BOWIE, Md. – The Bowie State University softball team will begin their 2013 season Friday (February 15) in the Lady Bears Challenge, hosted by Shaw University. The Lady Bulldogs will play five games over three days. COMPLETE SCHEDULE

Bowie State will open play on Friday against Fairmont State University at 5 pm, before squaring off against Saint Augustine's University at 11 am and Fayetteville State University at 3 pm on Saturday (February 16). The Lady Bulldogs will close out the weekend on Sunday (February 17) versus Shaw at 11 am and Ohio Valley University at 1 pm. 

The Lady Bulldogs enter the 2013 campaign under first year head coach Ashley Cook.  Cook was a member of two BSU CIAA Championship teams in 2007 and 2009.

Bowie State returns three starters and three letterwinners from last year's squad. Linda Hamel and Khourtni Hester will serve as assistant coaches.

Highlighting the returnees is sophomore outfielder Cassandra Clayborne (Damascus, Md.) who is the team's top returning hitter after batting .389 last season. She led the team in runs scored (46), stolen bases (16) and at bats (126) in 2012. For her efforts, Clayborne was selected as the CIAA Rookie of the Year and member of the All-CIAA First Team and CIAA All-Rookie Team. Other Bowie State returnees include sophomores Hayley Flint (Mesa, Ariz.) and Kiara Washington (Bowie, Md.).

The Lady Bulldogs also welcome newcomers Erica Atkins (Burtonsville, Md.), Alexis Barnes (District Heights, Md.), Jasmine Boyd (Fort Washington, Md.), Miranda Luna (Upper Marlboro, Md.), Kyerra Martin (Rockville, Md.), Aurikshana Ratliff (Rosedale, Md.) and Erica Whitehead (Odenton, Md.).

Senior pitcher Megan Alexander (Damascus, Md.) and junior outfielder Aiyana McNair (Baltimore, Md.) make a return to the softball team after taking a year away from the game.