Over the summer, Baker University softball underwent a change in coaching staff. Following the 2019 season, former head coach Jamie Stanclift took a position at Wingate University in North Carolina, leaving a large opening to be filled. Head softball coach Dana Goss has taken over the team for the 2020 season. Goss previously held the head coach position at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri and is excited for the transition.

“As a lifelong Kansas City resident, I wanted to be in a place where I can do what I love where I love at the highest level possible. So, when this opportunity became open to me, I knew it was something that I had to look at because I do want to be able to go all the way with my program and I want to make sure that I have the resources and the support to do so and this definitely felt like a place that makes that possible,” Goss said.

Coming off of a widely successful 2019 season, the Wildcats are searching for yet another opportunity to compete at the national level. After former starting pitcher Olivia Brees graduated she left hefty shoes to fill, which Goss believes can be done with the amount of talent present on the team.

“The goal is to maximize on whatever talent we do have and I believe that will be good enough to get us to that national tournament again. If we can get a shot there, anything can happen, and that is what we are preparing for,” Goss said.

Senior outfielder Riley Swickard is optimistic about the coaching change, looking forward to her final season on the team.

“I am actually really excited that Coach Goss is here. When you have the same coach for three years, they understand your strengths and weaknesses, which is a really big positive and something really helpful, but then they start to get used to the same routines. With a new coach coming in, we have a new routine and she can pinpoint new things that our coaches didn’t catch before and she just brings a lot of new insights,” Swickard said.

Senior infielder Sydney Boaz is also excited for the upcoming season and all of the things that Coach Goss is implementing.

“It has definitely been an adjustment having a new coach coming in, but she brings a lot of things to the table. She is very knowledgeable about everything—breaking down our swings, breaking down our fielding, just really getting us into shape. There’s been lots of running, lots of conditioning, but she is definitely preparing us for what’s to come and looking for a good season,” Boaz said.

One of the biggest changes that Goss is making in the program is attention to detail. Every move matters—from stretching in sync to cleaning equipment after a long practice. This allows for each play to look crisp, concise, and concentrated. For Coach Goss, the little things add up to the big things, creating a promising season for Wildcat softball.