It’s been four seasons since the heady days of Park playing in three straight state softball tournaments in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

The last two seasons have been mostly average compared to those glory days. The Wolfpack has gone 25-23 the last two seasons with a pair of fifth-place Suburban East Conference finishes and a 5-4 record in the section tournaments.

But this year’s team is a talented and extremely veteran club. The Wolfpack only lost one senior off last year’s team, pitcher Gracie Bond. Everybody else returns.

Where they will all line up is still to be determined. But it’s a talented, versatile bunch which will play softball for the Wolfpack this season.

Returning for the Wolfpack this season are senior second baseman Edie Walton, sophomore infielder/outfielder Lauren Osland, senior infielder/outfielder Emma Ambroz, junior infielder Briana Lee, senior pitcher/shortstop Skyler Croker, senior third baseman Riley Rasmussen, senior first baseman Autumn Degler, senior catcher Bryleigh Dana, junior third baseman/catcher Grace Conaway, senior outfielders Juliana Field, Peyton Kaplan and Noelle Krumrie and ninth grader pitcher/second baseman/catcher Grace Conaway, senior outfielders Juliana Field, Peyton Kaplan and Noelle Krumrie and ninth grader pitcher/second baseman Ava Youngquist.

Crocker and Ava Youngquist will likely draw most of the pitching starts, said head coach Bob Loshek, now in his 14^th season of directing the Wolfpack. The pitching is unproven as graduated senior Bond got 90 percent of the starts last season. Other players will likely also see some mound time. A tough call for Loshek will be whether to go with Crocker on the mound or let her anchor the defense from her shortstop position.

“We’ve got a nice rotation,” said Loshek. “We’ve got pitchers that can pitch. It should be a fun year with so many seniors who have been on the varsity since the Covid years. It’s been Fun to watch them grow. It’s amazing how quick it goes.”

Four members of this year’s team have signed letters of intent to play college softball: Krumrie and Ambroz at the University of Minnesota – Duluth, Crocker at Loyola University and Dana at Concordia University – St. Paul.

Krumrie was an all-conference and all-section pick in centerfield as a junior. A five-time letter winner, Ambroz has been named to the all-conference team twice and all section once. Crocker is a four-year letterwinner and was named all-conference as a sophomore and junior. She was a section all-tournament selection and voted the team’s MVO last season. Dana earned all-conference honors twice and all-section last season as the Park catcher.

Park was 12-11 last season and finished fifth in the Suburban East Conference with a 10-8 record.

Loshek sees team strengths as senior leadership, team chemistry and team culture among others.

“A strength will be the togetherness, the unity, the team chemistry,” Loshek said. “The seniors will lead. Emma Ambroz and Skyler Crocker have been around since the seventh and eighth grade, respectively. If we compete and play hard, and have fun doing it, that’s an amazing season.

“Our culture is amazing,” Loshek said. “I think we’ll see some spectacular results in the end. I think our pitchers will be good