THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University softball team will begin the Ron Frost Era on the campus of his alma mater as the Colonels will play four games in the Stinger Classic, hosted by Alabama State.

Nicholls will take on the host Hornets and North Alabama two times each over the weekend. Friday's opener (Feb. 7) against UNA is set for 12 p.m. with ASU on deck at 2:30 p.m., and Saturday's slate will be the same.

Frost welcomes back 18 players from last year's squad that finished 31-26 overall and 16-8 in league play. Headlining the returnees are four preseason All-Southland selections -- outfielder Reagan Heflin, catcher Riley Rutherford, and pitchers Averi Paden and Molly Yoo.

Heflin garnered first-team honors a season ago after batting .326 with 27 RBIs. Rutherford started 42 games and finished with eight doubles and three home runs. In the circle, Paden ended her year with a 7-4 record, a 4.44 ERA, and 37 strikeouts while Yoo went 8-9 with a 3.33 ERA and fanned 67 batters.

Four other Colonels logged 40-plus starts last season -- infielders Claire Sisco and Erin Krause, outfielder Gabby Higbee, and designated player Molly VandenBout.  Sisco and Krause both hit .273 for the year and were two of the leaders in runs scored with 29 and 25, respectively. Higbee and VandenBout tied for the team lead with five home runs each.

Nicholls last played both schools in 2022 in Alabama State's tournament. The Colonels swept ASU in the two games, 7-5 and 7-2, and fell in both matchups to the Lions, 6-5 and 11-1.