Success has been a regular thing for the Highland softball team the last few seasons has they have made the national tournament for three straight years.

The Lady Scotties look to build upon a 49-13 season last year; a year in which they were ranked eighth in the country going into the national tournament and went 1-2 in the tournament action. With the Scotties success last year and a solid recruiting class coming in the Lady Scotties will look to have another great season, behind head coach, Heidi Jordan and the Scotties will do that starting of the season preseason ranked. Scotties in the NJCAA Division II preseason polls rank 18th to start off the year.

It will be a lot of new faces for the Scotties this year as there will be 15 new players and only six returning sophomore's this season.

Even with only six players returning the cupboard will not be bare for the Scotties as far as experience goes. Sophomores, Jessie Troupe and Bailey Dillion both played in just about every game this season for Highland and while be staples with their defense and offense, with Troupe being the main catcher an Dillion anchoring the infield. Troupe bring back a bat that produced a .385 average, 49 RBI's, 45 runs scored, while Dillion batted .311 last year with 58 RBI's and 35 runs scored. Both Dillion and Troupe provided the big power, too for the Scotties as they both bashed 10 home runs each last year. Katie Yoder (.306 avg -- 51 games), Lauren Massey (.320 avg -- 21 games) and Raven Nolan (.409 avg -- 27 games) all bring back some experience, also for the Scotties this season.

Pitching is perhaps the biggest question mark this season for the Scotties as they will have to replace their top two pitchers, including an All-American from last season. All-American, Zuzana Kudernatschova has moved on to Hartford University to continue her softball career, after going 28-6 on the season last year pitching 236 innings with registering 342 strikeouts and an ERA of 0.445 on the season. Katie Slibowski is also gone for the Scotties as he was 15-2 last year on the mound. The lone pitcher to return is sophomore, Lauren Massey who threw 64.1 innings and was 6-4 on the season with a 4.135 ERA. Incoming freshman Jasmine Stewart, Paige Crawford, Taylor Hatfield while come in to round out the pitching staff for Highland this year. 

While Highland will be looking for pitchers to step up this year, one is that bodes well for the Scotties in the pitching category is the fact the last two seasons Highland as produced an All-American at the pitcher position.

The 18th ranked Scotties hit the field for the first time this season on February 14th, when they go on the road to take on Benedictine College.