CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Coming off a historic 2018 season, the Drake University softball team opens the 2019 season at the annual UNI Dome Tournament, Feb. 8-10. Drake will play five games in Cedar Falls, beginning Friday night against Toledo at 7:15 p.m. On Saturday, the Bulldogs will face South Dakota State at 10:15 a.m. and Toledo again at 2:45 p.m. before finishing Sunday against Saint Louis at 11:45 a.m. and SEMO at 2 p.m. Every game will be streamed on ESPN3, visit the team's schedule page for ESPN3 links and live stats.
 
Drake, which swept the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles, set the program record for most overall and league wins. The Bulldogs, which claimed the program's first NCAA Tournament wins, brings back seven starters and 12 letterwinners from last season. Drake is picked to repeat in the 2019 MVC preseason coaches' poll.
 
Pitchers, redshirt senior Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) and sophomore Nicole Timmons (Davenport, Iowa), return in the circle with senior catcher Gabbie Jonas (Omaha, Neb.) behind the plate. The Bulldogs' entire 2018 starting infield returns in seniors Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.) and Taryn Pena (Columbia, Ill.) and juniors Sarah Maddox (Henderson, Nev.) and Mandi Roemmich (West Des Moines, Iowa) along with reserves Laura Anderson (Boone, Iowa) and sophomore Libby Ryan (Mount Vernon, Iowa). In the outfield, sophomore Macy Johnson (Winterset, Iowa) is one of three returners along with junior Abby Buie (Gardner, Kan.) and senior Melissa Schlotzhauer (Pilot Grove, Mo.). Three freshmen, Becca Barnett (Moline, Ill.), Alexia Lara (Bettendorf, Iowa) and Hannah Pals (Des Moines, Iowa), round out the 2019 roster.
 
Newman, who missed nearly all of 2017 due to injury, dominated in her return to the circle in 2018 being named MVC Pitcher of the Year for the second time in her career. She also earned third team All-American honors. Roemmich was the first the Bulldog to be named MVC Player of the Year and was selected to the All-MVC First Team. Maddox and Pena were named to the All-MVC First Team with Newman and Roemmich while Frank, Johnson and Timmons were tabbed to the All-MVC Second Team. Jonas was named to the MVC All-Defensive Team.
 
Following opening weekend, Drake travels to Auburn, Ala., Feb. 15-17, for the Plainsman Invitational hosted by Auburn. The Bulldogs square off against Texas Tech Feb. 15 to start the three-day tournament.