Grand Island Northwest’s Graclyn Simmons will join the Omaha softball team in 2028, and the coaching staff made Omaha the right place for her.
The junior pitcher announced her commitment to the Mavericks on Tuesday.
“I think they’re just going to keep on improving their program, because they’re doing a great job with it,” Simmons told Hurrdat Sports. “As soon as I got on campus, it just felt like home. I feel like all of the girls always say when you step on campus you’re going to know, and I knew.”
Omaha’s history of winning didn’t hurt either. The Mavericks have won the past two Summit League regular season titles, and they won the Summit League Tournament in 2023, 2024 and 2025 before a runner-up finish last May. Simmons will look to help build on that success when she arrives in 2028.
Prior to making her decision, Simmons talked with coaches about their vision for her as she continues high school, which centered on further growth.
“I think they’re definitely wanting me to be able to step in and help with the program as much as I can,” Simmons said. “They want me to keep working throughout the next couple years so that when I get up there, I’m ready.”
Simmons is working her way back from an injury this fall. The multi-sport athlete tore her right ACL while wrestling on Jan. 13.
“I never had an injury like that, and it’s hard going from on a big high to a big low,” Simmons said. “It was really hard going from being like, ‘Oh gosh, I’m having fun, I’m doing well,’ to being like, ‘I’m out, I’m done.’ So that was really hard for me to work out of.”
She has done so, however, with the help of her family.
“I don’t know what I’d do without them,” Simmons said. “There probably the biggest part of my life. They’re always supporting me, always coming to my games whenever they can, and I just don’t know what I would do without them.”
She hasn’t had to find out, though. They’ve stuck by her side through the good and bad.
Simmons said the first few weeks were the hardest. She spent a week letting the inflammation calm down and going to therapy before undergoing surgery on Jan. 22.
Simmons said it was mentally challenging, but she, along with her mom, set weekly and monthly goals to help.
Graclyn Simmons poses during her Omaha softball visit. Photo courtesy simmonsgraclyn on Instagram.
“It would just be like, ‘OK, get this percent stronger,’ instead of looking at the big picture,” Simmons said. “I think when people start looking at the big picture, like, ‘Oh, I’ve got to be back in this time,’ or, ‘These next months I need to be able to do this,’ I feel like just being able to break it down into just doing a one-legged squat or just being able to do one. I feel like that really helps, making it into little, small goals, then it builds up.”
Simmons put in the work and received the go-ahead to return to softball action in July. She’s still careful when sliding and running bases, however.
She said she has a newfound appreciation for the game after her injury.
“Sometimes people take it for granted, and I know I did,” Simmons said. “I just thought I get to play, whatever. Now, it’s more like, Oh my gosh, I get to go out and I get to pitch today, and I get to hit, and I get to be able to play these games.’ I know there are a lot of people that are injured and they want to be out there, so I feel like knowing what it feels like to not have the game changes a lot what it feels like to be back and be in it.”
The Vikings are off to a strong start this season with Simmons in the circle. They’re 12-1 and ranked second in Class B in the NebPreps Coaches Poll with a new head coach leading the way. Peter Theoharis took over for former head coach Mitch Sadd, who retired after last season. Simmons said the team’s culture has driven the success.
“I think coach Theoharis has done a really great job of getting the girls together during the summer and kind of getting us to know each other and getting us really good relationships so that we feel that on the field,” Simmons said. “Everyone’s going to work their hardest, everyone’s going to put their bodies on the line and do the best they can for each other.”
That’s especially true for Simmons. Offensively, she’s hitting .500 at the plate with one home run, four doubles, three runs scored and 17 RBIs. In the circle, she’s posted a 9-0 record, with a 1.96 ERA. She’s only allowed 26 hits in 50 innings pitched with 89 strikeouts.
“You can always get better and you can always keep working, so I would just say I want to just improve pitching-wise and hitting-wise,” Simmons said of her goals. “I feel like as a team, we’re doing a really good job of getting there.”
The 2025 Class B state champions will look to keep things rolling as Simmons continues to work on her spin rates. She said she feels good, with hopes of being fully healed soon.
“I love our seniors right now, so I’m going to miss them [next year],” Simmons said. “I’m trying to get as much time with them as I can. We have some great senior leaders on our team, and I’m just trying to take it all in.”
