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39 M allory Kilian has not had a typical senior season. But even with a new coaching staff, an influx of young talent, and a new team culture, Kilian hasn't missed a beat. It's common for players to have "things" figured out by their fourth year, but there has been a lot of moving parts for Kilian, who is embracing the changes stemming from the hiring of head coach Renee Gillispie in June. "I've had an open mind to everything," Kilian said. "Right away, the coaching staff reached out to us, which was helpful, so I got to know them through a couple conversations and they explained what they wanted from us." e Fort Dodge, Iowa, native is one of two seniors on the team and takes a lead-by-example approach to guiding these young Hawkeyes. "I am embracing my senior year as much as I can," Kilian said. "I am probably more of a visual leader — a leader by example and I am doing the best I can in that aspect. ere are a lot of ups and downs in the season. If I can help the freshmen out — because there will be some struggles — and show that I can bounce back, then they will know they can as well." At the plate, Kilian is as solid as ever. She is second on the team with a .289 batting average aer two weekends of Big Ten play. At the USF Series on March 1-3 in Clearwater, Florida, Kilian batted .438 with four doubles, a triple, and a home run. "Hitting has never been too mechanical for me, so I keep myself loose in that respect, but fielding I have taken in a lot of what (the coaches) have had to say going back to third base, which is a position I haven't played in a while," Kilian said. Kilian returned to third base in 2019 aer playing first base most of last season. She played third during her freshman and sophomore seasons. Along with being paired with a new shortstop, freshman Sydney Owens, the two have solidified their chemistry on the le side of the infield. "We have done a good job communicating and that makes me feel more comfortable being on that side," Kilian said. "e comradery on the field has done a nice job of making me feel more comfortable and helping lead this team." Even in her senior season, Kilian isn't afraid to continue being a student of the game as she learns new perspectives from an overhauled coaching staff. "It's cool because with this staff, they might see things differently, whether it is my hitting or fielding, that I could incorporate and continue to learn," Kilian said. APRIL SCHEDULE April 5-7 at Wisconsin April 10 Iowa State April 12-14 Illinois April 17 at Drake April 19-21 at Rutgers April 24 Nebraska (DH) April 26-28 at Minnesota April 30 at Northern Iowa