Softball | 2/4/2016 10:21:00 AM

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs get the 2016 season started Friday afternoon, traveling to Belmont Abbey for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. The Bulldogs went 27-20 last season, posting a 13-9 record in SAC play. Wingate earned NCAA Tournament bids in each of the previous two seasons.

The Bulldogs were picked to finish fifth in the preseason SAC poll, earning two first-place votes. Wingate posted a league-best five players on the preseason all-conference teams. Last season the Bulldogs picked up two wins over top-10 Armstrong State, while also collecting a 1-0 victory over eventual national champion North Georgia. Wingate returns seven starting position players along with three-year all-conference pitcher Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.). The Bulldogs also welcome six newcomers to the 2016 squad.

"Finally having a good one-two punch with our pitching staff is huge for the program," head coach Lani Shaffer says. "The team chemistry is great this season. The girls are very supportive and it is a true family atmosphere. Having that attitude and mentality as a program, we could go a very long way. We have a great mix of experienced veterans to go along with a talented freshman class. As long as we stay focused on the process, the outcome will happen."

Infield
The Bulldogs will have two newcomers on the infield, starting with third baseman Taylor Wells (Chesterfield, Va.). "Taylor is very solid defensively with a strong arm," Shaffer says. "She has the potential to be a future middle-of-the lineup hitter for us."

Wingate will see a familiar face in a new position at shortstop, with two-time All-SAC second baseman Mellena Helms (Concord, N.C.) taking over. Helms hit .358 in 2015, tops among all returners. She added seven homers, nine doubles and a triple, driving in 26 runs while scoring 39 runs. "Mellena has a lot of range at shortstop," Shaffer says. "She has played shortstop before, so she will be comfortable moving back there. She is very solid and has a quick release. Offensively, we'll once again count on her to be our leadoff hitter. She can get the tempo going, getting on base or even starting us off with a long ball."  

2015 All-SAC selection Emily Usiak (Matthews, N.C.) moves over to second base for her senior season. She had a career year last season, hitting .316 with seven homers and 10 doubles, ranking third on the team with 28 RBI. "Emily is our vocal leader on the infield," Shaffer says. "We expect her to be our cleanup hitter this season. She has really grown in her time here and her confidence has come such a long way. We expect her senior year to be a culmination of all her hard work throughout the years."

The Bulldogs will see a new face at first base in freshman Kyra Johnson (Charlotte, N.C.). "Kyra has a really good glove at first base," Shaffer says. "She is a very smooth defender. She'll also contribute with her bat in the lineup. She has great strength and will provide some good power to our lineup."

Senior Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) will be the starting catcher for the Bulldogs for the fourth year in a row. The two-time All-SAC selection hit .353 with six homers and seven doubles in 2015, leading all returners with 40 RBI. She led the Bulldogs with a .466 on-base percentage. "I love her leadership behind the plate," Shaffer says. "Taylor is very vocal and our pitchers are confident with her back there, knowing she can block anything. Offensively she'll be our number three hitter. We look for her to be more aggressive at the plate, while keeping the consistency she has had throughout her career."

Wingate will look to junior Misty Doran (Century, Fla.) at the designated player position and could also see some time in the infield. "Misty is a versatile player that will do whatever the team needs her to do," Shaffer says.

Junior Katie McLaurin (Laurinburg, N.C.) is battling through an injury, but will be a key member of the infield. "Katie will be a very valuable addition to our infield when she can get healthy," Shaffer says.

Outfield
Senior Shannen Adams (Ayden, N.C.) will be the left fielder for the Bulldogs. She started 47 games in 2015, hitting .210 with six doubles and eight RBI, scoring 19 runs. "Shannen is a veteran in left field and is our vocal leader in the outfield," Shaffer says. "She gets to a lot of flares and foul balls on the left side of the field and will make our defense stronger while also helping out our pitchers."

Freshman Naomi Sapp (Guyton, Ga.) will be in center field for the Bulldogs. "We look for Naomi to become a leader in center, using her speed along with her strong arm. She is also versatile at the plate, with the ability to be a slapper or to hit for power. We could use her in several places throughout the lineup."

Sophomore Morgan Hendrix (Mocksville, N.C.) will be the starting right fielder for the second straight year. She earned second team All-SAC honors as a freshman, hitting .350 with four doubles and eight RBI, scoring 32 runs while stealing 20 bases in 21 attempts. "We look for Morgan to use her great speed in the outfield," Shaffer says. "We are excited to see how she has progressed after a good freshman season. After a year she understands how to use all her tools at the plate to get on base. She has gotten better at reading the defense and being smart at the plate and the bases paths."

Other veterans will also see time in the outfield for Wingate, including junior Olivia Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) and senior Jordan Wilson (Gastonia, N.C.). Smith hit .261 in 31 starts last season, scoring 13 runs while adding seven RBI. Wilson appeared in 27 contests, making 21 starts  while hitting .200 with a double, homer and eight RBI. "We have good depth in the outfield, with players like Olivia and Jordan that are ready to contribute when their names are called," Shaffer says.

Pitchers
Senior Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) is tied for the school's all-time record in career wins. The three-time All-SAC selection went 19-14 in 2015 with a 2.19 ERA and three saves, piling up 201 1/3 innings of work. She led the league in appearances, ranking second in the SAC in wins, saves and appearances, third in innings pitched and complete games and fourth in ERA. "We look for Stacey to finish her career strong in her senior year," Shaffer says. "She has added some pitches to her arsenal, giving hitters a different look this year. She has really re-invented herself. I'm excited to see her have a dominant senior season to close out what has been a special career."

Wingate will look for freshman right-hander Rachel Weidner (Greenville, N.C.) to make an immediate contribution. "We look forward to Rachel coming in and adding a different look to the pitching staff," Shaffer says. "It makes her and Stacey a great one-two punch. They'll complement each other well. Rachel has really good velocity and we are excited to see how she adapts to the college game in her first year at Wingate."

After Friday's season-opening doubleheader, Wingate will play its home opener Saturday, welcoming Erskine to town for a 1 p.m. doubleheader. The Bulldogs face plenty of tough challenges throughout the non-conference schedule, including Armstrong, North Georgia, Augusta and Georgia College. The conference season gets underway March 19 with the Bulldogs hosting Lincoln Memorial at 1 p.m.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, consistently ranked as a top 10 "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,100 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, master's degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport management and doctorates in pharmacy, physical therapy and education.
 
With a 15 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past nine years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing colleges in the 2000's with 82 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate's 82 Academic All-America® honorees are number one during this millennium. Wingate's 91 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.