Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow last week on Groundhog Day, predicting six more weeks of winter.
Yet, the college softball season will not wait for spring’s arrival.
The University of Illinois Springfield plays its first game Friday morning against Missouri Southern at the Arkansas-Monticello 8-State Classic in Bentonville, Arkansas. The Prairie Stars will take the field for the first time under new coach Shannon Nicholson.
The Chatham Glenwood High School graduate replaced Mat Mundell last July. Last season he coached UIS to a 27-25 overall record and a 17-17 Great Lakes Valley Conference mark that earned the Prairie Stars a spot in the league tournament.
"We think our defense is going to be our strong point," Nicholson said. "We feel really very strongly about our defense."
This story was published online in The State Journal-Register on February 10, 2015.
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