Dartmouth Softball Opens Season This Weekend

HANOVER, N.H. – First year head coach Rachel Hanson will lead a young Dartmouth softball team to Florida this weekend to begin the 2011 season at the Stevens Industries Florida Gulf Coast Tournament. The Big Green will play two games on Friday and Saturday and one on Sunday.

This season will be a season that begins with a lot of "new" things - new energy, new enthusiasm, new coaches, and a few new faces in the dugout. Hanson will also have lots of new expectations, too.

Hanson came to Hanover in October after a five-year stint at the University of Dallas. While in Dallas she posted an overall record of 80-87, setting a school record for victories by a softball coach. She turned the independent program into a winning program. After averaging 14 wins during her first three campaigns, the Crusaders posted a school-record 20 victories and featured the Association of Division III Independents (AD3I) Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in 2009. Dallas was ranked among the top 20 nationally in scoring, doubles and triples and had two players selected as National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholar-Athletes.

In 2010, Hanson led the Crusaders to an 18-18 mark while six players earned All-AD3I status, while another received Scholar-Athlete All-America status from the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). In her five seasons at the helm, a total of 22 of her athletes received all-independent accolades and seven received All-America recognition from the USCAA.

“With the resources and potential that are in place, this program has the opportunity to do some very exciting things in the years ahead,” Hanson said.

The Big Green is looking to get back where it was just two seasons ago when Dartmouth won its first-ever North Division title and played for a chance to be Ivy Champions.

The chute opens for Hanson's program on March 4 when the Big Green opens play at FGCU with matchups against St. Francis (10 a.m.) and Colgate (2:30 p..). On Saturday Dartmouth and UT-Martin square off at (3:45 p.m.) and FGCU (8:15 p.m.) and on Sunday another game with Colgate (11:15 a.m.).

Live stats, box scores and recaps for every FGCU contest as well as the other tournament games are available here.

Dartmouth will be in action again during its Spring Break trip to Florida. The Big Green begins play at the University of South Florida Invitational on March 17.