This weekend, the Benedictine University softball team will begin the 2014 season in quest of a fourth straight NACC Championship.

BenU has won the conference tournament in each of the past three seasons and finished the regular season with the NACC's best record in three out of the last four. The Eagles would love to do that once again, but Head Coach Kate Heidkamp knows the team has to focus on the task at hand.

"We want to be win another Conference Championship, go to regionals, and win in regionals, but I always struggle starting there," she said. "I want the girls to focus on Florida first, but ideally, that is where we want to be at the end of the day."

That focus has been tested this pre-season, as like most softball and baseball teams in the Midwest, weather has forced the Eagles to practice indoors for the past six weeks.

"It's always tough to be inside for such a duration of time," Heidkamp said. "When we scrimmage, it's a catch-22 because you want both the batter and pitcher to do well. It would really benefit all of us to get outside, as we have an unbelievable group of girls who work very hard and are very talented. It is very exciting."

This talented group is led by returning senior captains Kelly Loy and Nikki Powers. The concept of having the same captains for two consecutive seasons is something teams don't typically have a chance to experience, and Heidkamp knows it can be a big advantage.

"They are leaders on and off the field and our hardest workers," said Heidkamp of her two captains. "The other day, one of our players asked one of the captains a question that would probably come to me in a normal team dynamic, but they defuse so many things before it even gets to the coaching staff. It makes us stronger and brings a level of trust to the entire team. The two of them truly are like coaches on the field."

It's not just the captains, as the experience of the entire team is a strength that can also pay off for this year's team. The team returns nine of its 10 position players that started at least 20 games last season, as well as three out of the four pitchers that made appearances.

"Last year, we were nervous about not having a lot of experience," explained Heidkamp. "Now, this group has a full year experience of playing with each other. I think it will work in our favor."

In the circle, Loy, junior Eryn Pondo, and freshmen Katie McKay and Holly Haberkorn will join sophomore Melissa Guzior to form this year's pitching staff. Guzior (14-7, 2.03 ERA) led the Eagles in nearly every pitching category a season ago en route to a second team All-NACC selection, and Heidkamp sees room for improvement.

"Pitching was a question mark heading into last season, and Melissa stepped up and did very well for us as a freshman," Heidkamp said. "She's improved over the summer and the fall and is a hard worker. I would expect her to help us a ton."

BenU has many impact players in the field, including three 2013 All-NACC first teamers in senior shortstop Erin Kotlarz (.408, team-high 20 stolen bases), senior centerfielder Kelly Mieszala (.352), and sophomore catcher and reigning NACC Freshman of the Year Kailee Cable (.397, team-high five home runs and 49 RBI). Heidkamp is excited to see what Cable can do to follow-up on her spectacular freshman season.

"She had a great year last year, and we want her to pick up right where she left off," said Heidkamp of Cable. "She's very smart, and we don't want her to get complacent. We knew heading into last year that she has great potential, and she still has a lot of room to grow."

Around the rest of the diamond, first baseman Nikki Powers (.239), junior second baseman and All-NACC second teamer Chelsea White (.368, 14 stolen bases), junior third baseman Alex Daviera (.319, 26 RBI), senior outfielder Amanda Straka (four home runs, team-high .413 average), junior outfielder Sarah Koch (.373), and sophomore infielder/outfielder Melissa Stoch (.333, 27 RBI) all return after playing key roles a season ago. In addition, the team may receive contributions from some of its newcomers, including freshman infielder/outfielder Shannon Fritsche.

It's a group of players Heidkamp simply enjoys coaching and looks forward to seeing every day.

"I know a lot of coaches say this and you're always biased towards your own kids, but I don't know if I could be luckier with the kind of kids we have," said Heidkamp. "They are unbelievable representatives of what we want an athletic team to be here at Benedictine, both on the field and in the classroom. I can honestly say every time I walk onto the field that I'm happy to be there. I have a job that I love, and it's all because of our kids."

The season begins on Saturday with a 10-game schedule in Clermont, Florida. Heidkamp knows that while her team has potential, it will be tested early on.

"As usual, it's going to be a good test for us," she said. "Ironically, we play one of the toughest parts of the schedule right at the beginning. It will give us a good idea of where we stand and prepare us for conference like it normally does."

The Eagles will start the season on Saturday against Lake Forest College at 8:00 a.m. Saturday, followed by a 12:00 p.m. contest against Plattsburgh State. Live stats for all of softball's games in Florida can be followed at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/benu.portal#.