IOWA LAKES SOFTBALL TEAM TO OPEN SEASON RANKED #9 IN PRESEASON POLL; SEASON OPENER IS MARCH 9

A season after finishing the season ranked #6 nationally with a 57-8 record, the Iowa Lakes Community College softball team will open the 2007 season ranked #9 in the pre-season poll.

The 2007 season will kick off with a nine day, 19 game, road trip starting on March 9 as the Laker women participate in the Hastings College tournament. After five games at the Hastings tournament, the team will board a plane and head for Phoenix and Tucson for seven days and 14 more games. Highlights of the trip will include a March 13 date versus the three-time defending national champion Phoenix College (March 13, noon pacific time/2 p.m. Iowa time) and single games versus #17 ranked Kishwaukee on March 12 (10:30 a.m.) and on March 17 (10 a.m.).

The remaining schedule will include region rivals Kirkwood (ranked #2) at home on April 22 and Muscatine (ranked #15) also at home on April 21. Other highlights on the schedule include: #9 ranked in Division I softball, Indian Hills (March 31 and April 6), #12 ranked in Division I, Iowa Western (April 6, April 7 and April 29) and #23 ranked in Division I Eastern Oklahoma (March 31). For the complete schedule see http://www.iowalakes.edu/athletics/softball/schedule.htm.

The Lakers return five all region selections from that 2006 team, headed by 1st team All-Region selection catcher Britt Boyer (.439 BA, 2 HR, 52 RBIs), 1st team All-Region outfielders Nancy Hilbers (.404, 2 HR, 29 RBIs) and Alicia Bata (.412, 2 HR, 24 RBIs), 2nd team All-Region shortstop Sylvia Leon (.304, 2 HR, 27 RBIs) and 2nd team All-Region outfielder Ashley Souphimdara (.342, 19 SB).

A new pitching staff will take the mound for Iowa Lakes this spring with freshman Aly Bowers (Fr, Norfolk, Neb.), Sarah Dockter (Fr, Greeley, Colo.) and Amanda Nelson (Fr, Red Wing, Minn.) all sharing the duties. Five other freshmen will need to replace key losses, but Kimmie White (Fr, Burbank, Calif.) and Jill Timmer (Fr, San Diego, Calif.) will step in immediately in the infield with Jen Belter (Fr, Corona, Calif.) sharing catching duties and Danae Tuhn (Fr, Silsbee, Texas) and Brittany Brohmer (Fr, LaCrosse, Wisc.) sharing outfield time.