'Dogs open 2022 in Florida

Friday, February 11

Orlando, FL

8 AM PT

Fresno State

Longwood University

'Dogs open 2022 in Florida

2/10/2022 5:58:00 PM | Softball

Fresno State Notes

By: Taylor Martinez / Strategic Communications

THE TOURNAMENT
FEB. 11 vs. Longwood| 8 A.M PT
              Series History: None
Feb. 12 vs. No. 12 Georgia | 6 A.M. PT
                Series History: FS leads 2-0 | Streak: FS W2 | Last: FS 1-0 (2003)
              vs. UCF | 11 A.M. PT
                    Series History: None
Feb. 13 vs. Minnesota | 6:30 A.M. PT
Series History: FS leads 12-3 | Streak: UM W1 | UM 6-3 (2021)
Live Stats: (HERE)

THE BONES:
• Fresno State Athletics is celebrating its centennial year.
• Fresno State brings back nine players, and adds 11 newcomers.
• The Bulldogs add nine Division I transfers.
• 15 Bulldogs on the 2022 roster were experienced postseason play in 2022.
• May-Johnson enters her first season at the helm of the program after being named the head coach on July 6, 2021.
• Fresno State is the reigning MW Champions, after finishing the 2021 season with a 20-4 MW record to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
• The Bulldogs look to make their 35th postseason appearance in program history.
• Minnesota knocked Fresno State out of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
• Fresno State wil face Longwood and UCF for the first time in program history.
• The Bulldogs haven't beat a ranked team since No. 3 Texas in 2020.

BIG BATS BACK
Fresno State brings back nine players including its big bats in Keahilele Mattson, Adrianna Noriega and Vanessa M. Hernandez.

Mattson was named the MW Player of the Year, MW Co-Freshman of the Year, an All-MW First Team selection and a NFCA All-Region honoree during her first season with the Bulldogs in 2021. She became the first player in MW history to be named both the MW Player of the Year and Co-Freshman of the Year.

The Alta Loma, Native became the backbone of the Bulldogs' offense leading the team in batting average (.358), hits (49), doubles (10), home runs (12), slugging percentage (.737) and RBIs (41). Mattson's 2021 slugging percentage ranks No. 6 in the program's record book.

Noriega, an All-MW selection, and Hernandez, a NFCA All-Region selection, also bring back depth to the Bulldogs' lineup.

NEW FACES
Fresno State revamps its roster with 11 newcomers.

May-Johnson added eight Division I transfers in Alana Cobb-Adams (Southern Illinois), Emery Nielson (Utah Valley), Casey Dixon (Louisiana), Abby Doughty (Utah Valley), Alyssa Orr (Iowa State), Bailey Williams (Texas), Marley Hanlon (UIC) and Kacey Hvitved (Ole Miss).

The 'Dogs also add three freshmen in Alex Wright, Taryn Irigoyen and Haley Painter.

'DOGS PICKED TO FINISH THIRD
The Fresno State softball team was selected to finish third in the 2022 Mountain West Preseason Poll, voted on by the league's nine head coaches, announced Thursday afternoon. The Bulldogs received 43 points and one first place vote in the poll.

The 'Dogs will open MW play March 18-20 at Boise State. Fresno State will host San Diego State (March 25-27), Utah State (April 8-10), Colorado State (April 22-24) and UNLV (May 12-14) at Margie Wright Diamond.

MAY-JOHNSON ERA BEGINS
Stacy May-Johnson has been named the fifth head coach in Fresno State softball history, Director of Athletics Terry Tumey announced Friday. May-Johnson spent the last two seasons as the head coach at Utah Valley University. Her coaching career also includes stops at Eastern Kentucky, Purdue University, the University of Louisville, and the University of Iowa.

In her two seasons as head coach at Utah Valley, May-Johnson accumulated an overall winning percentage of .507, compared to an average program winning percentage of just .322 in the five seasons prior to her arrival. The 24 wins the Wolverines racked up in 2021 were the programs most since 2013.

Prior to her time in Orem, she served as the associate head coach at Eastern Kentucky for two seasons (2018, 2019). During her stint as the associate head coach at EKU, the Colonels garnered 80 wins over the two seasons that May-Johnson was on staff under long-time EKU head coach Jane Worthington. The Colonels won a 2018 Ohio Valley Conference championship after winning a school-record 45 games. Eastern Kentucky touted a third-team All-American, five All-Region selections and 10 All-Ohio Valley Conference picks during her time in Richmond.

As a player, May-Johnson was a standout infielder for the Hawkeyes and a three-time All-Big Ten selection.

May-Johnson played professionally for the Chicago Bandits of the NPF (National Pro Fastpitch).

She spent five years in the NPF and was a two-time NPF MVP with the Bandits. She was also the 2006 NPF Rookie of the Year, a three-time All-Star and led the Bandits to two championships. May-Johnson is one of just six players to have her number retired with Chicago. She led the NPF in home runs, hits and runs scored in each of her MVP campaigns in 2008 and 2010.

While she spent her summers playing professionally, May-Johnson began her coaching career as a student assistant at Iowa in 2007. She went on to become a volunteer assistant at Louisville from 2008-10 before she returned to her alma mater from 2011-14, when she helped the Hawkeyes produce two All-Region and 10 All-Big Ten selections.

May-Johnson would return to Louisville in 2015 and help lead the Cardinals to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including a second-place finish in the ACC in 2016. Louisville collected two All-Region and seven All-ACC honorees while she was on staff. She spent the 2017 season at Big Ten Purdue.

The Reno, Nev. native comes to the Valley with international experience under her belt. As a member of the women's national team, May-Johnson helped Team USA win a gold medal at the Pan American Games, a World Cup of Softball Championship, and a silver medal at the Canadian Open Fast Pitch International Championship in 2011. She was named the 2011 USA Softball Female Athlete of the Year.

"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please visit bulldogfoundation.org.

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