The University of Michigan softball community held its collective breath the evening of Oct. 1 when sophomore center fielder Bree Evans was carted off Alumni Field on a stretcher. Evans was transported to University of Michigan Hospital via ambulance after a head-on collision at home plate during an exhibition game with Michigan State.

Evans was released from the hospital two weeks ago, according to Michigan sports information director Leah Howard. Howard declined to comment on details of Evans’ injury.

Evans, a sophomore from Bloomington, Calif., started 59 games as a freshman, hit .319 with eight doubles, two triples and 25 RBI, 16 stolen bases and was an All-Big Ten second team selection. Before her injury, Evans was hitting .545 (6-for-11) in fall ball.

“There’s nobody that makes an offense go more than Bree,” Michigan coach Carol Hutchins recently told MGoBlue.com. “She is the ultimate and consummate table-setter. You do look at your kids when they come back, because you want to see that they’re better. Bree was one of people on the team that I really felt came back better in all aspects. She was a little bit faster, she had more confidence, and she had that moxie that she lacked a little bit as a freshman. So, I’ve really got my fingers crossed that we’ll get her back for this year. If we don’t, we’re going to need someone to step it up.”

Speaking of the exhibition season, Hutchins also told MGoBlue, “this fall was just filled with a lot of pit holes and injuries, but we’ve dealt with them. The kids don’t seem too fazed by it. They haven’t before faced the kind of adversity they’ve faced this fall.”

OTHER NOTES:

• Greenhills grad Katie Couyoumjian scored the game-winning goal in Denison field hockey’s 2-1 victory over Centre College on Oct. 16.
• Chelsea grad Maggie Dusbiber, had 16 assists and seven digs as Albion College swept Olivet 3-0 in volleyball on Saturday. Dusbiber, a senior outside hitter/setter, leads the Britons in assists with 447.
• The Concordia University volleyball team broke its 11-game losing streak on October 13, defeating UM-Dearborn 3-0 to qualify for the sixth and final playoff spot in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference. Local grads Rachel Compton (Whitmore Lake), Brittany Shields (Saline), and Hannah Shiff (Pioneer) are all members of the team.
• Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard grad Kristen Goncalves, a sophomore defender on the University of Michigan women’s soccer team, had a strong performance in the Wolverines’ scoreless tie with No. 22 ranked Indiana on Oct. 18, breaking up a Hoosier scoring opportunity late in the second half. Goncalves also played strong in a scoreless tie against Wisconsin on Sunday.
• Huron grad Ali Oatley scored two goals, as the Albion College women’s soccer team defeated Saint Mary’s College 3-0 on Oct. 17. Oatley, a senior, also scored in a 3-0 win over Olivet last Tuesday. Oatley leads the Britons in points with seven goals and three assists, and with 45 career goals, is three shy of the Albion’s all-time record.
• Huron grad Kit Masini had an assist in the Brown University field hockey team’s 7-3 loss to Cornell on Saturday and scored her sixth goal of the season in the Bears’ 4-2 win over Holy Cross on Tuesday.
• The Dennison University men’s swimming and diving team opened its season by winning the North Coast Athletic Conference Relays on Saturday. Huron grad Dan Thurston was a member of the first place 400-yard individual medley relay team.
• The University of Texas women’s swim team came in second place at the season opening Big 12 Relays. Pioneer grad Carlye Ellis helped the Longhorns win the 300- and 150-yard breaststroke relays.
• Pioneer grad Emma Steppe finished fifth overall as the University of Miami women’s cross country team won the inaugural Florida Golf Coast University Invitational on Friday.
• Pioneer grad Jason Hass won the 100- and 200-yard butterfly as the University of Miami (Ohio) men’s swim team defeated Xavier in its home opener on Saturday.
• The University of Michigan women’s swim team won its home opener in a tri-meet with Toledo and the University of Toronto on Friday. Pioneer grad and 11-time NCAA All-American Margaret Kelley won the 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley. She also was a member of the first-place 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle relay teams.

If you have information to share on other local athletes who have gone on to participate in college athletics, please send an e-mail to petercunningham@annarbor.com, or call 734-623-2561. Follow Pete Cunningham on Twitter @petcunningham.