MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The St. Thomas women's softball team, the preseason favorite to win The Sun Conference, opens its regular season this weekend with a doubleheader Friday night at St. Leo followed by a day game at Palm Beach Atlantic.

Last season, the Bobcats won The Sun Conference tournament to advance to the NAIA National Championships.  Winless in the national tournament in 2011, the Bobcats are hungry to return to the championships.

The 2012 squad is led by four senior student-athletes: infielder Carissa Albiza (Pembroke Pines/Cooper City HS), infielder Melissa King (Miami/American HS), outfielder Noralis Lambert (Miami/Hialeah HS) and infielder Anastasia Peck (Miami/Monsignor Pace HS).  King was an All-Conference selection last season, while Lambert and Peck were Academic All-Americans in 2011.

STU opens with seven regular season games before their home opener vs. Nova Southeastern on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at Bobcat Field on the STU campus.