UTICA, NY- The Utica College Softball program will start the 2018 season in Kissimmee, Florida for the Sunkissed Classic on Sunday. This is the 10^th straight year that the Pioneers will begin their season in Florida.
 
2017 Season Recap: The Pioneers finished 17-21 overall in 2017 and missed the Empire 8 Tournament after clinching the third spot in 2016… After a tough start in Florida (4-6), UC returned homereturned home and won five of its first ten games, including sweeping Houghton in a doubleheader to start Empire 8 play... Utica was able to split with former E8 opponent, Ithaca College, which ended up advancing to the NCAA Tournament. 
 
2018 Sunkissed Classic: The Pioneers are set to play 10 games in the South, starting on Sunday March 11 with back-to-back games against The College of New Jersey at 9 a.m. and Ramapo College at 1:30 p.m… The Pioneers are 0-1 against both teams as they faced The College of New Jersey in 2015 and Ramapo College in 2016.
 
Returning North: After returning from Florida, Utica will play in two doubleheaders on the road against Ithaca (3/21) and Skidmore College (3/25)… Both matchups will start at 3:30 p.m. UC's home opener will be on Wednesday March 28 against Union College at Greenman Field, beginning at 3:30 p.m.
 
Empire 8 Conference Play: Utica will begin its Empire 8 Conference play on Sunday March 31 against E8 newcomer, Sage starting at 1 p.m... UC will then have three conference doubleheaders on the road, before returning home for three E8 doubleheaders over a four-day period between April 18-21.
 
2018 Captain: Utility player Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) was named captain for the 2018 season... Whitehouse has started in 50 of 69 career games where she has an overall batting average of .263 with 40 hits, 16 RBIs, and 27 runs scored in 152 career at-bats.
 
Rice Leads the Way: Junior infielder Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) returns for her third season and looks to continue her success as the Pioneers' leading contributor... Last season, Rice led the team and the Empire 8 Conference with a .480 batting average, which included 59 hits, 24 RBIs and 22 runs scored in 123 at bats... For her efforts, she was named second team All-Region and second team All-Conference.
 
Leading Senior Class: Aside from Whitehouse, the Pioneers have three other seniors this season… Infielder/pitcher Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) finished in the top five on the team last year with a .306 batting average… Over her career, she has racked up a .285 average with 87 hits, 50 RBIs, 48 runs scored in 305 at bats... Outfielder Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) played in 37 games last season and posted 23 hits, 10 RBIs, and 12 runs scored in 99 at bats... In her career, she has played in 101 games as a Pioneer with a .245 average, 28 RBIs, and 41 runs scored…  Catcher/Infielder Kimberly Beattie (Levitton, NY/Division Ave) had a career-high 13 hits and five RBIs in 56 at bats last season… She was also named to the Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year Squad as a junior.
 
Other Notable Returners: Returning infielders include sophomore Sadie Evans (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa), who started in nine games as shortstop and third baseman Madison Akots (Wynantskill, NY/Emma Willard School), who started in 19 of 28 games last season with a .250 batting average... The outfield consists of junior Hayley Fredericks (Suffern, NY/Suffern) and sophomore Jacqueline Aronin (Naugatuck, CT/Naugatuck High School), who combined for 9 assists and 56 put outs one year ago... Sophomore catcher Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) also returns to the lineup after starting in 22-of-28 games, and finishing second on the team with a with a .373 batting average in her rookie season... Defensively, Miller recorded 16 assists and made 88 put outs… Sophomore pitcher Alyssa Samborin (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) returns for her second season after she finished 2-4 with 13 strikeouts in 31.2 innings pitched... Samborin was also impressive at the plate when called upon as she collected a .348 batting average with eight hits, one RBI, and eight runs scored in 23 at bats.
 
Coaching Staff: Pat Mineo will return for his 14^th season as the head coach of the Pioneers with Assistants Danielle Alpi and Vaughn Saville and pitching coach Kari Beane… Mineo is 255-226 in his tenure and led the Pioneers to one of their best seasons in school-history in 2013 with a record of 34-14 and to their first ever NCAA Tournament... Mineo also won Empire 8 Coach of the Year in 2013... Danielle Alpi, a 2015 UC graduate, has been the assistant coach for the Pioneers since the summer of 2015. She was also the team's manager and public address announcer before becoming the assistant.
 
Players Making Their UC Debut: The Pioneers have seven players making their debut this season, including six freshmen and one junior… The rookies consist of pitchers Gabby Caccano and Alexandra Sprauer (Pleasant Valley/Arlington), outfielders Sabrina Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) and Brigid Johndrow (Bristol, CT/St. Paul Catholic), and infielders Madison Judge (Albany, NY/Colonie) and Sara Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place)... Junior outfielder Renee DeResh (Wappingers Falls, NY/Roy C. Ketcham) also joins the team.