1985 Nebraska Cornhuskers softball team

1985 Nebraska Cornhuskers softball
1985 Nebraska Cornhuskers softball
NCAA Midwest Regional champion; Big 8 tournament champion; Big 8 champion
Women's College World Series, runner-up
Conference	Big Eight Conference
Record	38–11 (11–1 Big 8)
Head coach	Wayne Daigle (2nd season);
Home stadium	NU Softball Complex

1985 Big Eight Conference softball standings
	Conf.				Overall
Team	W		L	PCT	W		L	PCT
Nebraska ‍†‍‡‍^y	38	–	11	.776	11	–	1	.917
Kansas ‍‍‍^y	38	–	17	.691	7	–	5	.583
Missouri ‍‍‍	29	–	23	.558	6	–	6	.500
Iowa State ‍‍‍	35	–	19	.648	6	–	6	.500
Oklahoma State ‍‍‍	30	–	15	.667	6	–	6	.500
Oklahoma ‍‍‍	24	–	18	.571	5	–	7	.417
Kansas State ‍‍‍		–		–	1	–	11	.083

† – Conference champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA tournament

The 1985 Nebraska Cornhuskers softball team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 1985 NCAA Division I softball season. The Cornhuskers were coached by Wayne Daigle, who led his second season. The Huskers finished with a record of 38–11. They competed in the Big Eight Conference, where they finished first with an 11–1 record. They also won the 1985 Big Eight Conference softball tournament.^[1]^[2]

The Cornhuskers were invited to the 1985 NCAA Division I softball tournament, where they swept the NCAA Midwest Regional and then completed a run to the title game of the Women's College World Series where they fell to champion UCLA.^[3]

The Huskers WCWS finish was vacated due to NCAA sanctions over player ineligibility. Nebraska was also ineligible for postseason play in 1986. Coach Daigle resigned after the 1986 season.^[4]^[5]^[6]

Roster

1985 Nebraska Cornhuskers roster^[7]^[1]

Pitchers

15 - Mori Emmons - Senior
16 - Lori Sippel - Freshman
17 - Donna Deardorff - Freshman

Catchers

13 - Lisa Busby - Senior

Infielders

2 - Shelby Mertins - Junior
3 - Amy Love - Sophomore
5 - Lori Richins - Sophomore
10 - Denise Day - Senior
12 - Ann Schroeder - Senior

Utility

7 - Barbara Sterns - Freshman

Outfielders

1 - Leeanna Miles - Freshman
4 - Stacy Sunny - Sophomore
6 - Wendy Turner - Senior
8 - Paula Brown - Freshman
9 - Peg Richardson - Senior
11 - Heidi Schlabach - Junior
14 - Debbie Ellison - Senior
18 - Ginger Cannon - Sophomore

Schedule

Legend
	Nebraska win
	Nebraska loss
*	Non-Conference game

1985 Nebraska Cornhuskers softball game log^[1]

Regular season


Date	Opponent	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	Big 8 Record
	Wichita State*	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 8–0⁶	1–0
	Illinois State*	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 7–0	2–0
	Texas Tech*	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 4–0	3–0
	Arizona State*	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 2–1	4–0
	Missouri*		L 1–3	4–1
	at Cal State Fullerton*	Anderson Family Field • Fullerton, CA	L 0–2	4–2
	Utah*		L 0–3	4–3
	at Cal State Northridge*	Northridge, CA	W 3–0	5–3
	at Cal State Northridge*	Northridge, CA	L 0–1⁸	5–4
	San Diego State*		W 1–0	6–4
	Fresno State*		W 2–0⁹	7–4
	at Cal State Fullerton*	Anderson Family Field • Fullerton, CA	L 0–6	7–5
	Pacific*		L 0–1	7–6
	at Chapman*	Orange, CA	W 6–1	8–6
	at Chapman*	Orange, CA	W 5–0	9–6
	UNLV*		W 4–3	10–6
	UC Riverside*		W 12–0	11–6
	UNLV		W 6–1	12–6
	Creighton*	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 3–0	13–6
	Creighton*	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 6–1	14–6
Apr 6	at Kansas	Lawrence, KS	L 0–1	14–7	0–1
Apr 6	vs Kansas State	Lawrence, KS	W 8–0⁵	15–7	1–1
Apr 7	vs Kansas	Manhattan, KS	W 4–2⁹	16–7	2–1
Apr 7	at Kansas State	Manhattan, KS	W 1–0	17–7	3–1
	Colorado State*	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 10–0	18–7
	Colorado State*	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 3–0	19–7
	Oklahoma State	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 3–0	20–7	4–1
	Missouri	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 5–2	21–7	5–1
	Oklahoma State	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 1–0⁸	22–7	6–1
	Missouri	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 5–2	23–7	7–1
	at Creighton	Omaha, NE	W 7–0	24–7
	at Creighton	Omaha, NE	L 3–5	24–8
Apr 20	vs Oklahoma	Ames, IA	W 2–1⁹	25–8	8–1
Apr 20	at Iowa State	Ames, IA	W 4–3	26–8	9–1
Apr 21	vs Oklahoma	Ames, IA	W 8–4	27–8	10–1
Apr 21	at Iowa State	Ames, IA	W 4–0	28–8	11–1
	Kearney State*	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 1–0	29–8
	Kearney State*	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 8–0	30–8

