Softball | 2/6/2015 10:39:00 AM
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The Newman softball team starts its 2015 season on Friday (Feb. 6) with two games. The Jets take on host Southwestern Oklahoma State at 1 p.m. and then play University of Science and Arts (Okla.) at 3 p.m.
NU had its best season in NCAA Division II history in 2014, going 16-29 and 7-17 in the Heartland Conference. The Jets return two All-Heartland Conference selections in outfielder
Missy Swanson and infielder
Mikayla Medbery. Swanson, a senior from Oxford, Kan., was named to the 2014 Daktronics South Central Region Second Team in 2014.
Kaitlyn Buck, a senior outfielder was a 2013 South Central Region First Team selection, and she returns for the 2015 season after missing most of 2014 due to an injury.
Mike Viramontez is in his first season as the head softball coach at NU. He previously served as an assistant softball coach, and Viramontez coached high school baseball before becoming a collegiate softball coach.
A total of 12 Jets return from the 2014 team. The team features seven newcomers with three freshmen, one sophomore and three juniors.
The Jets start the day with SWOSU at 1 p.m. The Bulldogs started the season with Tarleton State on Monday (Feb. 2), falling twice in a doubleheader. In the 2014 season, SWOSU went 13-39 and 9-31 in the Great American Conference. Like the Jets, the Bulldogs have a first year head coach in Barbara Burnett. She coached at Independence CC before coming to SWOSU.
After the game against SWOSU, NU plays University of Science and Art at 3 p.m. A member of the Sooner Athletic Conference, USAO went 37-24 in 2014 and 18-14 in the SAC.
NU plays its first 16 games on the road. After the trip to Weatherford, the Jets go to Durant, Okla. next weekend. They place Texas A&M-Kingsville, Texas A&M-Commerce, SWOSU, Southeastern Oklahoma and Washburn on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 13-15).
