No. 3 Dixie State begins 2015 season in Tucson

Preseason ranked No. 3, picked to win PacWest, DSU begins regular season

ST. GEORGE, Utah - Coming off its historic 2014 season, the Dixie State softball team gets set to begin the 2015 campaign at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Tucson Friday.

The Red Storm begin the tournament at 9 a.m. MT against Midwestern State and then take on Colorado State-Pueblo that afternoon. DSU is back in action Saturday at 11 a.m. against Metro State and depending on tournament matchups will play another game that afternoon. Sunday will be bracket-play and the Red Storm will have two more games in Tucson.

The Red Storm won a record 51 games last season, including a string of 27 straight, had the highest team batting average in the NCAA at .365 and won a second consecutive Pacific West Championship collected its first win at the D2 National Championships. DSU won the NCAA Regional and Super Regional rounds before falling in the NCAA D2 Softball Championships.

For 2015, head coach Randy Simkins welcomes back the majority of his championship team from a season ago. Simkins was named PacWest Coach of the Year in 2014 and the Dixie State softball coaching staff was named the 2014 NFCA West Region Coaching Staff of the Year.

All-American Nicole Chavez (Chino Hills, CA/Ayala High School) is back, recently named to the inaugural 2015 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player of the Year Watch List. Chavez, An All-PacWest First Team member, led the conference in runs, hits, doubles, triples, total bases and stolen bases.

Along with Chavez, All-PacWest players Courtney Sherwin (Mesa, AZ/Red Mountain High School), Aryn Feickert (Lancaster, CA/Highland ), Marla Reiter (Rolinda, CA/Central High School), Sheila Gelter (St. George, UT/Dixie High School), Bailee Freeland (Ogden, UT/Bonneville High School), Courtney Hine (San Dimas, CA/San Dimas High School), Michelle Duncan (Gilbert, AZ/Gilbert High School), Mallory Paulson (Fruita, CO/Fruita Monument) and Autumn Woodfall (Kaysville, UT/Davis High School) are all back.

Feickert was both the Newcomer and Pitcher of the Year in the PacWest after posting a 21-7 record, an ERA of 2.29 and 134 strikeouts. Duncan went 21-2 last year with an ERA of 1.56 with 57 strikeouts and both will lead the DSU pitching staff.

Dixie State features four returners that finished in the top 15 in batting average in the PacWest. Sherwin led the way at .446, Hine at .400, Chavez at .399 and Woodfall at .392.

Chavez, Hine, Sherwin and Duncan were all named to the Preseason All-PacWest team. Dixie State was picked to win the league again by 10 of its 11 head coaches.

Return to dixieathletics.com for the latest scores and updates on Dixie State softball.

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Players Mentioned

#6 Nicole Chavez: 2B/SS; 5' 5"; Senior; R/R

#21 Michelle Duncan: P; 5' 7"; Senior; R/R

#7 Aryn Feickert: P; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#22 Bailee Freeland: OF/C; 5' 5"; Senior; L/R

#5 Sheila Gelter: 3B/1B; 5' 5"; Senior; R/R

#23 Courtney Hine: OF; 5' 8"; Senior; R/R

#24 Mallory Paulson: INF; 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R

#2 Marla Reiter: C; 5' 6"; Senior; R/R

#9 Courtney Sherwin: OF; 5' 10"; Senior; R/R

#00 Autumn Woodfall: C/OF; 5' 8"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#6 Nicole Chavez
: 5' 5"; Senior; R/R
: 2B/SS

#21 Michelle Duncan
: 5' 7"; Senior; R/R
: P

#7 Aryn Feickert
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: P

#22 Bailee Freeland
: 5' 5"; Senior; L/R
: OF/C

#5 Sheila Gelter
: 5' 5"; Senior; R/R
: 3B/1B

#23 Courtney Hine
: 5' 8"; Senior; R/R
: OF

#24 Mallory Paulson
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#2 Marla Reiter
: 5' 6"; Senior; R/R
: C

#9 Courtney Sherwin
: 5' 10"; Senior; R/R
: OF

#00 Autumn Woodfall
: 5' 8"; Junior; R/R
: C/OF