The  No. 18 WashU softball team dominated against The University of Chicago, winning all three games against the Maroons on March 28 and 29. The Bears are now 18-5 for the year and 5-1 in the University Athletic Association (UAA). 

WashU played a series of doubleheaders over the break, starting with the University of Wisconsin–Stout on March 8 and winning both games at the WashU Softball Field. The Bears then flew to California to play games on March 11 against Occidental College and won. Then, on March 14, there was another set of games against the No. 9 University of Redlands, where the Bears won one out of the two games. Entering the weekend on March 15, WashU played University of La Verne, winning one of the two games. The Bears won their final doubleheader series on March 16 against Whittier College to end the Spring Break schedule.

The WashU softball team split its second weekend of play, losing 4-3 and winning 5-3 against No.11 Central College and falling 3-1 to No. 20 Calvin University on Feb. 28 and Mar 1. 

The WashU softball team opened its season with four consecutive wins on Feb. 22 and 23, including three mercy-rule victories. The Bears defeated St. Catherine University 9-0 and 9-3, then defeated Coe College 10-2 and 12-0.

WashU is proposing to relocate its baseball, softball, intramural, and club sports facilities to the land it is leasing from Concordia Seminary, as part of an effort to expand and modernize its athletic facilities. However, the plans are facing scrutiny from Clayton residents, who worry that the new facilities will create too much noise and traffic. 

Women’s track and field took home their seventh straight conference crown, while the other teams all finished in the top four of the conference, with many setting themselves up well for the NCAA championships in the coming weeks.

The win was one of three that the Bears secured over the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Tartans across their two doubleheaders from April 20-21, leaving the Bears one game behind conference leaders Case Western Reserve University, with one week remaining in the regular season.

“The Case weekend is definitely the series we always have circled on our calendar. They’re definitely our biggest in-conference rivals. We were coming back this year with a big chip on our shoulder, a little bit of vengeance.”

Student Life sat down with Brooks to discuss her life outside of softball, how Division III softball compares to growing up playing competitively in Florida, and how she stays calm under pressure on the mound.

Here’s everything you need to know about Bears’ athletics from the week of April 8-14.