Milligan Softball 2024 Visual Preview

2023 AT A GLANCE

21-14 (16-12 AAC, 8th)

  • Milligan earned the final spot in the AAC Tournament.
  • The Buffs posted a 13-3 record at Anglin Field and were never swept at home.
  • Milligan defeated top-four finishers #18 Tennessee Wesleyan and (RV) Truett McConnell during conference play.
Katie Cronin graduated in 2023 as Milligan's career leader in batting average (.456) and repeated as a CSC Academic All-American and All-AAC First Team selection.

20233 Leaders

Batting Average:

  • Grace Jones: .463
  • Katie Cronin: .456
  • Maggie Johnson: .409
  • Kate Pendleton: .352
  • Bailey Cantrell: .340

Runs Batted In:

  • Kate Pendleton: 25
  • Grace Jones: 23
  • Bailey Cantrell: 22
  • Katie Cronin: 17
  • Hanna Taylor: 16

Innings Pitched:

  • Erin Forgety: 127.0
  • Kate Pendleton: 60.2
  • Allee Griffith: 14.2
  • Bree Presnell: 9.0
  • Sadie Shoun: 7.0

Earned Run Average:

  • Erin Forgety: 2.43
  • Allee Griffith: 2.86
  • Kate Pendleton: 4.50

HEAD COACH WES HOLLY

Coach Wes Holly enters his 36th season as the head coach of Milligan softball.

He is the third-winningest active coach in the NAIA and has led the Buffs to the NAIA national tournament three times in the last eight seasons.

2024 STORYLINES

  • Young Buffs - Milligan graduated seven everyday players from last year's lineup.
  • Chase for 1,000 - Coach Holly enters the season with 979 career victories.
  • In the Circle - Milligan will break in two new starting pitchers in 2024.

KEY RETURNERS

Maggie Johnson

  • Senior outfielder Maggie Johnson emerged as Milligan's everyday center fielder in her first season with the Buffs.
Johnson ranked ninth in the AAC with a .409 batting average and was eighth with a .475 on-base percentage.

Laney Loyd

  • Senior catcher Layney Loyd did not make an error behind the plate in 2023.
Loyd ranked third on the roster with six doubles last spring.

2024 SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE NOTES

  • Milligan earned an invitation to the NAIA Leadoff Classic in Georgia Feb. 16-18.
  • The Buffs play a 28-game conference schedule with doubleheaders against the other 14 teams in the league.
  • The top eight teams qualify for the AAC Tournament, which will take place April 30-May 3 at the Brickyard Ball Fields in Kingsport.