When Vann Stuedemantook over Mississippi State’s softball program in June, she was immediately faced with the on-field challenges typical of a program that had just let its coach go.
The Bulldogs have not been in the postseason since 2009, the team ERA last season was the highest in school history and Stuedeman also had to look for replacements for key graduating seniors.
However, just as important as changing the performance on the field was changing the perception off the diamond. This is an area Stuedeman has thrived in, overhauling the team’s attitude in just over six months of offseason work.
“The girls are really enjoying what they’re doing … They’re having a lot of fun, which makes the atmosphere a lot more positive.” Stuedeman said. “One of our big goals is to have a lot of positive energy. Shanna Sherrod, I think she said to somebody in the fall that she feels like a little kid playing a sport again. They’ve just been having a good time.”
 
After the program appeared stagnant in the final two seasons of the Jay Miller era, sophomore Sam Lenahan said she has noticed the attitude changes under the new coaching staff.
“Our attitude is the complete opposite of what it was last year,” she said. “A lot of it has to do with the coaching staff and their attitude towards everything. Everyone is excited all the time, even when people may not seem like they want to be there.”
Part of the change in attitude has been instilling confidence in a program that has never advanced beyond the NCAA regional in postseason play. With a modest stadium by SEC standards, MSU has struggled to keep up with the heavyweights of the SEC but has been consistent in the past decade, earning seven regional berths.
Stuedeman, however, is not used to settling for just making the postseason. As a pitching coach at Alabama, she helped six Crimson Tide teams reach the Women’s College World Series. The hire of Stuedeman draws many parallels to MSU’s hire of head football coach Dan Mullen, a young, energetic coach from a championship-caliber program.
Joining Stuedeman as a volunteer assistant is Kelsi Dunne, who was a four-time All-American pitcher at Alabama under Stuedeman’s guidance. Stuedeman said surrounding the team with people who have played at or coached at the highest level of softball is key for MSU.
“(Making the Women’s College World Series) is an experience that we will be able to share with the players and they will buy into our process for how to get there because they know we’ve been there … I definitely believe having folks involved in the program that have been there is vital,” she said.
As what appears to be a high-energy offseason draws to a close for the MSU softball team, attention shifts to the on-field matchups, starting with South Alabama Thursday. Among the key returning players for the Bulldogs are senior Ka’ili Smith, nicknamed the “Hawaiian Hammer,” and Lenahan, who hit .285 in 2011 and belted eight homeruns. Smith said she is hoping to take on more of a leadership role in her final season.
Leading the pitching staff will be junior Stephanie Becker, who posted a 7-11 record last season and a 4.11 ERA. Becker said she is making the most of being able to learn from Stuedeman and Dunne.
“They’re both very knowledgable and great role models to look at,” she said. “Kelsi had an awesome career and it’s great to just see everything she’s learned and how she can pass it along to us. Hopefully, we can get to what they’ve accomplished.”
Stuedeman has not been afraid to think outside the box to get her team motivated for the upcoming season. Brian Cain, a sports psychologist and motivational speaker, spoke to the team and had the players complete some interesting tasks, including swallowing fire and breaking wooden boards with their heads.
“We had one kid, Courtney Vanlandingham, who said she couldn’t do it, but she overcame it and did it in the very end,” Stuedeman said. “She feels so great about that. It’s an obstacle she didn’t think she could do. On the field, if she comes into an obstacle she knows she can get through it.”
The team appears convinced they can make a long run in the season ahead, even in the historically-tough SEC. A deep NCAA tournament run would be a new plateau for this program, but then again, so is eating fire.