Tyler Gunelson is in his second season leading the Barton Softball program.

Gunelson was hired and inheriting the squad in early Fall with just two returning sophomores, guiding the Cougars to a fourth place 14-14 conference mark and first round Region VI Tournament victory before winding up the season at 18-25 overall.

Two Cougars earned post-season KJCCC Division I awards as Kat Frakes, one of the two returning sophomores, was selected for the second team after the Topeka native led the Cougars with a program fifth best single season effort of a .439 average and team leading twenty doubles to also land on the program’s 5th best single season spot. Transfer and red-shirt freshman Morgan Michaelis earned Barton’s second award with an honorable mention selection as the Lyons native led the Cougars in six offensive categories while second to Frakes with a .419 batting average while also drawing a program second most 28 walks on the season.

A Salina Central High School and Salina, Kansas, native, Gunelson previously spent seven years of coaching from the high school, NJCAA, and NAIA levels, as well as, experience from summer programs. Having begun his post-secondary educational career at Brown Mackie College, Gunelson earned his Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from Newman University before earning his Master’s degree in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation from Emporia State University.