Jan. 23, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - With the Knights' 2009 softball season quickly approaching, the UCF Athletics Communications staff recently caught up with the upperclassmen on this year's squad to chat about the excitement leading up to the team's Feb. 6 season-opener at the ASU Kajikawa Classic. The Knights will square off with Texas Tech early in the day, before taking on defending national champion Arizona State in the nightcap.
In the first of seven installments, senior catcher Lindsay Dean (Jacksonville, Fla.) shares her thoughts on the season ahead and gives fans a little insight into this year's squad.
What do you see as your role on the team this season?
"Since I am a senior, I see myself as a leader. I have been helping everyone transition into a cohesive team and have been trying to make this team as good as it was last year."
What are your individual and team goals for the 2009 season?
"Individually, I would like to enhance my hitting performance. I would like to be one of those "go-to" people that can hit that run in, get that RBI or hit that home run when the team needs it. As a team, I would like to win back-to-back Conference USA Championships and just meet all of the goals that we have all set for one another."
What do you think is unique about this year's team?
"We have a lot of freshmen stepping up this year, which is definitely a change. They have been challenging the upperclassmen to play better and practice harder."
Why did you decide to play softball at UCF?
"I chose UCF because I liked the campus and the education that I would be getting. The new stadium was really a bonus. UCF really seemed like home to me."
How are the newcomers fitting in?
"They are all really good at what they do. They just came in and gelled with us as a team."
What is your favorite thing to do as a team off of the field?
"We really just like hanging out with one another. We go to the movies and go out to dinner. This year we took everyone out and had a scavenger hunt, which was a lot of fun and a way for us to all be together."
What are some of the traditions the team takes part in on and off of the field?
Before each game we all get in a circle and we do little dances and cheers that we all love. It just loosens us up before the game. Off of the field, like I said before, we like to cook dinners for each other. Sometimes it will be a senior with just the freshmen, or with just the juniors or sometime all together. It's just something we like to do to relax and hang out with each other."
Which player do you think will have the biggest impact on the team this season?
"I think that Natalie (Land) is really going to break open for UCF. I think she is going to help us both offensively and defensively. She is going to have a breakout season for us as a freshman."
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
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