Softball | 02/03/23 | 9:31 AM

HELENA, Mont. - The Carroll College Softball team returns to the field this weekend for their first action of the 2023 season in Minot N.D. at the Bubble Invite. The Saints will play four games over a two day span against a mix of NAIA and NCAA Division II opponents.

New year, new look for the Carroll College Softball team. 

The Fighting Saints finished the 2022 season 14-31 (11-19) in seventh place in the final Cascade Collegiate Conference standings, just one spot removed from a berth in the conference postseason tournament. Carroll Volleyball Head Coach Moe Boyle stepped up and coached the 2022 team on an interim basis, and the team showed growth throughout the season.

Last July, Shawna Juarez was named the second full-time Head Coach in the Carroll program's young history. Juarez joined the Carroll staff after leading the Miles Community College Softball program for the previous four years. Juarez started the MCC program from scratch, and would go on to lead the team to back-to-back regional championships in 2021 and 2022. 

Juarez hit the recruiting trail immediately, and brought in a large Freshman class that looks to make an immediate impact. A total of nine new players were added to a 2023 roster that aims to be much more deep than 2022.

With a new Head Coach in place before the academic year started, the Saints were able to get a full Fall program under their belt. The team was able to play a number of scrimmages and begin conditioning for their 2023 campaign. 

Excitement around the program is high, and the Saints are ready to make a splash.

"I'm really excited about this team." Said Juarez. "The girls have been working extremely hard, and we have a great core group, and an awesome new group of girls that will come in and do a great job this year. I'm absolutely thrilled about the pitching group that we have, we've done a couple sessions throwing live and I think they have a chance to be a dominant force this year."

The 2022 team had only one true pitcher on the roster, Abby Hanley (Las Vegas, Nev. / SR). Juarez made pitching an area of focus, bringing on six Freshman pitchers that will see the rotation this spring. That new crop of talent includes Kennedy Venner (Billings, Mont. / FR) who was named the 2022 Montana Gatorade Player of the Year. 

"I'm super excited for this year," Said Hanley. "We have a bunch of new players who are ready to contribute, and a new coach that is changing our program for the better."

There are eight seniors on the Carroll roster, and the group is hungry to make a return to the CCC postseason. Carroll returns three players who received postseason CCC accolades in the 2022 season. Amber Brewer (Peoria, Ariz. / GR) was a golden glove recipient, Kirsten Norris (Phoenix, Ariz. / SR) was named Honorable Mention All-CCC, and Kaitlynn Ayers (Twin Falls, Idaho / JR) was named Second Team All-CCC.

"I feel like having coach SJ come in and push us is going to make a huge impact." Said Brewer. "I'm really excited to get things going, and finish my last year on a good note."

Carroll kicks off its 2023 season under the dome in Minot, N.D. this weekend. The team will play four games over the next two days against mixed competition.

On Saturday the Saints will open the season against Valley City State at 12 p.m. MST, followed by a 2 p.m. MST matchup with host school Minot State.

Sunday Morning at 8 a.m. MST Carroll will take on the University of Mary, and then wrap things up with a 10 a.m. tilt with Dakota Wesleyan.

Visit the Minot State Bubble Invite Tournament Page HERE for live stats and watch links for each of this weekend's games.

"I'm exceptionally excited to be here and take on a new challenge in the best softball conference in the NAIA." Said Juarez. "I can't wait to get the girls out there and see how they respond and grow this year. This is a very scrappy group that has tremendous work ethic. I think our team's depth is going to be a huge factor this season, and we can't wait to get started."

Visit www.carrollathletics.com this weekend for a recap of the action, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.