Springfield, Mass., March 9, 2006 – Springfield College will begin its season where it did last year, under the sun in Orlando, Florida on Monday, March 11. The Pride is coming off a 20-win 2005 campaign, and has high expectations again this year.

Springfield Head Coach Kathy Mangano is entering her 17th season. She is the all-time wins leader at Springfield, compiling 362 victories, and has won three conference coach-of-the-year awards.

The Pride was successful last season, but will need its highly-touted recruits to pick up the slack left by seven graduating seniors. Out of the seven players that moved on, five of them were full-time position players. SC also lost the school’s all-time leader in homeruns, Missy Edwards (10).

Springfield will be returning Jennifer Warnick (Millis, Mass), Stephanie Blackman (Stamford, Conn), Keri Standford (Melrose, Mass), Amanda Johansson (Leominster, Mass), Denise Fumicello (Brockton, Mass), Sarah Bagierek (Douglas, Mich) and Caitlin McGaughey (South Winser, Conn).

The Pride will face tough competition in Florida. Beginning their games on Monday, and going until Sunday, the Pride will go up against, Webster, Benedictine, UW-Lacrosse, Anderson, Plattsburgh State, William Paterson, Franklin and Marshall, Denison, Messiah and Washington College.

published: 03/21/2006