Lady Cougars to Kick Off Season in Florida

LEESBURG, Fla. – The Mount Vernon Nazarene University softball team is set to begin its season on Thursday, March 2 against Point Park University as part of the Spring Break trip to the Sunshine State. The Lady Cougars, who begin the season receiving votes nationally in the NAIA, will play 10 games in six days in Leesburg and Minneola, Florida to kick off the new 2023 season.

The Lady Cougars had a very good 2022 season as they went 37-14 overall (a program record) and 26-10 in the Crossroads League. MVNU was also 20-2 at home and they will hope to continue to stay hot at home all season as the Crossroads League Tournament will be hosted at MVNU. Coach Jeana Howald will look to build on last season to have a successful campaign this time around.

Coach Howald will look to her four veteran seniors—Kaycee Ollis (C), Kylee Pettit (OF), Macee Marcum (P, INF), and Megan Pentz (OF)—to lead the team this season. She also brings in seven talented new freshmen who will provide depth and competition within the team. The new faces include Ashtynn Roberts, Avery Miller, Brooklyn Krum, Kaitlyn McPeek, Kiera Mayer, Paige Ogden, and Zhari Hill.

Senior catcher Ollis returns for her final season and will hope to build on her phenomenal 2022 season. The Louisville, Ohio native was an NAIA All-American Honorable Mention and First Team All-Crossroads League selection in 2022. She put together a great season both at the plate and behind it. Ollis hit 12 homeruns, had 56 RBI, and hit .428 on the season. Her defensive play behind the plate remains a valuable part of the Lady Cougar defense. Defensively, she had 249 putouts and 31 assists behind the plate, only committing five errors all season.

Outfielder Kylee Pettit also received First Team All-Crossroads League recognition last year as she hit .414 on the season and led the team with 79 hits. The senior from North Vernon, Indiana swiped 22 bases and had a fielding percentage of .988 with 74 putouts, five assists, and committed one lone error to earn a Gold Glove Award in 2022.

The Lady Cougars begin their season with a doubleheader against Point Park University on Thursday, March 2 in Leesburg, Florida. Game one is scheduled for 11:00am with game two to follow.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students, and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and several convenient Graduate and Professional Studies locations throughout the state, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education to more than 2,200 students from 31 states and 22 countries/U.S. territories.