LEWISTON, Maine – The commencement of the 2023 Bates College softball season is finally in sight as the Bobcats prepare to kick off a new era for the program this Sunday in Clermont Fla.
 
There will be a new presence in the dugout this spring as Kat McKay prepares to make her debut as the sixth head coach in program history. Serving as an assistant coach last season for Bates (after five years at the helm of University of Maine-Farmington), Coach McKay is ready to get things underway in the Sunshine State.
 
Joining McKay on the staff is new assistant coach, Ally Plafcan, who joins the garnet and white after serving as a graduate assistant with the William Penn University (NAIA) softball program in Oskaloosa, Iowa. 
 
With a month of preseason under their belts, both McKay and Plafcan have been pleased with the team's response to a new coaching regime.
 
"So far, Coach Plafcan and I have found the student-athletes to be accepting, receptive, and respectful of the new expectations set before them," said McKay. "The players have shown new life. We as a program have adopted and embraced a new team-focus for the season in "mudita" as we build a culture around finding joy in not only individual success, but in those of our teammates and in whole team successes."

McKay and Plafcan are hardly the only "new faces" on the diamond as the Bobcats welcome nine first-year players to the roster in 2023.  

Mattea Baumgardner (UTL-Media, Pa.), Taylor Falotico (RHP/OF-Windsor, Conn.), Lily Freedman (OF-Larchmont, N.Y.), Sophie Garber (C-Wellesley, Mass.), Madison Hollis (RHP/1B-McMinnville, Tenn.), Kennedy Jones (C/1B-Ocean Springs, Miss.), Ella Maher (UTL-Newton, Mass.), Delaney Rankin (RHP/OF-St. Johnsbury, Vt.), and Emma Yen (UTL-Albertson, N.Y.) make up the members of the class of '26 that will be sporting the garnet and white for the first time.

"With such a large incoming class, our preseason focus has been to get everyone on the same page," added McKay. "The newcomers are joining a new program, and the returners are coming back to a new staff with new expectations. Our focus is to make sure everyone understands their role and plays their part.  We have some returners stepping into some big roles on the team this year, so we want to get everyone settled in before the first pitch this weekend."

Highlighting the Bobcats' list of returning veterans will be junior Rachel Liazos (UTL-Westborough, Mass.), who placed 4th on the squad with a .315 batting average a year ago, and sophomore speedster Sarah Cooke (OF-Wenham, Mass.), who recorded a .311 batting average with team-highs of 20 runs scored and 12 stolen bases.
 
In the circle, sophomore Maggie Hillwig (RHP-Phoenix, Md.) returns to action after making 18 appearances (12 starts) for Bates last spring. Hillwig also went 15-for-43 (.349) with eight RBI at the dish.    
 
A native of Lewiston who played and coached collegiately in the shadow of the NESCAC her entire career, McKay is well aware what the conference brings each and every day when it comes to competition.
 
"The NESCAC is one of the toughest conferences in all of (NCAA) Division III," said McKay.  "We expect to be challenged every time out.  We don't have an easy game on our schedule as every team in this conference is well-developed and full of talented athletes with knowledgeable coaches."   
 
With that understanding, McKay and her roster look to establish goals that not only impact the 2023 season, but also transcend into the coming years as the team develops and responds to the new philosophy implemented by the first-year coach.
 
"Like everyone else, our desire is to win, but our goal is progress, not perfection.  We will win games, we will lose games, but our overall goal is to show progress: over last year, over our last game, over our last at-bat. Over and over in everything we do, we want to show progress.  We want to be proud of everything we put on that field and if we fall short of that goal of winning, we want to at least compete in every game we play this year.  We know this season will be a tough and competitive one, but our goals are to control what we can control and focus on the process."
 
The Bobcats make their 2023 debut this Sunday, March 19 with contests vs. Grinnell College (Iowa) and SUNY Old Westbury (N.Y.) as the garnet and white competes in the PFX Spring Games in Clermont and Winter Haven, Fla.
 
Bates is scheduled to open the NESCAC slate on Saturday, April 1 with a home doubleheader vs. Middlebury College (12:00 p.m.).