It’s only September and the ULM softball team’s chemistry is already coming together in hopes to bring the program to highest level ever.

“Every year the bar must be raised a notch,” said Head Coach Rosemary Holloway-Hill.

A few weeks ago, the team went on what Holloway-Hill called an “owl retreat.” This retreat consisted of backto- back Fridays where coaches and players worked on becoming a family by learning to trust one another, eliminating any selfishness and getting to know all the new faces on the team.

Last season the Warhawks lost five seniors, and two players transferred. Holloway-Hill recruited three junior college transfers and four high school graduates.

The team hopes the transfers bring not only experience but also knowledge from being in big edge situations.

Transfers Haley McCall, Carly Wanwright and Samantha Hamby all played in the Junior College National Championship tournament last season.

McCall, MVP of the tournament, and Wanwright are former LSUE teammates from the team that won the national championship.

Hamby was a Second-Team, All-American pitcher from Central Alabama Community College.

The players aren’t the only thing new around the softball diamond. A new scoreboard and a pair of dugouts that had not been replaced since 1963 are also added fixtures in the program.

Holloway-Hill has two goals set for the team this year: a winning record in conference play (which has never been done) and to be in the top four going in to the Sun Belt Conference softball tournament in the Spring.

The motto the team’s using to reach their goals is, “Everyone’s drinking ‘Hawkaid,’” meaning everyone stays on the same page and works toward the same goal.

Hopefully that strategy will translate to wins in the spring.