Nick Vernon, Campus Carrier Sports Editor

After winning two consecutive regular season Southern Athletic Association (SAA) conference championships, but losing in the conference tournament each year, the softball team plans to take both trophies in 2015.

The team is much different than last year’s squad as it features 11 returning players and nine incoming freshmen.

Head coach Cori Thiermann said she believes the team has the talent and drive to reach their goals this year, even though they are a young team.

Nealie Smith, staff photojournalist The softball team practiced this week in preparation for their first two games of the season.  On Feb. 14 the team plays at Covenant College and on Feb. 15, they play at Maryville College.

“Our returning group has a lot of experience from last year,” Thiermann said. “They are doing a really good job at sharing their experiences with the freshmen.”

Thiermann said that the freshman class is adjusting to college athletics and academics very quickly.

“Our freshmen are really athletic and they work really hard,” she said. “Our cohesiveness as a team is coming together really quickly.”

Thiermann also addressed the team’s talent, and said that the team’s defense is very athletic.

“On offense, I think we’re going to be more consistent with getting on base,” she said.

One of the team’s best pitchers, junior Allie Coronado, said the entire pitching staff this year will be very dangerous.

“The pitching staff is very diverse,” she said. “We all have our individual talents in different areas.”

Sophomore infielder Sarah Brown said the team mentality is also improved from last season.

“I think we have so much positive energy throughout the team this year,” she said. “Everyone is willing to work hard. It is more of a team-first attitude this year.”

The softball team opens their season with two away games on Feb. 14 and Feb. 15.

The first game is against Covenant College and the second is against Maryville College. The team’s first home game is on Feb. 21 against Piedmont College.

Thiermann said she expects the Piedmont game to be very competitive.

“Piedmont is top 25 in the preseason poll, so the game will be a good measuring tool for us.”

 The team’s biggest rival this season is currently Birmingham-Southern. They split games with Berry last year, and beat the Vikings in the tournament championship.

This year the softball team will do all they can to make sure they not only claim their third regular season championship in a row, but also take their first SAA tournament championship.