The Lady Bison are looking forward to an exciting 2017 season. "This sophomore class has a lot of experience. They all received a lot of playing time last year and the freshman class is very talented. They all have a chance at playing time. I'm excited to see what this team will accomplish this year," says Coach Ally Silva.
The Lady Bison have a lot of experience returning in the circle with four sophomore pitchers in Kayla Howard, Bailey Singleton, Jenna Ballard, and transfer Chelsea King. Hannah Oaks is the only freshman pitcher. They will be throwing to freshman catchers Morgan Hollaway, Crislyn Graham and Rebecca Norrell who Silva says will all get opportunities behind the plate. "The sophomore pitchers as a whole have a great deal of in-game experience, so they know what we expect of them when we give them the ball. Hannah Oaks is our only freshman. She offsets our other pitchers very well. She is a very hard worker and shows a lot of potential. Our pitchers and catchers as a unit have a lot of drive. Together, they worked very hard in the off season, and I am excited to see that pay off for them. We also have more depth than we have had in the past, and that alone helps any team significantly," says Silva.
The returning infielders are Emily Malone, Molly White and Brooke Ward. Newcomers are Hayden Claypool, Morgan Bradford, Alex Smithson, Kelsey Williams and Valerie Watkins. "Our infielders are simply put, relentless. They are all very talented and competitive young ladies. They don't let the person next to them slack off; which in my opinion, says a lot about them not only as players, but more importantly as people. This is a very ambitious and motivated group," says Coach Silva.
In the outfield, the Bison have several very experienced returners in Payton Swisher, Paiden Kircus, Sierra Bond, and also Brooke Ward. The newcomers in the outfield are Caroline Richey and Cailan Sumner. When asked about her outfielders, Coach Ally Silva said, "The outfield has a sound group of sophomores who all received playing time last year. In one word, our outfielders are competitive. No one gets the opportunity to let up because they are all very talented. They push each other and want to see one another succeed. They are a really positive and determined group."
Looking forward on the season Coach Ally Silva says, "From day one our sophomore class truly bought in and made this a family environment, while paving the way for the freshman. I have found that they are all willing to do whatever it takes to see the person next to them succeed, and in my opinion that's where it all starts. This year should be a lot of fun for everyone, this group is just ready to play ball."