MARSHALL, Minn. - The defending Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference champion Southwest Minnesota State softball team has started practice for the 2010 season despite the chilly conditions, keeping their daily practice routines confined to the PE Gymnasium.

Head coach Shawn Semler returns for his seventh season as the skipper of the Mustangs and has won four straight and five overall NSIC titles.  His squads have also made four straight NCAA Tournament appearances.  He has compiled a 194-116 record during his tenure at SMSU.

SMSU returns 11 letterwinners and six starters from last year's 32-23 (21-5 NSIC) team, which received a bid to the NCAA Tournament and won the NSIC regular season championship.  Seven newcomers, four freshman and three transfers, round out the 18-person roster for 2010.

The Mustangs lost four to graduation.  All-America selection Amanda Burkhart and the Mustangs' all-time winningiest pitcher Amanda Johnson finished up their careers at SMSU in 2009.  Also lost to graduation were All-NSIC first baseman Amanda Tucci and second baseman Jessica Paczosa.

Offensively, sophomore catcher Amanda Voss is the Mustangs' leading returner at the plate.  The Union, Ill., native hit .290 in 2009.  Christine Borowiak is also back for SMSU; the sophomore outfielder from Omaha, Neb., drove in 23 runs last season and connected at a .287 clip.  Other returning starters for SMSU are outfielder Meaghan Laetsch (.280, 12 RBIs) and infielders Kristin Braden (.264, 21 RBIs) and Andrea Fennern (.209, 16 RBIs).

On the mound, Ali Honken is SMSU's top returning hurler.  A native of Clarinda, Iowa, Honken finished 6-5 last season and posted a 2.78 ERA.  She made 14 starts, struckout 79 batters and held opponents to a .253 batting average.

A trio of transfers will strengthen the SMSU pitching staff for 2010.  Junior Cortney Heim from Plattsmouth, Neb., joins the team after spending two years at South Dakota and putting together a 20-7 record last season.  Pipestone, Minn., product Chelsey Evans becomes part of the pitching staff after playing the 2009 season at South Dakota State, where she made six starts.  Lauren Smith, a native of New Ulm, Minn., is coming off a successful two years at Iowa Lakes Community College, where she compiled a 30-3 record.

The Mustangs open the season on Feb. 27 and 28 at the St. Cloud State Dome Invitational before heading to Kissimmee, Fla., for 12 games at the Rebel Spring Games from March 7-13.  SMSU opens conference play on April 2 at Minnesota State, Mankato.  SMSU has seven double-header home dates on the schedule for 2010, which spans 42 games.