Senior captain Emmalee Cooke, an All-NCAC honorable mention in 2019, returns after a team-high 17 multi-hit games last year.

The College of Wooster softball team set the program record for wins last year at 26 and only have their sights set higher for the upcoming 2020 season.

With head coach Victoria Rumph training as a hopeful for Canada's Olympic Team, Jeff Bricker enters as the acting head coach along with assistant coach Paige Summers.

Bricker, a veteran administrator and coach at various NCAA III schools, is no stranger to the program, having stepped in to coach the 2016 team to 17 wins.

The Scots, who finished 26-13 overall and 12-4 in the North Coast Athletic Conference, were the second seed in the 2019 NCAC Tournament but failed to make it to the championship game after losing to third-seeded Denison University twice in the double elimination tournament.

"We have to figure out how to get to the next level," Bricker said. "We're looking at the same thing - making the [conference] tournament, making a deep run and seeing what happens."

The Scots won't fully be without Rumph's input as Bricker will rely on the Canadian catcher's expertise with the pitchers. However, make no mistake this is Bricker's and Summers's team while Rumph is away.

"I talk to her [Rumph] almost every day," Bricker said. "We bounce ideas off each other, but she has no designs of trying to coach from afar. I have a great assistant coach so that helps. She's energetic, young and a tremendous asset."

The Scots return a majority of last year's team, including its entire infield that features three All-NCAC returnees and the program's all-time home run leader.

Team captains Marina Roski and Emmalee Cooke station the middle infield positions.

The senior Roski, an All-NCAC First Team selection, tied for third in conference games last year with a .440 average. The shortstop's eight career home runs is a program record.

Last year, Cooke was named an honorable mention after leading the Scots with a .393 average and 13 doubles in her sophomore campaign. She did her job as the leadoff hitter with 31 runs scored and a team-high 17 multi-hit games.

Returning on the corners are sisters Molly Likins and Heidi Likins.

As a first-year, Molly earned first team honors from the NCAC after hitting a .429 average with one home run and 12 RBI in conference games. She and Roski both hit three home runs and collected 24 RBI on the year.

Heidi brings the ability to go yard with every at bat. She led the team with six from a year ago.

Sophomore Grace Randall returns behind the backstop to catch a formidable pitching rotation.

Randall was third on the team with a .339 average and batted in 16 runs.

"The infield is solid right now," Bricker said. "There are some great players in that mix and some of the best players we've ever had. Emmalee is an All-Region-type player; Roski is the all-time home run leader; Heidi will probably be the all-time home run leader; Molly is a tremendous athlete, and Grace is right up there athletically as a catcher who throws and hits well."

Looking at the rotation, all four pitchers who saw time on the mound last year return including Olivia Johnsonand Marissa Norgrove who combined to pitch 239 of 267 innings.

Johnson made a huge impact last year, earning All-NCAC First Team honors. She finished with a 15-6 record with a 1.80 ERA with 125 strikeouts, 14 complete games and two saves.

Complimenting her was Norgrove, who was a second team selection last year. She went 8-6 with a 2.17 ERA with 33 strikeouts, five complete games and one save.

Second-years Daphne Pate and Katie Agatucci also are in the mix. Agatucci pitched a five-inning no hitter for Wooster last year, the program's eighth and first since 2015.

Agatucci is also going to be in the mix for an outfield that is all but settled. 

Senior Kendall Lloyd has surely locked up left field after being named an NCAC honorable mention last year. She was second on the team with a .364 average and an on-base percentage of .417. She reached base in 21 consecutive games and collected a 15-game hitting streak, both of which were team-highs.

Center and right field are up for grabs. Brooke Swain is a leading candidate to take center field, while Agatucci and Rachel Ginsburg could find time in right. Emma Schwinne and Samantha Tromba also will fight for playing time, as will Morgan Bailey who is also the team's backup catcher to Randall.

Gabby Lakes returns as the designated player. She batted .304 last year and tallied 16 RBI.

The team has four first-years in Stacey Harris, Kylie Schmitz, Maegan Shetterly and Addie Tagg. Tagg is an individual who will look to take a bit of the load off of Johnson and Norgrove on the mound.

Wooster was picked third in the NCAC Softball Coaches' Poll with 65 points, ahead of Kenyon (43) and Wittenberg (42). The Scots were behind DePauw (79), who received eight first place votes, and Denison (70).

The Scots start the season with a spring break trip in Florida where they will play 12 games in a week's time. Notable games include 14th-ranked Rowan, 19th-ranked The College of New Jersey and 20th-ranked Tufts.

The Scots open at home on March 20 with a doubleheader against Otteberin University and travel to Wittenberg for its first conference matchup on March 31.