Postseason

Big Eight Tournament
Date	Opponent	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	Big 8 T record
May 4	Missouri	Reaves Park • Norman, OK	W 6–1	31–8	1–0
May 5	Kansas	Reaves Park • Norman, OK	W 3–0	32–8	2–0
May 6	Kansas	Reaves Park • Norman, OK	W 4–2	33–8	3–0

NCAA Midwest Regional
Date	Opponent	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	NCAAT record
May 16	Kansas	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	L 1–4	33–9	0–1
May 17	Kansas	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 6–1	34–9	1–1
May 17	Kansas	NU Softball Complex • Lincoln, NE	W 2–0	35–9	2–1

NCAA Women's College World Series
Date	Opponent	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	WCWS Record
May 23	Louisiana Tech	Seymour Smith Park • Omaha, NE	W 6–0	36–9	1–0
May 24	Cal Poly Pomona	Seymour Smith Park • Omaha, NE	W 2–0	37–9	2–0
May 25	Cal State Fullerton	Seymour Smith Park • Omaha, NE	W 5–1	38–9	3–0
May 26	UCLA	Seymour Smith Park • Omaha, NE	L 0–3	38–10	3–1
May 26	UCLA	Seymour Smith Park • Omaha, NE	L 1–2⁹	38–11	3–2

References

1 2 3 2025 Nebraska Softball Media Guide (PDF). Nebraska Cornhuskers. p. 67. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
↑ "NU Wins League Softball Title". The Oklahoman. May 6, 1985. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
↑ John Weyler (May 27, 1985). "NCAA Softball : UCLA Wins Title, Beating Fullerton, Then Nebraska". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
↑ "University of Nebraska softball team disqualified from NCAA playoffs". Los Angeles Times. May 21, 1986. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
↑ "1985 NCAA Women's College World Series". Softball History USA. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
↑ Christian Horn (April 11, 2018). "NU softball historically more successful than NU baseball". Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
↑ "1985 Softball Roster". Nebraska Cornhuskers. Retrieved January 16, 2026.

[media-1] 1 2 3 2025 Nebraska Softball Media Guide (PDF). Nebraska Cornhuskers. p. 67. Retrieved January 15, 2026.

[2] "NU Wins League Softball Title". The Oklahoman. May 6, 1985. Retrieved January 15, 2026.

[3] John Weyler (May 27, 1985). "NCAA Softball : UCLA Wins Title, Beating Fullerton, Then Nebraska". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 15, 2026.

[4] "University of Nebraska softball team disqualified from NCAA playoffs". Los Angeles Times. May 21, 1986. Retrieved March 31, 2022.

[5] "1985 NCAA Women's College World Series". Softball History USA. Retrieved January 15, 2026.

[6] Christian Horn (April 11, 2018). "NU softball historically more successful than NU baseball". Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved January 15, 2026.

[7] "1985 Softball Roster". Nebraska Cornhuskers. Retrieved January 16, 2026.

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Nebraska Cornhuskers softball
Venues	Ballard Ballfield (1977–1982) NU Softball Complex (1983–2001) Bowlin Stadium (2002–Present)
Head coaches	Don Isherwood (1977–1980) Nancy Plantz (1981–1983) Wayne Daigle (1984–1986) Ron Wolforth (1987–1992) Rhonda Revelle (1993–present)
Seasons	1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Women's College World Series appearances in italics