Jan. 18, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The 2010 Texas A&M softball season is officially underway as the team held its first practice at the Aggie Softball Complex on Monday.
Gassers in the morning were followed by a drug seminar, and then a full practice was conducted in the afternoon. Practices begin at 3:15 p.m. and continue each day through Friday. They are open to the public.
"Our kids have been working hard over the break and they looked good today," said head coach Jo Evans, who begins her 14th season at the helm of Aggie softball. "We had good energy in the clubhouse, came back in good shape, and everyone was excited."
The squad of 17 (10 returning letterwinners and seven newcomers) voted team captains to be senior Bailey Schroeder and junior Rhiannon Kliesing. The pair is two of six returning starters on the Texas A&M roster this season.
The Aggies, who finished 32-22 in 2009 and made their eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, were recently picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 Conference according to the league's preseason coaches' poll.
"Being picked to finish sixth motivates us," Evans continued. "We're athletic enough to compete for a championship, so its' going to be a fun three weeks (before we play our first game)."
A&M softball takes to the diamond for its first contest of 2010 on Feb. 12 against Wisconsin at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.