2016 N4C Dome Jamboree Schedule
More N4C Dome Jamboree Info
For a second straight year, the Harper College softball team will open its season in the Dome at the Ballpark in Rosemont. The Hawks begin their season tomorrow at the 2016 N4C Softball Dome Jamboree.
Student-athletes, coaches, parents, and fans can visit n4cdomejamboree.com for all tournament information.
The Hawks play conference opponents Joliet Junior College and Triton College at 1 PM and 5 PM on Friday. On Saturday, Harper plays a tripleheader featuring games against N4C foes College of DuPage (9 AM) and Rock Valley College (1 PM) as well as a game against nonconference opponent Prairie State College (7 PM). The Hawks conclude the jamboree on Sunday morning with a matchup against N4C opponent Madison College.
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First-year interim head softball coach Scott Plaza takes over the program after Cray Allen coached the Hawks for the past three seasons. Harper finished with a 14-15 record in 2015 and was the NJCAA Region IV runner-up. Plaza's squad is made up of 12 players, including two returners from last year's team.
Here is a look at the returning players as well as newcomers for this season:
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Returners
Emily Butler (Prospect Heights, Ill./Hersey) will be the Hawks' everyday first baseman and brings experience and leadership to the table. Butler played in all 29 of Harper's games last season and recorded 16 hits, seven runs, two doubles, 10 walks, and 11 RBIs. Plaza will rely on her bat in the middle of the order as well as her leadership qualities.
"She's been around and knows what's expected as a team. She comes into practice with a presence and lets her game work," Plaza said. "She's making sure we're ready for the games this weekend."
Second-year player Jessica McCabe (Itasca, Ill. /Prospect ) is also back for her sophomore campaign. McCabe will most likely be the Hawks' starting center fielder and will be relied on to be a contact hitter, get on base consistently, and move runners over. Plaza also noted that she is one of the team's best route runners in the outfield.
Last season, McCabe played in 22 games as a freshman and tallied 11 hits, 16 runs, three double, one triple, one stolen base, 12 walks, and 12 RBIs.
Newcomers
Jordan Dallman (Roselle, Ill. /Lake Park), a Lake Park High School grad and transfer from Lakeland (WI) College, joins this year's team. Dallman was an All-Conference selection for the Lancers before moving on to Lakeland. At Lakeland last spring, Dallman appeared in eight games. She'll likely be Harper's starting catcher and hit in the middle of the order.
In the pitching circle, the Hawks will feature Isabelle McGuinnis (Arlington Heights, Ill. /Hersey), Kelsey Hughes (Hanover Park, Ill. /Schaumburg), and possibly Courtney Russ (Lake Zurich, Ill. /Lake Zurich). McGuinnis can also play first base, and both Hughes and Russ will see time in the infield.
First-year player Sandra Portagallo, a swooth-swinging righty, will see a lot of time at shortstop and in other spots in the infield. Niki Neumann (Arlington Heights, Ill. /Prospect) is another new addition to the Harper team, and she will see time at multiple positions.
The team will also feature Danielle Reptowski (Hanover Park, Ill./Schaumburg) and Kristen Serviss (Huntley, Ill./Huntley), who both played two years of soccer for the Hawks and were All-Conference and All-Region players. Both bring even more athleticism to the team and can be utilized in different positions.
Jill Hoffman (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hersey) will play infield for the Harper team this year. Hoffman played for the volleyball program for two years, and Mayer played for the volleyball team in the fall of 2015 as well.
"We have a lot of athletes on the team. Many players can play multiple positions, and we have three catchers," Plaza said.
Conference Schedule
The Hawks are set to play 15 N4C games this season. In 2015, Harper posted a 7-8 record in league play and finished in third.
Rock Valley College won the conference in 2014, going a perfect 14-0 in league play. The Golden Eagles went 52-5 overall and ended the season on a 32-game winning streak en route to their second straight national championship. Madison College (33-21, 12-3 N4C in 2015)
finished runner-up in the conference last year. Triton College (11-31, 7-8 N4C in 2015), College of DuPage (11-36, 3-12 N4C in 2015), and Joliet Junior College (4-36, 1-14 N4C in 2015) comprise the rest of a traditionally strong softball conference.
Postseason Play
The Region IV Tournament will be played at Joliet Junior College May 6-7. The winner of the region will advance to the District Tournament May 13-14. The winner of that will advance to the 2016 NJCAA DIII Softball National Championship in Rochester Minnesota from May 19-21.
Final Thoughts from Coach Plaza
"The goal is to finish the year better than we start. I think our girls will surprise others and themselves. It's going to be up to the girls to believe that."
Resources for the Season
Team Roster/Bios
Schedule/Results
Stats
@Harper_Softball and @HarperHawks on Twitter for updates
