MONTICELLO – It’s been two seasons since the University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team won its sixth Gulf South Conference-West Division championship, but with seven returning starters and a talented cast of newcomers, the league’s head coaches believe the Cotton Blossoms are the team to beat in the 2010 season.
 
Head Coach Alvy Early enters his 14th season at the helm of the UAM softball program and has racked up a 457-247-2 career record that includes all six of UAM’s GSC-West titles and two appearances in the NCAA South Regional Tournament.
 
The Cotton Blossoms were slated to open the 2010 season against fifth-ranked Indianapolis on Friday, February 5, but the team’s appearance in the Arkansas Tech Spring Slam has been cancelled due to inclement weather.
 
UAM will now open its 2010 season next weekend (February 12-14) at the Ouachita Baptist Classic in Arkadelphia against Lincoln, Southwest Baptist, Drury and Tarleton State. The team’s first appearance at Blossoms Field is slated for Tuesday, February 23 against LeMoyne-Owen.
 
UAM finished 38-16 last season and returns 10 players from that roster including senior Becca Tipton (Dermott, Ark.), an NCAA All-Region performer. Also returning is sophomore Kayla Jackson (Hallsville, Texas) who earned GSC-West Pitcher of the year and GSC-West Freshman of the Year honors last season. Another returning player that earned All-GSC West 1st Team honors is senior second-baseman Emilie Hobbs (Nacogdoches, Texas).  

Other returning players that made significant contributions to the team’s success last season include left-fielder Katie Bowman (Decatur, Ark.), pitcher Randa Perry (Collierville, Tenn.), centerfielder Bethany Falcon (Zwolle, La.) and third-baseman Meagan Wilson (Longview, Texas).
 
Pitcher Amanda Nordberg (San Antonio, Texas), catcher Kayla Temple (Downsville, La.) and pitcher Haleigh Winnon (Bastrop, La.) also return for the Cotton Blossoms.

A number of new faces make up the rest of the 2010 roster and will be counted on heavily, according to Early. Sarah Hayslip (Center, Texas) will start in right field after a standout career at Eastern Oklahoma Community College. Jennifer Hickman (Bastrop, La.) returns for her sophomore season after spending a few seasons away from the game. Hickman played on the 2004 championship squad and returns to take over at shortstop after the departure of Lindsey Randall, last season’s GSC-West Player of the Year at shortstop.
 
“Being picked to win the GSC-West shows respect for our players and the program,” said Early. “We take pride in that, but the pre-season poll isn’t nearly as important as the final results.”

“I really like this team and the potential it has,” continued Early. “I believe we are going to be a solid defensive team… We have the ability to score runs and have really good team speed… Pitching is the key ingredient in this sport and we have five pitchers that I hope to be able to use. Obviously, Kayla Jackson is our No. 1 and I’m hoping for good seasons from Randa Perry and Amanda Nordberg. I can see their improvement since last season. I know this team has a lot of heart and desire and they’ll compete. We’ll give it our best effort each time out and live with the results.”