SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The No. 12 Cal State San Marcos softball team kicks off the 2015 season this Sunday at La Verne.

The Schedule
Games 1 & 2
Sunday, January 25 – 12 p.m.
Cal State San Marcos (0-0) at La Verne (0-0)
La Verne, Calif. – LV Softball Field
Live Stats & Video

CSUSM Softball
On Instagram: @CSUSMSoftball | On Twitter: @CSUSMSoftball | #CSUSMSoftball

Track The Cougars All Season Long
There are now more ways than ever to stay in tune with the CSUSM softball team. To receive all news regarding the softball team directly to your inbox, sign up for Cougar Update. Every pregame story, postgame story, and news regarding the softball program posted to CSUSMcougars.com will be sent directly to you. Also, fans can sign up for text message updates to receive scores right after the games, and CSUSM Athletics' weekly email digest, Cougar Tracks. For more information on all the different ways to follow CSUSM softball, click here.

Who We Are
CSUSM is an NAIA Division I institution which competes in the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) Conference. CSUSM was accepted into NCAA Division II Candidacy Year One and the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) during the summer and is currently going through a three-year transition phase in order to gain full NCAA DII status for the 2017-18 season. The 2014-15 season will be the school's final year competing in the NAIA.

The 2015 Cougars
The Coach: Head coach Laurie Nevarez led the Cougars to a 39-9-1 overall mark and an appearance in the NAIA Opening Round in her first season at the helm. Nevarez, who won a NCAA Division I national championship in 1995 while playing at UCLA, is in her 12^th season as a head collegiate softball coach at a four-year institution. Her career record stands at 358-125-2 (.740).

The Players: The Cougars return 13 players from last year's squad, including four All-A.I.I. honorees – Ashley Dagenais, Katie Wilkinson, Tani Leasau and Melyssa Bellamy. Wilkinson, a senior, was honored as the A.I.I. Pitcher of the Year and an NAIA All-American after posting a 22-5 record and a 2.08 ERA. Dagenais was named to the All-A.I.I. Tournament team, going 13-4 with a 1.82 ERA as a freshman. Leasau led the team with five homeruns, and Bellamy hit .345 with 36 RBI at the shortstop position. Also returning is senior second baseman Olivia Lucatuorto, who has started all 92 of her previous appearances over the last three seasons. Caylyn Rodriguez will be counted on to fill the voids left by All-Americans Kaitlin McGinley and Alex Miller in the Cougar outfield.

The Newcomers: Eight new faces enter the Cougar lineup this season, including a pair of transfers that will likely contribute right away. Naomi Amu, a senior pitcher, sat out last season after three years competing for the University of Utah. While at Utah, Amu went 19-23 over 95 career appearances, striking out 168 batters. She also hit .215 with three homeruns and 16 RBI. Robyn Alvara also joins the Cougars as a junior college transfer from Arizona Western College. Alvara, listed as a utility player, was named a NJCAA and NFCA Division I First Team All-American after helping AWC to a regional championship in 2014. She hit 33 career homeruns at AWC, a school record, and batted .368 with 22 dingers, 78 RBI and 12 doubles as a sophomore.

Opening Day Sunday
The Cougars' 2015 season will commence this Sunday at La Verne, a NCAA Division III institution that competes in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC). La Verne is coming off of a 20-20 2014 campaign in which it finished fifth in conference play.

CSUSM all-time vs. La Verne: 4-0

Last time out: W, 7-0 & W, 13-0 (5 inn.) (Feb. 8, 2014); CSUSM completely controlled the last doubleheader between the teams at CSUSM Softball Field. Game one was highlighted by a three-run home run from Brenna Parker and RBI doubles from Gabrielle Beasley and Bellamy. Wilkinson allowed just four hits in four innings of work in game two, and Bellamy led the charge with three RBI and a double. The game ended on an interesting note, as CSUSM ended the doubleheader with a triple play.

In The Ranks
CSUSM received 321 total points in the 2015 NAIA Softball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll, coming in at No. 12. The Cougars have now been ranked for 53 consecutive polls dating back to Apr. 7, 2009.

Home Opener(s)
CSUSM will be at home for the first time on the weekend of Feb. 7-8, as the Cougars take on future CCAA opponents, Cal State San Bernardino and Cal State Dominguez Hills, respectively. Saturday's doubleheader starts at noon, while Sunday's doubleheader vs. CSUDH starts at 1 p.m. Both DH's will be live streamed for free and feature live stats.

Live Coverage of Home Games
Most home games of the 2014-15 season will be broadcasted with live video and play-by-play through Ustream.tv/channel/csusmsports. To find the link for the game, visit the Cougars' broadcast page or find the link on the team's schedule page. One can also follow the game with live stats on a brand-new interface. (No live video for: Feb. 27 vs. Vanguard and April 17 vs. Azusa Pacific). Live tweeting of all home games will be available through the team's twitter account, @CSUSMSoftball. Limited tweeting is available for road games.

CSUSM Athletics Social Media
The Cougars are now more "social" than ever… Navigate to the CSUSM Athletics Social Media Directory to connect with your favorite teams, coaches and administrators. Keep track of the CSUSM men's basketball team on Facebook and Twitter.

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