The Wesleyan women’s softball team looks to bounce back from the 2011 season and return to the squad’s traditional dominance in 2012. Coach Jen Lane, entering her 11th season with the Cardinals, has had the longest and most successful stretch of any head coach in school history. Lane has led Wesleyan to appearances in the NESCAC playoffs in four consecutive seasons (2007-2010), capping the 2010 run with a NESCAC title and a NCAA Championship appearance. After stumbling to a 12-19 record last year, the Lady Cards are hoping to improve in their 2012 campaign.

The group has a solid core group of 13 returning letter winners, eight of whom are starters. Talented co-captains Dana Levy ’12 and Chrissy Bello ‘12 will look to use their offensive skills to lead the Cardinals to victory. Levy currently holds the school record on most home runs in a game with three and most career home runs with 11, while Bello holds the record of most RBIs in a season with 40. In addition to Bello and Levy’s strong offensive accomplishments, the senior class holds a .331 batting average, a combined 30 homeruns, and 253 collective RBI.

The Cards have an good shot at becoming a strong NESCAC contender and returning to the NESCAC playoffs this year after failing to make them last year.

“We plan on making NESCACs this year,” said sophomore Alex Sarkowsky.

To kick off the season, the Cardinals will travel to the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla. While in Florida, the team will spend the majority of its time training and playing 14 of the 29 games it will play during the regular season. Wesleyan will look to improve on their record from last year’s Florida stint, during which the team went 6-7. The team will play against some familiar faces in their matchups against regional opponents, including Babson, Wellesley, and NESCAC foe Bowdoin.

Following spring break, the Cardinals will jump back into action on Friday, March 30th, when they host Hamilton College.