DC picked to finish eighth in HCAC

GREENWOOD, Ind. – Nine Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference schools participate in women's softball and the HCAC Head Coaches have selected Defiance College to finish eighth of the nine.

DC will be looking to improve its standings from a season ago, as they fell to ninth place in the HCAC with a 2-14 conference record.

The Yellow Jackets will have to replace three seniors from last year's squad who garnered All-HCAC Honors.

DC plans to do just that with returning players along with strong incoming young talent.  The Yellow Jackets placed three players on the HCAC's Preseason Players to Watch.  They are sophomore catcher Megan Warren (Mason, Ohio/Mason) along with a pair of freshmen in pitcher Sarah Kaya (Lorain, Ohio/Clearview) and shortstop Brianna Caldwell (Marion, Ohio/Elgin).

Warren had a strong freshman year last season.  She was among the top three on DC's squad in several core categories including; batting average (.296), slugging percentage (.407), RBIs (13), doubles (6), home runs (1), and total bases (33).

Kaya comes into her freshman year having a very decorated career in high school.  Her honors include being named First Team All-State twice and First Team All-Northeast Ohio.  Kaya also recorded over 1,000 strikeouts in her four years on varsity.

Caldwell also brings forth four years of varsity experience from high school.  She was twice named to the All-District Team.

The Yellow Jackets will open up the 2015 season in just over a month.  They will travel south to Danville, Kentucky for a double header against Centre College on March 6.  From there, they will head down to Florida where they will be for a week for the Rebel Spring Games in Winter Haven.