Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney softball team heads to the ninth annual Desert Stinger Classic in Las Vegas, Nev., this weekend to begin the 2018 season. 

The 28-team tournament, hosted by Montana State-Billings at Majestic Park, will run Friday through Sunday. The Lopers play two games Friday and Saturday and one on "Super Bowl" Sunday. Check the UNK schedule page for scheduled first pitch times and media links. Also, the UNK softball Twitter feed will be active all weekend. 

Kearney took part in this large event two years ago, going 3-2. This time around, they'll face two teams in the national preseason Top 35 (Humboldt State and Texas Woman's U.) as well as Central Region rival Mary. Last February, UNK handed Harding University of Arkansas a 7-4 defeat in Minnesota. The Bison were ranked 18th at the time and went on to finish 58-9. 

While UNK has three transfers and seven true freshmen on its active roster, there still are plenty of familiar faces. Senior Meg Housholder (Parker, Colo.) has 13 career wins in the circle, senior Kaela Samek (Lincoln Pius) has made 81 career starts in the outfield, sophomore Alexis Howe (Papillion-LaVista) batted .296 last year and sophomore Sara Sempek (Papillion-LaVista) had five wins and 14 RBI's as a freshman.

The Lopers will get the weekend of February 10-11 off before heading to the annual 8-State Tournament in Bentonville, Ark., February 16-18.

 
Notre Dame de Namur U. Argonauts (Belmont, Calif.)
2017 Record: 9-36 (8-24 Pac West Conf.); 0-6 neutral sites

2018 Preseason PWC Preseason Poll:  11 of 12

Players to Watch: Senior INF/OF Taylor Haynes (.278, eight doubles, 14 RBI's) and sophomore pitcher Audree Vicory (5-15, 4.86 ERA, 14 CG's)
  

U. of Mary Marauders (Bismarck, ND)
2017 Record: 20-35 (14-16 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conf.); 6-19 neutral sites

2018 Preseason NSIC Preseason Poll: T-9th out of 16

Players to Watch: Sophomore OF Rebekkah Keller (.356, 34 runs, 22 steals, 12 RBI's) and junior pitcher Brieann Backes (10-14, 3.51 ERA, 12 CG's, 75 K's)
 

Humboldt State U. Lumberjacks (Arcata, Calif.)
2017 Record: 44-15 (22-11 California Collegiate Athletic Assoc.); 18-4 neutral sites

2018 Preseason CCAA Preseason Poll:  3rd of 11
2018 Preseason NFCA National Preseason Poll: 5th

Players to Watch: Senior outfielder Winona Vigil (.329, nine doubles, four HR's, 26 RBI's) and senior pitcher Jasmine Hill (2-0, 3.10 ERA, five starts)
 

Texas Woman's U. Pioneers (Denton, Texas)
2017 Record: 37-22 (18-11 Lone Star Conf.); 11-5 neutral sites

2018 Preseason LSC Preseason Poll:  3rd of 11
2018 Preseason NFCA National Preseason Poll: 32nd

Players to Watch: Junior designated player Tylia Sylestine (.349, 15 doubles, 11 HR's and 51 RBI's) and senior pitcher Abby Walker (19-11, 3.02 ERA, 11 CG's, 151 K's)
 

Cal State University San Bernardino Coyotes (San Bernardino, Calif.)
2017 Record: 38-21 (27-13 California Collegiate Athletic Assoc.); 10-8 neutral sites

2018 Preseason CCAA Preseason Poll:  4th of 11

Players to Watch: Senior catcher Jessica Brown (.367, 14 doubles, 13 HR's and 50 RBI's) and junior pitcher Amanda Ramirez (16-8, 2.83 ERA, five shut outs, 56 K's)