CONWAY, Ark. – The highly anticipated return of Central Arkansas softball is finally on deck, with opening weekend finally within reach. First up for the season, the Bears head to Clearwater, Fla., to take part in the NFCA Leadoff Classic, playing five games to get things rolling.
 
The Bears will play Notre Dame in game one of the season, facing the Fighting Irish on Friday at 9 a.m. CT. Friday will conclude with a 3 p.m. game against North Carolina Central. Saturday's two games are against St. John's and Kansas, with a Sunday finish against South Alabama. Two of the five opponents (Notre Dame, N.C. Central) were participants in last season's NCAA Tournament.
 
Central Arkansas looks to build off its historic 2023 season with the understanding that the team looks very different this time around. With only seven returners that saw playing time, and only three returning starters, Central Arkansas is going to look vastly different from the team that won a program-record 45 games and reached its first NCAA Regional since 2015. But those that will retake the field for the Bears are some of the most impactful players.
 
Preseason ASUN Player of the Year Tremere Harris returns to the outfield after an All-Region season that saw her record 58 hits at a .335 clip. Of her 58 hits, 14 were for extra bases, and the then-junior crossed home plate a team-high 43 times. She also drew 34 walks to just 21 strikeouts, and stole 20 bases. Harris is one of two seniors on the team this season, along with first baseman Morgan Nelson.
 
Nelson returns to her infield spot after producing one of the best power-hitting seasons Central Arkansas has ever seen. Hitting .278, the Bentonville native ranked third in the ASUN with a program record 14 home runs last year, including a pair in the Tuscaloosa Regional game against Long Island. Nelson was an anchor at first base last year, logging a .995 fielding percentage on 364 attempts. The senior's power will be a welcome compliment to the speed that makes up the top of the Central Arkansas lineup.
 
Last but not least, the ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-ASUN third baseman Kylie Griffin also returns to the diamond for the Bears. The Greenbrier native returns after leading the team with a .347 batting average and 60 hits. Griffin made the jump from talented freshman to legit star after leading the Bears near the top of the lineup, producing eight doubles, a triple and two home runs. The junior also saw an improvement in her discipline at the plate, drawing 23 walks to just 17 strikeouts. But she earned her preseason accolade due to her ability on defense, where she proved to make up half of one of the best left-infields in the country.
 
Central Arkansas first takes on Notre Dame, who finished last season 30-19-1 with an appearance in the Fayetteville Regional. The Fighting Irish bowed out in the first round of the ACC Championship with a loss to Georgia Tech, but had built a good enough resume with wins over Virginia Tech, Louisville, and Duke, among others. Notre Dame brings back studs from last season, like Micaela Kastor, who led the team with a 2.67 ERA and Carlli Kloss, who hit .341 with 57 hits and 43 runs scored.
 
North Carolina Central finished last season with a 19-35 record, but won the MEAC Tournament to earn a spot in the Athens Regional. The team returns its leading hitter Makiya Graves, who hit .357 with 60 hits and 73 total bases. The sophomore looks to build on a season in which she led her team with 16 games of multiple hits, including a game of five hits against Delaware State. In the circle, Jaden Davis returns for her junior season after a 10-15 record with a 3.47 ERA. She led her team with 94 strikeouts, while walking only 57 batters.
 
Saturday's first opponent, St. John's, finished 2023 with a record of 23-29, finishing fifth in the Big East. The Red Storm hired a new coach in August, naming Michelle DePolo as the new skipper. DePolo has over 340 wins in her coaching career, which includes stops at Army and Tennessee Tech. St. John's set a new program record last season, swiping 98 bases, led by Jess Bianco's 43.
 
Kansas won't be a new opponent for the Bears, having faced the Jayhawks in each of the last three season. Last year's iteration saw the Bears come a single hit away from a perfect game, allowing a single baserunner in the five-inning, 13-0 win in Lawrence. Kansas returns most of its lineup, including its leading batter Lyric Moore. Moore led the team with a .303 average and 43 hits, putting together 13 doubles, three triples and five home runs. In the circle, Kansas returns all four pitchers from last season's rotation that posted a 3.82 ERA.
 
South Alabama, who finished last year with 39 wins, saw its season cut short after a second-round loss in the Sun Belt Tournament at the hands of Marshall. But even after a 20-4 showing in the Sun Belt and a 20-3 record at home, the Jaguars fell just short of a regional. South Alabama also has to replace two of its best hitters from a season ago, losing Victoria Ortiz and Meredith Keel. The Jags do bring back Mackenzie Brasher, who hit .309 with 50 hits and 27 stolen bases.
 
Central Arkansas's five games will be streamed on GameChanger, with live stats available online.