GAME DAY CENTRAL
		Friday-Sunday, February 2-4 at 9:30 a.m. // 12 p.m. // 12 p.m. // 5 p.m. // 9:30 a.m. // 12 p.m.
		Multiple Fields at Southeastern Oklahoma in Durant, Oklahoma
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In 2017, Mark Cumpian made a historic statement – he was here to win.
 
The first-year head coach of TexAnn Softball wasted no time in taking his team to the NCAA postseason. He became the first rookie head coach in the history of Tarleton State University Athletics to lead a team to the national playoffs in the school's NCAA history.
 
In 2018, he's looking to make a different kind of statement and it begins with the message he's giving to his team – Don't settle. Strive for more. Finish the fight.
 
"From day one, the message has been to finish what we started last year," said Cumpian. "Last year was great and all and we did exactly what we said we were going to do, but his year we have to want more. I am not happy with how we finished last season. If you look at the amount of one-run games we lost, that is the biggest difference from having a 40-win season.
 
"I felt like we were very close to breaking through in the postseason but we just weren't ready yet, so we have to learn to finish," he continued. "Making the playoffs was fun and all but I am not satisfied with just making the playoffs. We want to be competing for a conference championships and make a serious run in the postseason. This team understands the expectation is high and they are hungry for more in 2018."
 
While Tarleton has found a tremendous amount of success with its youngest athletic program including a 2015 run to the NCAA Super Regional Series, consistent success is what Cumpian and the TexAnns are aiming for in 2018 as Tarleton aims to return to the national playoffs for the second consecutive season – which has only been done one time in program history (2003-04).
 
After one of the busiest recruiting periods in program history, Cumpian has certainly put the pieces in place to surround a core nucleus of returning letterwinners, which includes eight TexAnns with at least 35 starts in the field and two pitchers who threw over 100 innings.
 
"As a coaching staff, we knew that we had a good core group returning but we felt we needed to grow and add some offensive firepower along with some quality gloves to this group," said Cumpian. "I feel like we accomplished what we wanted this summer. Not only do we have newcomers who are going to see significant time right away, but for the first time in my years here I feel that we have the best depth we have ever had."
 
Leading the returners are seniors Kaitlyn Thomas, Nyka Wood, and Haley Freyman, who has been an integral part of Tarleton's success over the last four seasons and are the only players who remain from the 2015 Super Regional team.
 
Wood and Freyman, who were also high school and select teammates, will enter their final season for Tarleton looking to shatter the record books. These longtime teammates have been mainstays in every TexAnn lineup over the last three seasons as Freyman has pitched in over 639 innings and Wood has played in all 167 games for the last three seasons. Wood enters her final campaign as the school's all-time RBI leader with 160 while Freyman is the school's all-time win leader with 63. They are top 10 in multiple other hitting and pitching categories, respectively.
 
Meanwhile, Thomas comes into her third active season for the purple and white having played in 89 games in 2015 and 2017. She's a .302 career hitter and scored arguably the most exciting run in TexAnn Softball history as she crossed home plate in the 2015 regional championship game to end the game against Cameron in Canyon.
 
"Haley Freyman, Nyka Wood, and Kaitlyn Thomas hold a special place in my heart," said Cumpian. "They were a part of my first recruiting class when I took over recruiting back in 2014. They were a big reason that the culture changed for Tarleton Softball, which is easily seen from the success they have had on and off the field. They made an immediate impact when we went all the way to Super Regionals, a place that this program had never been before, but they are more to me than just softball players. They are great people and that means more to me than anything. I am proud of what those three have accomplished and I am excited to have them back for one last season."
 
In addition to the return of those three seniors, Cumpian also brings back all-conference outfielders Meghann Wrinkle and Maddie Quintanar as well as LSC Gold Glove first baseman, Megan Durante. Marisa Flores returns after starting 55 games at second base last year, as does Kadyn Kirkpatrick who started 44 times a year ago. Amanda Conner, who was the team's starting first baseman for the first 13 games of the season, also returns after missing most of last year with an injury. Conner was hitting .353 before being lost for the season.
 
Jordan Withrow joins Freyman as a returning arm in the circle as the hurler from Trenton looks to build on an impressive freshman campaign that saw her throw 111.2 innings and strike out a team high 103.
 
"We have a great core group returning this year. A lot of these players were new last year and now that they have been through a full year with me they understand what I am looking for," said Cumpian. "They know we are going to have to be consistent if we are going to get to where we want to be. Flores, Wrinkle, and Durante made a big impact last year as juniors and they were a big reason for us making the playoffs so I am expecting big years from them. Withrow, Kirkpatrick, and Quintanar had good freshman years so I see them making and even bigger impact this season. If Conner can get back to 100% I believe she can be a big contributor in our offense."
 
Cumpian went out and added 14 new faces to build around his core of returners, highlighted by 10 transfers and one dual-sport athlete. Katie Webster, who was a standout softball player at Rockwall Heath, is currently playing basketball for the TexAnns and will join Cumpian's softball squad when the basketball season ends.
 
"This is one of the best recruiting classes that we have put together," said Cumpian. "It is a very versatile group and I believe they will help us take the next step as a program. One thing that I have seen this fall is that we have some hitters. Tanna Huie, Karli Herron, Destiny Crumpley, and Georgia Capell are going to bring an offensive attack that we have not had here at Tarleton since 2012. They are gamers and I have enjoyed seeing them improve throughout the fall. We also have a good group of fielders in Kaylee Rodriguez, Elizabeth Svienty, and Lexi Grimaldo who are going to give us great depth on our infield. Megan Rosewell, Karlie Milburn and Julie Wernet will strengthen our pitching staff and help eat up innings throughout our tough schedule.
 
"I'm excited about this group, they have all of the tools to be a great team," he continued. "Now it is time to put it all out on the field. We know it is not going to be easy, but if we can be stay consistent I believe we can find a way to be playing in late May."
 
The pieces are in place. The message is simple. Finish the fight.