CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball program will officially open up the 2016 season Sat., Feb. 20 and Sun., Feb. 21 at the Presentation College Indoor Tournament in Aberdeen, S.D. The games will be played at the Presentation College Winter Dome, a brand-new dome facility in Aberdeen.

The Golden Eagles will take on Valley City State University Sat., Feb. 20 at 11 a.m. and will then battle Presentation at 1 p.m. Sun., Feb. 21, UMC will take on University of Jamestown at 9 a.m. and Waldorf College at 1 p.m.

UMC is in their second season under Head Coach Don Stopa, who returns an experienced roster from the 2015 season as they return seven starters in the field and two starters in the circle. Stopa has increased the Golden Eagle roster to 22 players for the 2016 season, up from 15 for the 2015 season.

He returns former Northwest Oklahoma State player and youth softball coach Raylynn McIntosh as his assistant, for her second season.


Catcher
The Golden Eagles will have a three-way battle for the catcher position to open up the 2016 season. UMC returns Brooke Timmins (Sr., C, Magnolia, Texas) and Gabriel Antolak (So., C/3B, Zimmerman, Minn.) to the roster. Antolak was last season's starter with 46 games started. She had three doubles, 11 runs scored and 18 RBI's on the season. Timmins started 25 games for UMC with eight runs scored, three doubles and five RBI's. Freshman back stop Maycee Trujillo (C/3B, Sioux Falls, S.D.) will also battle behind the dish after a having a good Fall ball.


Around The Horn
First Base
UMC will have two players battling for time at first base based off of their performance during the Fall. Returning starter Kristi Larson (Sr., UT, New Ulm, Minn.), who can play around the horn as a utility player, will immediately see time at first base. Larson had 16 runs scored with six doubles and 12 RBI's on her junior season. Sammy Kuhlow (So., Big Lake, Minn.) is a left-handed bat that will see time for the Golden Eagles after missing last season due to injury.


Second Base
Victoria Bayliss (So., 2B, West Bloomfield, Mich.), who had a great debut season for the Golden Eagles, will move to second base from the outfield to replace Shelby Hollinger, who graduated. Bayliss led the team with a .354 batting average and 11 doubles. She had 24 runs scored and 11 RBI's on the season. Ashley Hoyle (Sr., 2B, Blaine, Minn.) will back up Bayliss.


Third Base
Antolak and Trujillo will battle for playing time at third base. Both players can also play catcher and will see time there, as well.


Short Stop
Alison Foley (Sr., SS, Lockport, Ill.) returns for her fourth season as a contributor to the program and will provide the Golden Eagles an anchor for their infield defense. Foley had a .941 fielding percentage as a junior. At the plate, she hit .300 with a team-leading 25 runs. She hit four over the fence last season and had 18 RBI's. Larson will be the primary back-up at short stop.


Outfield
Alexis Khoshaba (Sr., OF, Richmond, British Columbia) is a four-year starter for the Golden Eagles. She hit .281 with 20 runs scored, six doubles, seven home runs and a team-leading 30 RBI's. Freshman Maggie Morales (OF, Tucson, Ariz.) secured a starting spot in the outfield after a great performance during the Fall. At the other outfield spot, Kaylin Beatty (Sr., OF, Andover, Minn.), Jordyn Deflinger (Sr., OF/RHP, Henderson, Nev.) and Jozie Garner (Jr., OF, Eureka, Minn.) will battle it out for time. Beatty started 36 games as a junior and had 11 runs scored and eight RBI's. Derflinger started 25 games with two runs scored and two RBI's, while Garner arrives for the Spring from Neosho County Community College.

Kate Howell (So., OF, Badger, Minn.) and Lexie Santoyo (Fr., OF, Kansas City, Mo.) will provide depth for the Golden Eagles.

Designated Player
Junior college transfer Samantha LeMay (Jr., Jordan, Minn.) and Kuhlow will battle for the majority of playing time at designated player based off their performances in the Fall. Morgan Duda (Fr., IF, Clinton Township, Mich.) and Sam Rarick (Fr., OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) will back-up LeMay and Kuhlow.


Pitchers
Bailey Braatz (Jr., RHP, Buffalo, Minn.) returns for her third year as a starter. Braatz pitched 124 innings as a sophomore with 49 strikeouts. Heather Cunningham (So., RHP, Jacksonville, Fla.) will also see a lot of innings after a strong year last season at Florida State College at Jacksonville. Mikayla Jones (Fr., RHP, Huxley, Iowa) proved herself during the Spring and will be the third option for the Golden Eagles.


Derflinger and Sammy Knudson (Jr., RHP, Fergus Falls, Minn.) both saw time last season and will provide depth at pitcher. Derflinger appeared in 69 innings with 27 strikeouts, while Knudson pitched 45.1 innings with 16 strikeouts.