McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University softball team is set to begin its 2025 season with a series of games in Southern California. The Titans will play six games over three days, starting with a doubleheader against Claremont-Mudd Scripps on Saturday, March 8, at 12 p.m. PT. The following day, they will face Chapman University in another doubleheader starting at the same time. Their trip concludes with a split doubleheader against Case Western Reserve and Bethel University on Monday, March 10.

The team returns several key players from last year's squad that achieved a 31-12 record and won both the regular season and tournament championships of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). Among these returning players are six out of seven All-CCIW awardees from 2024, along with nine new freshmen recruits.

Gianna Certa, who was named CCIW Pitcher of the Year, leads the pitching staff. As a junior, she posted an impressive 19-3 record last year with a 1.22 earned run average and eight shutouts. Caroline Gatchell and Mallory Holland also return to bolster the pitching lineup.

Offensively, five top producers from last season are back. Senior Jen Kuhn and junior Casey Wissmiller were First Team All-CCIW selections last year and are expected to be key contributors again this season. Other notable returnees include senior Ava Khoury, junior Anna Beckman, and sophomore Hailey Milgazo.

Khoury and Wissmiller made history by becoming the first Titans to win Rawlings Gold Gloves last spring. They were part of an Illinois Wesleyan defense that ranked fifth nationally with a .977 fielding percentage.

Illinois Wesleyan holds a historical advantage over their upcoming opponents in California, having never faced Case Western Reserve or Bethel before but maintaining favorable records against Chapman and Claremont-Mudd Scripps.

For those interested in following IWU's progress during their California trip, details can be found on the softball schedule page of iwusports.com.