CLEVELAND, Miss. – The Lady Statesmen softball team is entering a new era under first-year head coach Mark Shirley where the standards and expectations are high.

Delta State returns three hitters in Kyleigh Wheaton, Abbi Cataldo, and Calli McConnell whose batting average exceeded .300 last season. Weaton, a Gentry, Ark., native, led the Lady Statesmen with a .343 batting average. Cataldo started in all 53 games as an outfielder and posted a .315 batting average with 32 RBI and 13 homeruns. McConnell, a junior infielder, recorded a .303 batting average with a .439 slugging percentage.

Cataldo, a senior outfielder, is looking forward to showcasing her team's talent this spring. "The season is already planned out for us. As long as we show up, go to work, and leave everything we have on the field we will be successful. We are an elite team, and we train like an elite team. We have every element to see ourselves as champions. Nobody expects the underdog until now."

The lone pitcher returning from last season is senior Emma Enderud. The Oxford, Kansas native posted a 6.32 ERA in 140.2 innings pitched.

"We're looking forward to building off of the success we had in the fall and being competitive against some of the best teams in the country within the Gulf South Conference," said Coach Shirley.

Delta State was picked to finish 12th in the GSC Preseason Coaches Poll.

The Lady Statesmen open the season at the Charger Chillout in Albertville, Ala., Feb. 8-9. The home opener at University Field is also the conference opener against Lee University with a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 15 and a single game on Sunday, Feb. 16.

The non-conference schedule features Lane College, Arkansas Monticello, Henderson State, Harding University, Ouachita Baptist, and Arkansas Tech. The home conference schedule includes Lee, Union, Valdosta, Alabama-Huntsville, Trevecca Nazarene, and Auburn-Montgomery.

To follow along Delta State softball's season, visit gostatesmen.com.