Not only does spring mean the end of winter and blooming flowers, but it’s also the start of a new softball season. This year, however, there is a major change in the program with two new coaches coming in.

Shelli Manson, along with her assistant Krissi Oliver, have taken the coaching positions after the previous coach, Krista Wood, resigned over the summer to become head coach at South Dakota State.

Manson has a long background of coaching, working her way to the top. Her first coaching position was for a JV high school team followed by becoming a graduate assistant at Defiance College. She then was a hitting coach/recruiting coordinator for three years at Louisiana Tech University, followed by her previous position as head coach at Westminster College for five years.

Manson said the most exciting thing about getting this position was “working with an established program, and helping win a championship.”

Being new isn’t easy, especially picking up and moving to a different state within a couple weeks like both Manson and Krissi Oliver did. When asked, Manson stated that the most difficult thing about this being her first year at Wayne State College would be “learning a new system with in the athletic department.”

“The most difficult thing is learning the personalities of the girls on a new team and implementing my system, hoping the athletes will adapt and excel with it,” Manson said.

Tiffani Housh, a senior on the team, said that she “is really looking forward to playing for Shelli,” and that “she is really great so far and I believe we will go far this season.”

Manson believes that the team is looking great so far.

“They are a very dedicated, hardworking group. They are tackling each challenge I throw at them,” she said. “I’m happy with our progress.”

Her expectations for the season are “to win a NSIC Championship and advance to NCAA Regionals.”

The Wildcats’ first game of spring is on Feb. 20 against Central Missouri in the Kelly Laas Memorial Dome Invite in St Cloud, Minn.