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Setting the Scene
- SWOSU Softball begins year two of the Kim Maher era with a six-game slate in Canyon, Texas against Western Oregon and No. 13 West Texas A&M where the Bulldogs will take on both teams each day from Friday-Sunday
- The Bulldogs are coming off of an 18-33 season where they finished 11th in the GAC standings with a 12-29 league record
- Due to their season in 2017, SWOSU has been picked to finish 12th in the GAC this season and will begin the new year with a great test and challenge in front of them in Western Oregon and the No. 13-ranked Lady Buffs
 
The Opponents
Western Oregon (3-2)
- Picked third in the 2018 GNAC Preseason Poll after finishing 29-24 last season with an even 14-14 mark in league play
- Junior infielder Ryanne Huffman is the team's top returning hitter after she finished with a .311 average in 41 games with five triples and a .407 slugging percentage
- The WOU pitching staff will be led by junior Haley Fabian, who finished with a 3.25 earned run average in 133.2 innings
 
#13 West Texas A&M (4-0)
- Started the season unbeaten with three wins over Augustana (SD) and another over Regis, all played in Canyon at their home park
- Defending Lone Star Conference Tournament Champion West Texas A&M was picked to finish second in the 2018 LSC Softball Preseason Poll
- The Lady Buffs have been ranked inside of the NFCA Division II Top-25 for 56 consecutive polls and begin the 2018 campaign ranked No. 13 in all of NCAA Division II
  
The Coaches
SWOSU: Kim Maher (18-33, 2nd season)
- Enters year two of her time at the helm of SWOSU Softball looking to continue the rebuilding process of the program
- Named the fourth head coach in SWOSU Softball history on June 2, 2016, bringing with her a wealth of experience from the collegiate, professional and international levels of softball
- Spent eight seasons as the head coach at Purdue University, leading the Boilermakers to 240 victories and two NCAA Tournament appearances from 2006-13
- Previously coached at California-Berkeley as an assistant coach from 2000-05 following a playing career with USA Softball and the Women's Professional Softball League (WPSL)
 
WOU: Lonny Sargent (142-125, 6th season)
- Under Sargent's guidance, WOU is one of only two programs in the GNAC to qualify for every conference tournament since its inception in 2013
- The Wolves have never placed lower than fourth in the GNAC standings with Sargent at the helm and came within a single win of claiming their second conference crown in 2016
- Sargent spent two seasons as the head softball coach at Utah State
 
WTAMU: Candace Abrams (4-0, 1st season)
- Abrams enters her first season at the helm of the Lady Buffs following three years as the program's top assistant
- Since arriving in Canyon, Abrams has been a part of two Lone Star Conference Championships as well as a South Central Regional Title and trip to the DII College World Series

GAC Preseason Poll
Rank. Team, Points (First Place Votes)
1. Southern Arkansas, 112 (6)
2. Harding, 104 (3)
3. Arkansas Tech, 102 (3)
4. Henderson State, 87
5. Arkansas-Monticello, 81
6. East Central, 67
7. Southern Nazarene, 51
T8. Ouachita, 47
T8. Southeastern, 47
10. Northwestern, 44
11. Oklahoma Baptist, 29
12. SWOSU, 21

SWOSU Notes
- SWOSU will sport a young roster in 2018 with just three upperclassmen in the form of one senior and two juniors
- Nine returning players from a year ago will be on the roster looking to provide some experience for an overall youthful team
- 11 other newcomers will put on the Bulldog uniform – 10 freshman and one sophomore transfer
- Samantha Householder will be the offense's best threat coming back after posting a .320 batting average in 46 games played (42 starts) with five doubles, four home runs, and 22 RBI
- As a team last season, SWOSU batted .280 and held a 5.34 ERA in the circle
- Miranda Grover and Rileigh Ricken will both see time in the circle in 2018 with the pair of arms combing to throw over 100 innings last season  

Looking Ahead
- Next Tuesday (Feb. 13) the Bulldogs are set to travel to Edmond and battle Oklahoma Christian in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 1 pm