UTICA, NY – The Utica College softball program has its sights set on a fourth Empire 8 Conference Tournament appearance in the last five seasons this Spring as the Pioneers open up their 2017 campaign in Kissimmee, Florida at the Rebel Spring Games on Sunday.
 
A Winning Tradition: Head Coach Pat Mineo and the Pioneers have built a winning tradition that includes a .500 or better record in six consecutive seasons and the program's first NCAA Tournament berth back in 2013 … UC is a consistent contender for a top four spot in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament, and they have built a reputation of winning at home, after posting an 11-1 record at the friendly confines of Greenman Field last season … Mineo will be joined in the dugout by second year assistant coach Danielle Alpi, longtime confidant Vaughn Saville and trusted pitching coach Kari Beane … Also helping out this season with be former Pioneers, and current Physical Therapy doctoral candidates, Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) and Taylor Ellis (Kannapolis, NC/Greene), as well as women's hockey assistant coach Jessica Newstrom. 

2016 Recap: The Pioneers finished 22-18 overall in 2016, marking the fourth time in the last five seasons that Utica has won 20+ games …  They played a very difficult schedule down south last Spring and came away from Florida with a 3-9 record, but the tough competition prepared Utica well for the rigors of northeast play … UC won nine of its first ten games up north, including a 2-0 win against NCAA Tournament bound St. John Fisher … A 9-5 Empire 8 ledger earned the Pioneers a No. 3 seed in the Empire 8 Tournament.  
 
2017 Rebel Spring Games: Utica's Spring trip will once again include a week in Kissimmee, Florida where they will partake in the Rebel Spring Games … The Pioneers will play ten games down south, beginning with Springfield on Sunday at 11:15 a.m.
 
Home Sweet Home: The Pioneers will play nine doubleheaders at Greenman field in 2017, marking an increase of six home games when compared to the 2016 schedule … This year's home-opener is on March 25th as the Pioneers take on non-conference opponent Skidmore College at 3 p.m. … Utica will then have two eight-game home stands … Their first home stand will last from April 4-9… During this stretch, Utica will play doubleheaders against Hamilton (4/4), Oswego State (4/5), St. John Fisher (4/8), and Nazareth College (4/9)… The second home stand will be the Pioneers' final eight games of the regular season… In the second home stand, the Pioneers will play doubleheaders against Cazenovia College (4/19), Stevens (4/22), Ithaca College (4/23) and RPI (4/26). 

Rice Looking for Continued Success: Sophomore Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) returns after a stellar freshman campaign that saw her finish tied for second on the team with a .323 batting average … She also led the Pioneers with 25 RBIs and 11 doubles. … Her 21 runs scored were tied for second on the squad and she was the lone freshman on the team to earn an all-conference honorable mention.

Ogren Leads the Way: Three-time Empire 8 All-Conference selection Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) is the lone senior on the squad this season … She totaled 25 hits last Spring … She is a lifetime .303 hitter with 81 career hits in 92 games played at UC … She has 42 career RBIs, 22 runs scored, 22 doubles and five home runs in the blue and orange. 

Powering the Junior Class: Junior first baseman and pitcher Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) returns to the middle of the lineup after earning her first career all-conference second team nod last Spring … Stransky started 40 games last year and finished the season with a .290 batting average … She posted 31 hits, 21 RBIs and two clutch home runs … Stransky hit a memorable three-run walk off homer against Elmira in extra innings to help the Pioneers clinch a spot in Empire 8 post season play … She is a career .275 hitter in 71 games at Utica … She has 35 RBIs, 32 runs scored, 14 doubles and five home runs.

Pitchers Making a Return: The Pioneers appear primed to fill a void which will be left by the departure of lefty Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) …  Sophomore pitcher Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) split doubleheaders with Monroe last season and will look to step into the leading role in 2017 … Meka posted an 8-2 record last season in 20 appearances and she posted five complete games to go along with one shutout … She struck out 56 batters and posted a 2.01 earned run average … Shannon Cool (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) will also be back as she played a total of 16 games (five starts), struck out 21 batters and tallied four saves for the Pioneers last Spring … Utica will also look for contributions from freshmen hurler's Alyssa Samborin (Schenectady, New York/Mohonasen) and Emily O'Herien (Oneida, New York/Oneida), who enter their first season in the blue and orange.
 
All-Conference Returner: 2016 Empire 8 All-Conference honorable mention Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) played in 35 games last season and posted 19 hits in 78 at-bats … She registered 11 RBIs, two doubles and one home run … Soto has played in 64 career games at UC and has 35 hits to her credit … She has 29 runs scored, 18 RBIs, six doubles and two home runs.

Looking to Break Out: Kimberly Beattie (Levitton, NY/Division Ave) played in 37 games last season for the Pioneers and now has 54 games of collegiate experience under her belt … Her 74 assists last season were second on the team, only behind standout graduated shortstop Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) … Beattie will look to heat up the bat this season after posting nine hits, eight runs scored and five RBIs last Spring … She also tied for the team lead with five sacrifices and was a perfect 3-for-4 in stolen base attempts. 

Adding Depth: Junior Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) and sophomore classmates Nicole Sciara (Bay Shore, NY/Islip), Natalie Lawrence (Floral Park, NY/Floral Park) and Hayley Fredericks (Suffern, NY/Suffern) all return to the diamond with one year of collegiate playing experience under their belts … Whitehouse has played in 33 career games and she has 11 hits in 45 at-bats to go along with seven runs scored … Natalie Lawrence (Floral Park, NY/Floral Park) was a go-to pinch runner for the Pioneers last season, as she saw action in 27 games and scored eight runs to go along with three stolen bases … Fredericks garnered 25 at-bats last season and looks to build on a promising freshman season … Sciara saw time behind the dish last season, earning four starts in her first season. 

Players Making Their UC Debut: Freshmen outfielders Kailyn Gravel (Sidney, New York/Sidney), Jacqueline Aronin (Naugatuck, Connecticut/Naugatuck High School), Lauren Dlugolecki (Voorheesville NY/Clayton A Bouton), shortstop Sadie Evans (Clifton Park New York/Shenendehowa), third baseman Madison Akots (Wynantskill, NY/Emma Willard School), and catcher Jamie Miller (Boonville, New York/Adirondack) will also be making their debuts on the team this year.