Grizzlies Slot in at No. 14 in NJCAA Preseason Rankings

EL DORADO, Kan. – Butler softball continues its impressive streak of being ranked in NJCAA polls into the 2025 season.

The Grizzlies checked in at No. 14 in the 2025 NJCAA Division 1 Preseason Softball Poll. The Grizzlies have been ranked in the NJCAA top-20 in every poll dating back to April 22, 2015. Butler and Hutchinson (No. 22) are the only two Division 1 Jayhawk Conference schools ranked in the 2025 preseason poll. Indian River State College is the preseason No. 1 pick with McLennan Community College and Temple College rounding out the top-three.

Click here to view the full rankings.

Butler was picked to win the 2025 Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference title by league coaches this season, slightly edging out second place Hutchinson. The Grizzlies have won 14 of the last 17 KJCCC regular season titles including last season when they finished 47-10 and 30-2 in KJCCC play winning the regular season title and earning the No. 1 seed at the Region 6 Tournament. It marked the program's 18th conference title.

Head coach Morgan Bohanan embarks on her third season leading the Grizzlies with assistant coach Megan Johnson also back on staff for her third season and assistant coach Kimber Cortemelia beginning her second season with the Grizzlies. Bohanan returns 12 players from last season.

Second baseman Claire Lopez returns to the Grizzlies after a freshman season that ended with her being named an NJCAA All-American, NFCA All-Region honoree and first team All-KJCCC pick. The Olathe Northwest graduate led Butler and the Jayhawk Conference with a .522 average. Her on-base percentage (.596) also led the conference while ranking fifth in the nation. She finished with 72 hits, scored 60 runs and stole 35 bases, third most in the league.

Center fielder Kyrsten Moran returns for the Grizzlies as well after being a first team All-Conference pick following her freshman campaign. She started 48 games for the Grizzlies and led the conference with 50 stolen bases.

Kory Schoenfeld was a second team All-KJCCC honoree who started 53 games, hitting .336 with 48 hits. Her 31 stolen bases were fourth most in the KJCCC. Schoenfeld made an appearance on SportsCenter's Top-10 plays for an impressive catch in left field that landed at No. 3.

Right handed pitcher Chloe Odle was a second team All-KJCCC honoree as a freshman, tossing 94.0 innings (second most on the team) making 22 starts and holding a 15-4 record to go with a 3.05 ERA and 88 strikeouts.

February 8th marks the season opener for Butler as they kick things off in La Junta, Colo., taking on Otero College in a doubleheader. The Grizzlies home opener is Monday, Feb. 24th, when Crowder College visits for a doubleheader. Conference play opens on Feb. 26th when Fort Hays Tech Northwest travels to El Dorado for a doubleheader at East Park.

To view the 2025 roster, click here. To view the 2025 schedule, click here.