Keeping it simple. That’s what Darren Dubsky said is his secret to coaching some of the most talented softball pitchers in the state of Nebraska.
The pitching coach has worked with Nebraska senior and Papillion-La Vasta alumna Jordy Frahm, Nebraska freshman and Gretna product Alexis Jensen, Skutt Catholic alumna and Oklahoma State senior Ruby Meylan and Omaha junior and Omaha Marian grad Maddia Groff among others.
“I wanted to keep it simple, and I wanted to be great at simple instead of maybe teaching them seven pitches and all these different windups,” Dubsky told Hurrdat Sports. “It’s like nope, let’s keep it simple, and let’s be great at simple, and then we’ll go from there, compared to too much at once, and I’m never really great at anything, I’m just good at a few things.”
That strategy has paid off.
In 2026, Frahm and Jensen have guided Nebraska to the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 2013. Meylan led Oklahoma State to the Super Regionals. Dubsky said Frahm, Jensen and Meylan have all surpassed his expectations, starting with Frahm.
“I thought she was pretty good going into college,” Dubsky said. “I thought she would do great things, and she did. I thought Ruby would get into college and do great things, and she did, and Alexis is the same. So I don’t think at 12 years old you’re ever going to sit there and say, ‘This kid’s going to be a great pitcher in college,’ but just following hard work and dedication and lifting, all kids have certainly met and exceeded my expectations.”
In her senior season, Frahm has gone 20-4 in the circle with a 1.14 ERA. She’s earned 12 saves while striking out 234. As a hitter, the Papillion native has a .416 batting average with 59 runs scored, 50 RBIs and 19 home runs.
Dubsky said he saw Frahm’s potential early on.
“I think I started seeing her at 8, and maybe by 9 I knew she was a special talent,” Dubsky said. “She seemed to pay a little bit more attention than the other girls that age. She worked really hard. She did what I asked her to, so I thought that she might be pretty special at that time.”
As a senior, Frahm earned USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. She also became the first player ever to win back-to-back NFCA Player of the Year awards. Additionally, she earned first-team NFCA All-America honors for the fourth time, becoming the 14th player ever to accomplish such a feat. She was also the Big Ten Player and Pitcher of the Year.
Dubsky said he believes Frahm’s work ethic has played a big part in her success.
“I think she is a tremendous athlete, which helps,” Dubsky said. “I have never seen anybody focus as well as her, and the most amazing thing to me is how she just is able to focus. The harder things get, the better she is at it, and I think that that’s probably the main thing. She’s got really good stuff on the ball, but she is a tremendous competitor, and that’s hard to teach.”
Jensen backs up Frahm, giving the Huskers a fierce one-two homegrown punch in the circle. During her first collegiate campaign, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year put together a 25-2 record with a 2.39 ERA and 217 strikeouts. Offensively, Jensen is batting .319 with 17 RBIs, six home runs and four doubles. She also earned third-team All-America honors from the NFCA.
Dubsky said he noticed Jensen’s talent when she was 12.
“Alexis was always a good lesson, she wasn’t any different than the other ones,” Dubsky said. “She’s willing to work hard, willing to listen. There are just certain people that just care about it deep, deep, deep inside, and she was one of those kids. Maybe Alexis Jensen was the most caring about the sport.”
Meylan posted one of the best years in Cowgirl history. The senior went 29-9 in the circle with a 2.43 ERA. She played in 45 games with 32 starts. The 6-foot pitcher walked 57 while striking out 220. Her career came to an end against the Huskers in the Lincoln Super Regional.
“It’s been very cool to see the elite level of pitchers to come out of our state,” Meylan said ahead of her matchup with Frahm, Jensen and the rest of the Huskers. “I think we all credit that to Darren Dubsky, Jordy, Alexis and my pitching coach growing up. We’re still all, I think, very close with him. He’s kind of under the radar, developed these elite pitchers throughout our game. People are like where are these kids coming from? It’s him.”
Dubsky has given a lot to pitchers in his 15 years of coaching but said watching their work off the field has been the most gratifying part.
“I know Jordy, around here, all the girls love her because she’s just a great softball person, and she cares about everybody,” Dubsky said. “Ruby being at Oklahoma State, Husker alumni, her dad and grandpa. She comes back and they all do clinics, and they treat the kids so well. It’s just really paying it forward. Alexis is the same way. If you ever watched her help kids, you’re just sitting there going, ‘That’s exactly what I want.’
“You kind of would like a kid to look back as an instructor, as a teacher, and say, ‘That person, that man, or that woman really helped me in life.’ So it’s not just about softball, it’s about life skills and growing and being able to handle the feed and being able to handle good and bad.”
Frahm and Jensen will continue to show what they’ve learned from Dubsky as the fourth-seeded Huskers take on No. 5 Arkansas in the first round of the Women’s College World Series Thursday. First pitch is set for 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2 and the Huskers Radio Network.
