching position was with Georgia, where she served as an assistant for the 2005 and 2006 seasons. During her stint with the Bulldogs, the team enjoyed two of its most successful seasons ever, earning two NCAA tournament berths and winning the 2005 SEC Championship. That same year, the Bulldogs led the SEC and ranked sixth nationally in batting (.317).
As a player, Allister put together one of Stanford's all-time great careers earning All-America honors as a senior in 2004 and leading the Cardinal to a pair of Women's College World Series appearances (2001, 2004). A three-time All-Pac-10 honoree and a four-year starter, Allister owns Stanford's career records for games played (266) and fielding percentage (.994). She also ranks among the program's top 10 for career hits, doubles, home runs, runs batted in, slugging percentage and putouts. As a final accolade for her college career, Allister was named the 2004 Stanford Conference Female Athlete of the Year.
Allister graduated from Stanford in 2004 with a degree in economics and played professionally as a member of the New England Riptide of the National Pro Fastpitch League in 2004 and 2005.
