BETHANY, Okla. — Coming off the first sub-.500 season since 2008, Southern Nazarene looks to get back to prominence in its second year in the Great American Conference. The Crimson Storm are coming off a 19-33 season, but had won at least 40 games in the previous two seasons and at least 30 in the previous four seasons.
 
SNU welcomes back a strong core of returnees and looks forward to fresh faces in the circle and behind the plate in the 2014 season. The Storm were picked to finish in a tie for seventh in the Great American Conference in the Preseason Coaches' Poll. SNU received 36 points along with Ouachita Baptist. SNU went 11-23 in conference play last year, finishing ninth.
 
RETURNEES
SNU does return a big portion of their lineup from a year ago with six starters coming back. All-GAC selection Kylie Lang comes into her junior year after hitting a team-high .425. She was also 9-9 in stolen base attempts. Along with patrolling the outfield, Lang will add pitching to her list of duties.
 
Kacey Acker, Megan Blevens and Lindy Fluman all return in the infield for the Crimson Storm. Acker, a three-year starter, hit .317 last year as a junior with seven home runs and nine doubles, and is expected to be at first. Fluman, started all 52 games at shortstop last year and hit .251 with seven home runs and eight doubles. Blevens played in all 52 games, starting 51, as a freshman and closed out the year in impressive fashion. She hit eight home runs, had seven doubles and drove in 32 RBIs while hitting .310. Saydi Dowd also returns and could see time in the infield.
 
Courtney Wiley and Whitney Linder both started in at least 30 games last year and were significant contributors in the outfield, and are expected to be in the mix for an everyday position. Kat Lerma, who served most of her time as a pinch runner, could play a factor in the outfield race as well.
 
Jill Clemence does return for SNU, but will redshirt the 2014 season due to a previous injury.
 
NEWCOMERS
It will be a three-way fight behind plate as no one returns for SNU at catcher. West Texas A&M transfer Kylee Webb along with freshmen Allie Baird and Hannah LeBeau could see time behind the plate as well. Webb played one year at WT and was an all-conference selection at Putnam City High School. Baird was a four-time TCAF Division I All-tournament Team selection at Nazarene Christian High School and LeBeau was a three-time all-district first team choice at Timber Creek High School. LeBeau could also fight for time at third base.
 
Kyndall Freer-Christopher, a freshman transfer from Wingate (N.C.), will add depth in the infield while Kayla Yager and Brittany Taylor will serve in a utility roll. Freer-Christopher was a three-time all-district selection at Timber Creek High School. Yager is a junior transfer from Mid-America Christian and Taylor was a three-time all-district selection at Evangel Christian in Shreveport, La.
 
Freshmen Sam Smith and Larisa Rivera will fight for a spot in the outfield. Smith as an all-state selection at Collinsville (Okla.) High School while Rivera played at Cleburne (Texas) High School.
 
The biggest difference though will be in the circle for Southern Nazarene. The Crimson Storm have two former Little All-City Pitchers of the Year in Kayla Wyatt and Andee Frazier. Wyatt transfers from Nebraska-Omaha after playing a year for the Mavericks while Frazier comes from Oklahoma powerhouse Little Axe. Ashley Potter, a freshman from Drumright (Okla.) High School will also factor into the mix in the circle. She was a two-time Conference Pitcher of the Year.
 
First pitch is set for Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. in Goodwell, Okla. The first home contest for SNU is March 7 at 2 p.m.