By: Emilie Jenson 

Public Information Coordinator

The Iowa Central Softball team knows the road they have ahead of them as they prepare to start the 2024 season.

"Strength of schedule will be big this year," said Bo Tjebben, who is in his ninth season with the Tritons and fourth at the helm as head coach. "The ICCAC is the toughest conference in the nation. This is the first year there have been automatic bids for the national tournament; two teams already have a chance in our conference (to automatically qualify), possibly a third, so our schedule, who we play and who we beat, will be huge."

With their eyes set on a bid to the NJCAA National Tournament, Tjebben said the team of 10 sophomores and 16 freshmen is up to the challenge as they open play on the road Friday in Denison, TX.

"We're looking forward to getting out there to see what they can do," said Tjebben. "We have a lot of depth and a lot of speed; I am very excited for the season especially for the pitching depth we have."

The Tritons will look to sophomore captains Aleena Sandy, a catcher from Scranton, PA and Tobi Topp, an outfielder from Lloydminister, Alberta Canada to lead the Tritons this season. Sandy played 35 games for the Tritons last season and saw 88 at-bats. Topp played 16 games in the 2023 campaign.

The 2024 Triton squad also includes a handful of local players in Alexis Hansen, a sophomore outfielder from Humboldt; Emma Hoyle, a freshman pitcher/infielder from Greene County; and Molly Coyle, a freshman infielder from Storm Lake.

The Tritons begin their season on the road in warmer states on February 9 and are slated to begin play at home with a double header versus Marshalltown on March 27.