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2010 Softball Season Preview: A New Beginning

As January winds down and February marks the nearing of the softball season, the University of Dallas women's softball team gears up for another very promising season. Although most teams are excited to start their seasons anew, this year the Crusaders have even more reason to be optimistic. 

Battling through a slow start in 2009, the UD softball team caught on fire midway through the season and never looked back. Every fan who followed the team last year will readily admit that the team which finished the 2009 season was much different than the one that started it. When all was said and done the Crusaders had compiled a record of 20-17, in the process setting six new team records and finishing in the top 20 in several NCAA statistical categories.  Foremost among these records was hitting the 20 win mark. The 20 wins made them the best team in the school’s short softball history. 

Graduating four starting seniors is a tough loss, but the addition of seven new players has the team excited to start the 2010 season.  Although it is still early, many of these youngsters have already shown that they have what it takes to be solid contributors in their new roles.  Between seven newcomers and six returning players, UDallas has high hopes for 2010.

Returning on the offensive side is senior outfielder Amber Adams (Dallas, TX/Dallas Christian Academy), and sophomore outfielder Jessica Mollner (St. Paul, MN/Covent of the VisitationSchool) who are the heart of the lineup for the Crusaders. Last season both Adams and Mollner hit over .400, and together the two of them accounted for well over a third of the teams hits. Currently the school record holder for doubles in a season, she was named to the Association of Division III Independents All-Independent First Team. Mollner was named as the 2009 Association of Division III Independents Rookie of the Year and joined Adams as an All-Independent First Team member. Mollner also picked up more hardware after the season when she was named to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III All-West Region Team and as a 2009 girls got game/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete. Mollner already holds school records for runs in a season and stolen bases. Hopefully she will build on her tremendous freshman year and continue to dominate offensively this season.

The duo is joined by four other returners.  Senior pitcher/infielder Whitney Thomas (Fort Worth, TX/Nolan Catholic), junior outfielders Jesse Allen (Madison, MS/St. Andrew’s Episcopal School) and Cheryl Hinze (Houston, TX/Langham Creek H.S.), and sophomore infielder Rebecca Burns (River Ridge, LA/John Curtis Christian School). Thomas returns to the team after spending the 2009 watching from the sidelines where she recovered from injury and Allen looks to pick up where she left off after earning her first letter.  As a freshman last year, Burns earned a starting role, and showcased an ability to come up big in clutch situations, while Hinze has shown a strong glove while roaming the outfield. Coming off of a productive and driven offseason, look for this group to become more even more mature, consistent, and explosive heading into the 2010 season. 

The group of newcomers that Hanson has brought in will perhaps play the biggest role in determining the level of success of this year’s team. Fortunately, the group shows a lot of promise. Joining the team are sophomore pitcher/infielder Liana Reveles (Austin, TX/James Bowie H.S.), freshman infielder/outfielder Brittany Castro (Houston, TX/Langham Creek H.S.), and freshmen infielders Morgan Smith (Irving, TX/Bishop Dunne), Sandra Gallegos (Houston, TX/Lamar H.S., Kayla McEnery (St. Louis, MO/St. Agnes Academy), Christina Jeffrey (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran), and Jill Prososki (Fargo, ND/Shanley H.S.).

Fans can get an early view of the team when UD hosts the University of Dallas Spring Kickoff Tournament. The tournament will begin Friday the 26th of February and will run until Sunday the 28th. This year’s young, but talented squad should be an aggressive and explosive team.  Come out and watch as the 2010 team sets out to surpass last year’s record breaking season. 

The Association of Division III Independents

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