The defending PacWest champion Concordia softball team, ranked No. 10 nationally by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), begins its season on Friday, Feb. 1 in the Desert Stinger Tournament in Las Vegas.

Much is expected of the Eagles in 2019, coming off one of the best seasons in Concordia history.  Though there were key contributors lost to graduation from the 2018 team, there is a plethora of talent still remaining, and the Eagles have high expectations heading into the season.

In the preseason PacWest poll, the Eagles were the top vote getter and the favorite to claim another conference crown.  CUI received eight of the nine first place votes.  The Eagles also had two players, Callie Nunes and Amanda Gjertsen, named to the preseason PacWest all-conference team. 

2018 Recap
The 2018 Eagles had a tremendous regular season, finishing with a 46-14 overall record, 26-6 in conference play, and the PacWest title.  The Eagles began their season by winning four out of their five games in the Desert Stinger, played in Las Vegas.  They continued to win at a high clip in the Dixie State Tournament, taking three out of four games before the start of conference play.

When PacWest action began, the Eagles had a 7-2 record in nonconference play.  Though they went on to enjoy a dominant conference season, it wasn't easy in the beginning.  CUI lost their first two conference games and three of their first six.  The Eagles won five of their next six, however, but then struggled in the Tournament of Champions, played in Turlock.  After losing three of five, the Eagles then won four of their next six games before finally coming home for their home opener on April 7 against Biola University.

The Eagles only lost once more the rest of the regular season.  After winning ten in a row, the Eagles fell to Cal State San Bernardino on April 14, but then rattled off 14 consecutive wins to close the regular season.  After winning 24 of their final 25 games, the Eagles won the PacWest conference and hosted an NCAA Regional for the first time in school history.

The Eagles weren't able to keep their hot streak alive in the regional, however.  Despite beating Academy of Art University twice, the Eagles fell to Dixie State on consecutive days and were eliminated.  They finished the season first in the PacWest in shutouts, strikeouts, opponent batting average, and fielding percentage.  They also finished second in team ERA and third in home runs hit.

Coaching Staff
Crystal Rosenthal is entering her 11th season as the Concordia softball head coach.  She is already CUI's all-time leader in wins, accumulating an impressive 462-118-2 record in her first ten seasons.  Rosenthal is an alumnus of CUI and twice was named team captain as a player.  In 2008, she was inducted into the Concordia Athletics Hall of Fame.

Rose Imbriano is the CUI associate head coach, working directly with pitchers.  She also works with Concordia's defense and serves as a video associate.  Imbriano is a graduate of Oregon, where she was a four year letter winner, and one of the best defensive players in division I college softball.  In 2007, she earned her MBA from Concordia.

"Coach Rose (Imbriano) is in charge of our defense and there's nobody better.  Our team is extremely prepared in every defensive place possible," said Rosenthal. 

James Crawford enters his first season as a volunteer assistant coach for the Eagles. CUI also has  three graduate assistants.  Megan Feuerstein is in her second season as a G.A. for the Eagles.  She played for CUI for four seasons and was a member of the 2013 NAIA National Championship team.  Elise Laws is in her first season at CUI after serving as a student manager for the UCLA softball team the previous four seasons.  The Bruins made it to the College World Series in each of Laws' four seasons in Westwood.  Lindsay Cerulle joins Laws as a first year G.A. for the Eagles.  Cerulle graduated from California State University San Marcos in 2018, where she was a four year letter winner for the Cougars.

Pitchers
As a freshman in 2018, Callie Nunes proved from the very beginning of the season that she was ready to take division II softball by storm.  After coming out of the bullpen in her first game, pitching one inning and striking out the side, Nunes threw a no hitter in her first career college start.  The no hitter was one of two for Nunes in her brilliant freshman campaign.  For the season, she finished second in the country with a minuscule 0.74 ERA.  She also finished first in the country in hits allowed per seven innings, second in the country in saves, second in strikeouts per seven innings, third in total strikeouts, and fourth in shutouts.  At the end of the season, she was named a First Team All-American and National Freshman of the Year by the NFCA.  Fastpitch News has named Nunes as a preseason All-America candidate, and she was named to the preseason All-PacWest team.

"She's got this amazing gift to move the ball and her standards are so high.  We want her to appreciate what she's done, but also continue to grow," said Rosenthal.

Joining Nunes in the rotation is Jordan Quinn.  As a sophomore in 2018, Quinn finished with a 6-2 record and threw three complete games.  She spent her sophomore season primarily as the number three pitcher and is expected to have an increased role in 2019.

Erika Morris, a freshman from Laguna Hills, is a pitcher/infielder and will be called upon to provide depth on the mound.  Amanda Gjertsen, primarily a third baseman, also has the ability to pitch if called upon.

Infielders
After finishing second among all qualified hitters on the team with a .337 batting average and leading the Eagles with 16 doubles in 2018, third baseman Amanda Gjertsen returns in 2019.  Gjertsen has been selected as a preseason All-PacWest selection and will be a key hitter in the middle of the Eagles' lineup.

Coming off of a solid sophomore campaign, McKinsey Thorpe returns at second base for the Eagles.  Juniors Sarah Kretschmar and Mackenzie Graham return, as well, with each contributing significantly to the team in 2018.  Two sophomores, Sydni Dix and Nicole Lukinbeal, will be looking to make their marks on the program, and juniors Monica Martinez and Katia Buisson will be important pieces, as well.  Sydney Sprinkle from Palm Desert, an All-State performer in high school, will look to make a splash in her freshman season behind the plate.

Outfielders
The Eagles have eight outfielders on their roster in 2019, six of which are underclassmen.  The two upperclassmen, senior Heather Nonora and junior Michelle Lieng, will be called upon to provide leadership, as well as production.  Though both played limited roles in 2018, they were able to provide value with their speed.  The duo combined to steal 12 bases in 12 attempts on the season.

Four sophomores will compete for playing time in the crowded outfield, as well.  Lauren Lopez, a .371 hitter as a freshman, and Brooke Jackson, a .291 hitter as a freshman, will look to continue their production in expanded roles, and Myka Hughes and Julianna Covarrubias will be called upon to contribute, as well.

Joining the program in 2019 are two talented freshmen.  Megan Massa, from Fairfield, and Danielle Michaels, from Hacienda Heights, will get their first taste of college action when the Eagles begin play in Las Vegas over the weekend.

The Eagles also have four key utility players, able to play both the infield and the outfield.  A trio of juniors, Stephanie Ruelas, Alyssa Turner, and Haylee Kloosterman, as well as freshman Lauren Fairchild, provide defensive flexibility for the Eagles and will be used in a number of different ways throughout the season.

Speaking of the freshmen on the roster, Coach Rosenthal believes that this class has tremendous potential.  "Our freshmen class is definitely a class that will make an impact.  I can see at least a few of them offensively making a direct impact in our lineup and I think we have some potential future All-Americans in this group," she said.

From top to bottom, the Eagles' roster is loaded with capable talent and quality coaches.  The 2019 season promises to be an exciting one, and it begins at the Desert Stinger on Friday, February 1 against Northwest Nazarene.

"It's fun for my kids to see a measuring stick of what division II softball really is, and on the west coast, there is no better place to see it," added Rosenthal. 

For the complete CUI softball schedule, click here.