INDIANA, Pa. - The IUP softball program opens its 2022 season with a trip to West Virginia this weekend, with the Crimson Hawks scheduled for four games over three days at Glenville State.
The action for IUP gets underway Friday at 3 p.m. with back-to-back games against Salem and Shippensburg. The Hawks play Shepherd on Saturday at 5 p.m. and finish up Sunday against West Virginia Wesleyan at 9:30 a.m.
WHO'S BACK
>> IUP returns six regular position starters and three pitchers from last year's team that missed out on a PSAC tournament spot due to COVID-19 protocols leading into the final weekend series
>> Back are a pair of All-PSAC West selections in utility player
Haleigh Zimmerman and junior pitcher
Hope Jones. Zimmerman hit .314 with 23 RBI and Jones struck out 111 batters in 82.0 innings.
>> Also returning is grad infielder
Renee Wall, the 2019 PSAC Central Athlete of the Year and former all-region selection at third base.
WHO'S NEW
>> IUP head coach
Shawna Bellaud brought in 11 new players, including six freshmen and five transfers.
>> Two of the transfers are grad students from other PSAC schools, while two others are mid-year true freshman transfers.
>> One of the grad transfers is
Joelle Snyder, who was a three-time All-PSAC selection at Mansfield who hit .385 with a .618 slugging percentage in 100 career games.
PSAC PREDICTIONS
>> The Hawks were picked to finish fourth in the PSAC West preseason poll, announced last week.
