Southern Utah University opens the 2009 softball season this week when the Thunderbirds compete in the Red Desert Classic hosted by Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University in St. George, Utah.
    SUU opens the tourney Thursday at 3:00 p.m. against BYU, then takes on Northern Colorado at 5:00 p.m. The Thunderbirds meet Utah Valley at 1:00 p.m. on Friday.  On the tournament's final day, SUU battles Washington at 11:00 a.m., followed by a 1:30 matchup with Idaho State.

    All games will be held at the Snow Canyon Complex in St. George.

    The Coach: Julie Strand (Colorado State-Pueblo, 2002) is in her first season as the Thunderbirds' coach. Strand has served the past four seasons as the number-one assistant with SUU's softball program. During her tenure with the Thunderbirds, Coach Strand has had a major roll in helping SUU to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances in 2006 and 2007. She also helped guide the Thunderbirds to Summit League and Mid-Continent Conference tournament titles those two seasons as well as a pair of regular-season conference championships.

    Coach Strand helped lead the ?Birds to Summit League tournament berths in all four of her seasons on the bench, and helped oversee a squad which has virtually rewritten the Southern Utah offensive record books in the past four years.

    Strand is assisted by Zac Willson (SUU, 2007), and graduate assistant Rodeo Carli.(SUU, 2008).

    Quick Outlook: After back-to-back Summit League tournament championships, and NCAA tournament appearances in 2006 and 2007, Southern Utah's softball squad was understandably disappointed to fall short of a three-peat in 2008.
    With all but three starters returning this year, Southern Utah is looking for vindication, and a speedy return to the top of the Summit League standings.
    What was somewhat of a disadvantage last year, may prove a marked advantage this season. In 2008, Southern Utah started a lineup loaded with freshmen and sophomores. The result is in 2009, the Thunderbirds are packed with returning talent, boasting solid Division I experience. 
    “That shock and wow factor that these young players had last year is gone,” explains first-year head coach Julie Strand. “Last year, competing against some big name schools, to a certain extent we were intimidated by the names on the jerseys. I don't think that is going to play in nearly as much this season.”
    “We again have a tough pre-conference schedule, but I anticipate that many of those close games we lost last year will go our way this season,” Strand continues. “With so many of our young players returning I don't expect us to be intimidated by anyone.”
    Unseasonably warm autumn weather in Cedar City enabled Southern Utah to continue to hone skills in the off-season, but Strand says there remains some fine-tuning to be ready for opening day. 
    “Our girls have done a good job through the fall, and even over the break, not just maintaining, but continuing to grow in their skills,” Strand says. “Beyond that, we need to make sure we're comfortable with bunt situations, first and third situations, live pitching?the mental preparation to make sure were in game mode.”
    Returning to lead the Thunderbirds this season are three seniors and three juniors, four of whom were members of the 2007 squad that notched Southern Utah's first-ever NCAA tournament win, in any sport.
    Kristina Brooks, the junior pitcher who logged Southern Utah's first NCAA tournament win as a true freshman back in 2007, was teammates on that 2007 squad with two of this year's seniors Caroline Fernandez and Trish Clapham, at catcher and outfielder, respectively, while junior outfielder Norian James was a redshirt on that team. Rounding out this year's list of upperclassmen are senior outfielder Natalie McBurney and junior pitcher Meghan Wilson, who both joined the Thunderbirds last year.
    Also returning this season are sophomore regulars Aly Daniels, an all-Summit League second-team selection last season; Brittany Henderson, who started 49 games, primarily at second base, last year; and Shannon Lum, who started 41 games at first base in 2008.
    Sophomores Darleen Fernandez (third base), Stephanie DeJesus (middle infield) and Katie “Bubba” Kearns (pitcher) also return after making significant contributions last season.
    In addition to the returning cast, Coach Strand also introduces two new faces in sophomore transfers Jenavieve Purcell, an outfielder who played at New Mexico State in 2007 before redshirting at Mt. San Antonio College last year; and Makinna Meeks, who hit .347 for NAIA Dakota Wesleyan last season.