OMAHA – Creighton softball head coach Krista Wood announced the addition of a pair of transfers – Kaelan Schultz and Kenzie Schopfer – for the upcoming season. Schultz heads to Omaha after redshirting last season at South Dakota State, while Schopfer joins the program after playing two seasons at Wichita State.
“We are excited to bring Kaelan back to her home state of Nebraska,” said Wood. “She has a good bat with some pop that will help us continue to grow our offense. We are eager to watch the impact Kaelan will have on our program.”
Schultz, and Extra Innings Softball Class of 2022 Top-40 recruit, returns to her home state, where she was a four-time Lincoln Journal Star Super State First Team honoree at Hastings Senior High. Schultz ended her prep career setting a new Nebraska High School state record with 65 career home runs. She also recorded a Class B state record 213 career RBI and a .517 career batting average, while guiding the Tigers to a Class B state championship as a freshman and back-to-back Class B State Runner-Up finishes as a junior and senior.
As a senior, Schultz was named the Hastings Tribland Softball Player of the Year after hitting .596 with 66 runs score and 65 RBI, while nearly setting the Class B state single-season record with 22 home runs. Her impressive numbers on the field helped her earn Grand Island Independent Super Squad First Team and Honorary Regional Team Captain acclaim.
Schultz played club softball for Nebraska Gold Singleton under the direction of Beth Singelton. With Nebraska Gold, Schultz helped lead her team to a PGF National Championship in 2021.
Off the field, Schultz excelled on the track and in the classroom. She earned GNAC Academic All-Conference honors in softball as a junior and senior, while earning Academic All-State recognition as a senior in track.
Schopfer, a Savannah, Mo. native, spent the past two seasons at Wichita State, where she helped guide the Shockers to a 78-30 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances. Over the course of two seasons, Schopfer appeared in 14 games, posting a 2-0 record with 27 strikeouts. She was twice named an Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete, while earning a spot on the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team as a freshman.
“Kenzie is a great addition to our pitching staff, bring experience and a different look in the circle,” said Wood. “Her competitiveness, leadership and mound presence will fit into the atmosphere and culture we are building here at Creighton.”
Prior to her time with Wichita State, Schopfer was a four-year letter winner at Savannah High School, where she led the Savages to a state runner-up finish as a senior and a third-place finish as a junior. Schopfer was named First Team All-State as a pitcher following her senior season after posting a 16-2 record with a 0.89 ERA and 206 strikeouts in 104 innings. She also earned First Team All-State honors, as well as all-district and all-region accolades as a junior, after recording 266 strikeouts and posting a 0.61 ERA.
Schopfer played club softball for the Aces Fastpitch under the direction of Ryan Taylor. In the classroom, Schopfer was named to the Missouri Academic All-State team as a sophomore, junior and senior.
Schultz and Schopfer will join Aiyana Curry, Erika Kanetzky, Kenzie Nakasawa, Brooklyn Patchen, Ashten Pierson, Sydney Potter and Brooke Shifflett on the field next season.
Creighton Softball Adds Pair of Transfers for Upcoming Season
