SEASON PREVIEW:
The Covington Lady Buccs return a load of talent and have high expectations for another great season. Plus, the addition of the new head coach, Brooke Gostomsky-Menker, keeps the tradition of success in the softball program alive.

Gostomksy-Menker and assistant coach Erin Olson contributed to the program a year ago under legendary head coach Dan Cain. The trio led the Lady Buccs to a 21-8 overall record, an 11-3 league record for second in the TRC, and reached the district final despite having two players suffering serious injuries.

Two seniors graduated from last year, but the remainder of the roster is loaded with talent starting with the one senior, Elizabeth Coblentz, who was named honorable mention a year ago in the TRC. Coblentz provides great leadership and has a team-first mentality. Here attitude and passion is critical because it will filter into the rest of the players on the roster.

Five juniors and five more sophomores return as well. The juniors are Jayda McClure, Whitney Burns, Taylor Foutz, Emma Ouellette and Nell Rogers. Jayda McClure earned second-team honor in the TRC and Taylor Foutz was named honorable mention. Pitcher, Whitney Burns likely would have had post-season honors as well, but she suffered a serious hand injury midway through the season.

The five sophomores are Ava Hartwig, Emalyn Johnson, Cassidy Iddings, Kylie Palsgrove and Bella Batdorf. Hartwig earned first-team All-Ohio and first-team in the TRC a year ago and Emalyn Johnson was named second-team in the TRC as well. Cassidy Iddings, who suffered a season-ending injury right before the first game last year, returns as a critical player in helping the Lady Buccs have success.

There are also three talented freshmen who are now a part of the program; Aubrey Hoying, Mackenzie Grear and Gabrielle Coblentz.

With the talent the Lady Buccs have on the roster, first-year head coach Brooke Gostomsky-Menker and her staff of Erin Olson and Michayla Oats have what they need to put together another great season.