Cohesiveness is a term often used by coaches across various sports to describe their team's strong chemistry and togetherness. A close-knit team is what every coach hopes for entering a new campaign, as this provides structure and a foundation that can be used throughout the season when times are tough.
 
As the 2024 softball season approaches for Heartland, head coach Casey Jefferson is excited about her team's mentality and the bond that they have built in the offseason.
 
"Something I love about this group is that they are 100% bought-in," Jefferson said. "You can see it daily. They are not only bought-in, but they truly support each other on and off the field. They are high character players who are extremely talented and I'm excited to watch them on the field this spring with this being my first true recruiting class of both freshmen and sophomores. There is no doubt in my mind that their buy-in will show positive results on the field this spring."
 
Of this recruiting class that Jefferson mentioned, the Hawks welcome 14 newcomers to the squad. Included in this group are three freshman pitchers, MaKaela Salisbury, Kendyl Hurt and Kaitlyn Robinson, that will look to provide some depth following a 2023 campaign that saw the Hawks struggle to limit runs en route to a 12-28 overall finish.
 
"We have added three pitchers to our staff this year," Jefferson said. "These pitchers were high-level pitchers in their travel and high school organizations and I'm excited to see what they do this spring. All of them complement each other well and I see all of them positively impacting the team this spring."
 
Sophomore returnees Morgan Malone and Amber Teimeyer look to anchor the pitching staff this season. Malone paced the Hawks with a 6.77 ERA last spring and finished with a 7-6 overall record to lead the pitchers.
 
"These two returnee pitchers have worked extremely hard this off-season," Jefferson explained. "They have both increased their velocity as well as their command and spin. They have the experience and know what it takes to compete and they have done an outstanding job leading our freshman pitchers."
 
Jefferson pointed out that defense is an area that Heartland is hoping to improve on the most this season after the Hawks registered 78 miscues a season ago. The skipper for the Hawks has implemented a brand-new defense, and is now working to see who fits well together on the diamond.
 
On the offensive side of the ball, the Hawks boast an impressive combination of speed, power and grit. Jefferson feels that hitting will be a major strong-point this season for her team.
 
"We are a hitting team," Jefferson said. "We have the depth, we just now have to execute and I am very confident we will do that. This group compliments each other well with the small and long-ball game."
 
Out of these three previously mentioned categories, one of the areas that Jefferson is most excited about is her team's speed and their baserunning potential. Newcomers Kennadi Rico, Concetta DeBord, Landes Benedict and Jaiden Walters are all players that look to have an immediate impact on the base paths.
 
"Something I am really looking forward to this spring is our aggressiveness on the bases and the number of lefties we have," Jefferson said. "Landes Benedict (transfer from Olivet Nazarene) is definitely someone to watch out for. She immediately became a leader for us and being a transfer, she has the college experience we need on this young team. These lefties can bunt, slap, and hit away and defending this group will be very difficult."
 
Sophomore Infielders Ellie Downing (.320/.402/.447) and Raeghan Morefield (.248/.295/.354) both return as key catalysts in the Heartland lineup. Freshmen Shayne Immke and Madi Smith will boost the Hawks in the power department, while Jefferson explained that Erin Anderson and Lilly Hicks have both shown grittiness, often enduring long, tough at-bats.
 
While the Hawks have a squad poised to battle with some of the top programs in the area, Jefferson explained that trusting the work that her team has done in the off-season will be key to success for her team.
 
"Relying on the foundation that we have built this off-season is definitely an expectation going into the season," Jefferson said. "Everyone on our roster is talented and has something significant to bring to the group. This Spring compared to last, we are adding about 20 games to our schedule against top programs. The expectation is to trust our preparation, especially when things might get tough."
 
Heartland will open its 2024 season in Florida, as the Hawks travel to Sarasota, Fla. for a doubleheader at New College of Florida beginning at Noon (CT) on Feb. 7. In total, the Hawks will play eight games in four days while in Florida. The home opener for the Hawks is scheduled for March 2 against College of Lake County, with the time to be determined.