Central Michigan University Athletics
First-year CMU softball coach McCall Salmon talks to her players on Monday in the turf bay at the Indoor Athletic Complex.
Photo by: Allissa Rusco
CMU Softball: New Era Begins
1/14/2020 10:45:00 AM | Softball
Salmon's Chippewas hit the turf in preparation for Feb. 14 opener
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – New season, new era.
The McCall Salmon era of Central Michigan softball got underway on Monday with the Chippewas' first practice of 2020 in the turf bay at the CMU Indoor Athletic Complex.
"We haven't seen them or practiced in six weeks, so it's just exciting to get back out here and get everyone rolling on the same page again," Salmon said. "We always talk about effort and energy and I think both of them were there today. That's really the biggest thing I can ask for coming off winter break and them being ready to hit the ground running."
Salmon was named in June to head the program, succeeding legendary Margo Jonker who, in an unprecedented four decades in charge of the program, built CMU into a perennial Mid-American Conference contender while taking her place among the giants of the game.
Monday marked the first time in 2020 that Salmon and her coaching staff – former CMU player Brittini Merchant along with former Michigan standout Sara Driesenga comprise Salmon's staff — had their student-athletes together in a team setting.
The Chippewas went through their customary fall ball schedule that included a number of exhibition games. With the new semester and the flipping of the calendar comes the symbolic turn to the 2020 season as the Chippewas count the days to their season-opening trip to Clermont, Fla., where they will play five games in three days.
"I feel like we can get everything done in here that we need to to prepare ourselves," Salmon said. "Our goal is to get 1 percent better every day. That first game will be here before we know it."
The Chippewas finished 22-28-1 last season, 11-9-1 in the Mid-American Conference. The Chippewas will make three southern trips, two to Florida and one to Georgia, before opening MAC play at Akron with a doubleheader on March 21. Their home opener is a nonconference doubleheader with Detroit Mercy scheduled for March 31.
"So much potential," Salmon said. "This team has the ability to do a lot of great things if we put in the work and I think they're ready to do that. I'm excited to see how we'll progress over these next few months."
The McCall Salmon era of Central Michigan softball got underway on Monday with the Chippewas' first practice of 2020 in the turf bay at the CMU Indoor Athletic Complex.
"We haven't seen them or practiced in six weeks, so it's just exciting to get back out here and get everyone rolling on the same page again," Salmon said. "We always talk about effort and energy and I think both of them were there today. That's really the biggest thing I can ask for coming off winter break and them being ready to hit the ground running."
Salmon was named in June to head the program, succeeding legendary Margo Jonker who, in an unprecedented four decades in charge of the program, built CMU into a perennial Mid-American Conference contender while taking her place among the giants of the game.
Monday marked the first time in 2020 that Salmon and her coaching staff – former CMU player Brittini Merchant along with former Michigan standout Sara Driesenga comprise Salmon's staff — had their student-athletes together in a team setting.
The Chippewas went through their customary fall ball schedule that included a number of exhibition games. With the new semester and the flipping of the calendar comes the symbolic turn to the 2020 season as the Chippewas count the days to their season-opening trip to Clermont, Fla., where they will play five games in three days.
"I feel like we can get everything done in here that we need to to prepare ourselves," Salmon said. "Our goal is to get 1 percent better every day. That first game will be here before we know it."
The Chippewas finished 22-28-1 last season, 11-9-1 in the Mid-American Conference. The Chippewas will make three southern trips, two to Florida and one to Georgia, before opening MAC play at Akron with a doubleheader on March 21. Their home opener is a nonconference doubleheader with Detroit Mercy scheduled for March 31.
"So much potential," Salmon said. "This team has the ability to do a lot of great things if we put in the work and I think they're ready to do that. I'm excited to see how we'll progress over these next few months."
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