 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
2011 Outlook
Expectations can be a funny thing when it comes to athletics. Sometimes when you least expect success, it somehow finds its way to the forefront. Conversely, high expectations can sometimes lead to heartache. In the case of the 2011 Geneva College softball team, the expectations for success are on the rise following a most improbable season a year ago. After losing several key components from the 2009 team, the expectations for success were not extremely high a year ago. All that changed when a sophomore hurler took the ball for the first time in Florida and the rest as they say, was history. Julie DiLonardo was past the pitching torch for the Golden Tornadoes and after only a handful of appearances in her freshman campaign burst onto the scene last year and began rewriting the Geneva record book.
“From her first appearance in Florida, it became evident that we had something special.” said head coach Van Zanic. “Julie was at times dominant and the rest of our team gained confidence when she was in the circle.” At season’s end, DiLonardo had tied the school record for wins in a season with 21 and had rewritten the single season strikeout record with 154. While DiLonardo was getting things done in the circle, many of her teammates were providing offensive and defensive support. Adriane Blake will be front and center in her senior season this spring. A year ago, the junior shortstop led the team with her .380 batting average, six home runs and 43 RBI’s. Meanwhile, Martha Adams, who will move back to the outfield this spring, hit a solid .351 with a team best 42 runs scored.
“We have a very solid core of players returning this season,” says Zanic. “Perhaps the most exciting aspect of our team will be the depth. We have the largest roster in team history and we have at least two players that can contribute at every position. We have never enjoyed that type of luxury. It makes my job a bit more difficult, but it’s a good problem to have.”
In addition to Blake, Geneva’s 2011 roster features seniors Samantha Bautista, Anjelica Marsh, Leanne Abate and Ariel Lilly. Each should make significant contributions in the upcoming campaign. While Marsh is returning from a season ending injury, Abate hit .309 with 24 RBI’s and Bautista hit .275 with 20 runs knocked in a year ago. “We will be relying heavily on our seniors for production and leadership throughout the season. Each of them brings some very special qualities to the table.”
Geneva finished the 2010 season with an overall record of 23-17 and fell just one game shy of advancing to its third NCCAA national tournament. As the 2011 season begins, the Golden Tornadoes will be looking for that elusive bid to another national tournament. To do so, it will need to tackle another difficult schedule. Playing several NCAA national qualifiers to start the season in Florida, the Golden Tornadoes will then face a challenging PAC schedule throughout the spring. “We really try to play the best competition we can outside of our conference,” says Zanic. “Our trip to Florida is a true barometer as to where our team is and where we need to go once we get up north. We feel as though what we do within the conference should be our main focus and the only way to prepare for those challenges is to play the best competition you can find to start the season.”
The Golden Tornadoes will welcome more than a handful of new faces to the program in 2011. A total of ten freshmen will be making their collegiate debuts this spring with many of them looking to make immediate contributions. “We will be relying on several of our newcomers to step in a make an immediate impact for our program. It can be a bit nerve racking to put a lot of faith in young players but it can also be very rewarding. We are looking forward to a new challenge in 2011.”
As Geneva prepares for its final year as a NCAA Division III provisional member, it will be gearing up to be a full member of the PAC and Division III in 2012. “We are certainly very anxious to have the chance to compete for a conference title,” says Zanic. “But those issues are down the road. Right now our focus is getting this senior class to an NCCAA national tournament before they graduate. This group has been with us for four years and they deserve an opportunity to play on the national stage. We have come up short the last couple of years and we will be using that motivation in 2011.”
Geneva had won at least 25 games per season for five straight years before posting just 23 victories a year ago. The motivation of a national tournament appearance along with the desire to get back to the standard of winning that has been set for Geneva softball should be the driving force for a core group of players returning this year.
With a record breaking pitcher, a core of talented upperclassmen and a record number of newcomers, the ingredients are in place for a successful campaign in 2011. The Golden Tornadoes will look to continue their success on the field just one year away from full NCAA Division III participation.