(LEBANON, Ill. Feb. 8) – The McKendree University softball team will head south this weekend to begin the 2017 season in Dahlonega, Ga. at the Steak 'n Shake Classic hosted by University of North Georgia.

The Bearcats will play five games between February 10-12. McKendree will open their season up Friday against Palm Beach Atlantic University (1-3) at 10 a.m. E.T., followed by a noon eastern time contest against eighth ranked University of North Georgia (4-2).  On Saturday, the Bearcats will play Mars Hill College (2-0) at 2:00 p.m. E.T., followed by a 6:00 p.m. E.T. contest against University of West Georgia (4-0). On Sunday, McKendree will wrap up the weekend trip with a single game against Palm Beach Atlantic University at 10:00 a.m. E.T.

The 2017 season marks the second year that the Bearcats will be under the helm of head coach Ashley Fleming. Fleming in her first season led the Bearcats to a 25-29 record last season, which included the program's first ever appearance in the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament.

Fleming's Bearcats return 18 players from last season, including a pair of pitchers in senior Holly Magre (Festus, Mo./St. Pius X) and sophomore Maci Ingram (Woodlawn, Ill./Nashville Community ). Magre, a Second-Team All-GLVC honoree, appeared in 34 games for the Bearcats while starting in 26 games and posted a 14-14 record with an ERA of 3.04 while recording 191 strikeouts. Ingram posted a team best 2.80 ERA going 8-9 appearing in 29 games with 21 starts. Joining the program this season will be Kylee Silliman (Fremont, IA/Oskaloosa ) and Hannah Murphy (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt North ). Silliman recorded 226 strikeouts in three seasons at Oskaloosa High School while posting a 29-11 record and was a three-time All-Conference honoree. Murphy was a three-time All-Conference honoree and helped Fort Zumwalt North to three conference championships.

Behind the plate, McKendree returns junior Rebecca Franke (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) and sophomore Samantha Cameron (Dix, Ill./Centralia, Ill.). Franke appeared in 26 games last year hitting .163 and a .321 on-base percentage. Cameron appeared in 41 games hitting .333, while going 14-of-35 (.400) with runners in scoring position. Joining the squad behind the plate this season will be Kaylee Gilbert (Flint Hill, MO/Fort Zumwalt North ). A Forth Zumwalt North graduate, Gilbert hit .365 as a senior and was a two-time All-Conference honoree as well as All-District her senior season.
 
The Bearcats will return a core group in the infield this season. The infield will be led by seniors Erica Schuelke (Germantown, Wis./West Bend), Rachel Hastings (Forsyth, Ill./Maroa-Forsyth ), Liz Klussman (Washington, Mo./Washington), and Sydnee Bryant. Schuelke who appeared in 36 games last year batting .205 will return after sitting out a portion of last year due to injury. Hastings appeared in 49 games in her first season with the Bearcats collecting First-Team All-GLVC honors and hit .354 with 14 doubles while driving in 28 runs. Klussman recorded a .346 batting average last season in 32 games driving in 15, while Bryant hit .357 in 31 games. Juniors Tylin Stephens (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs ), Brooke Gajewski (Kronenwetter, Wis./D.C. Everest), and Lucendia Adaams will also contribute to the infield this year. Stephens played in all 54 games last year for the Bearcats, while recording a team best 82 assists in the field. Stephens at the plate batted .276 and recorded a pair of triples. Gajewski was atop of the Bearcats hitting chart last season while collecting First-Team All-GLVC honors. Hitting .368 in 53 games, Gajewski drove in a team-high 49 runs while adding eight home runs. Adding their efforts will also be sophomores Sara Radae (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville ) and Madison Cowman (Effingham, Ill./Teutopolis ). Radae played in 49 games last year hitting for .297 and nabbing six stolen bases, while Cowman returns to the roster after injury last year.

Joining the Bearcat infield this season will be Caitlyn Lowry (St. Louis, MO/Notre Dame ), Abbie Bailey (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew ), Jill Norton (Foristell, MO/Francis Howell ), Taylor Ganz (Freeburg, IL/Freeburg ), and Sarah Hill (Olney, IL/Richland County ). Lowry hit .506 with 10 doubles, three triples, six home runs, and 23 RBI as a senior at Notre Dame High School in St. Louis, Mo. Bailey recorded 11 doubles, 24 RBI and hit for .462 Andrew High School while also securing an All-Conference selection. Norton as a senior at Francis Howell hit .235 with nine RBI, Hill recorded a .350 batting average as a senior at Richland County, and Ganz played as the starting shortstop at Freeburg High school.

McKendree will also return their starting outfield in seniors Jamie Doggendorf (Dittmer, Mo./Northwest), Dani Schoenbacher (Tamaroa, Ill./Pinckeyville), Hanna Branch (Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood), and Kyla Haukap (Dawson, Ill./Buffalo Tri-City). Doggendorf returns after playing in all but one game for the Bearcats last season while also collecting Second-Team All-GLVC accolades. Leading the outfield with 78 putouts, Doggendorf recorded a .302 batting average and two triples. Schoenbacher returns after recording a 20 RBI season and hitting .248. Branch, a Second-Team All-GLVC honoree, will return as the Bearcats top hitter after leading the team in batting average (.392), slugging percentage (.684), and homeruns (9) last season. Juniors Abbi Liske (Ashley, Ill./Nashville ) and Emma Lewis (Bethalto, Ill./Civic Memorial ) will also be key factors in the lineup this year. Sophomores Sara Radae (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville ) will return after playing in 49 games and hitting .294 along with Paige Fleeman (Salem, Ill./Christ Our Rock Lutheran ). Joining the deep outfield staff will be Lexi Johnson (Galatia, IL/Galatia ) who played for Galatia High School.

Following this weekend, the Bearcats will partake in three more early season tournaments. February 18-19 McKendree will play four games at the Music City Invitational in Hendersonville, Tenn. before traveling to Evansville, Ind. for six games at the USI Tournament. McKendree will make their first appearance at Bearcat Field in Lebanon, Ill. on March 11 as they take on Kentucky Wesleyan College.