LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Fort Lewis College — the defending Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament champions — opens its 2013 campaign at the nation's largest NCAA Division II softball tournament, where it will play five games in three days against top out-of-conference competition.
 
Twenty-eight teams will play 70 games on seven fields over a three-day span, making the Desert Stinger tournament the largest Division II softball tournament run by a single institution. The event returns to “The Entertainment Capital of the World” for the fourth consecutive year.

Montana State University-Billings welcomes 27 other Division II programs to the Nevada desert for the fourth annual Desert Stinger tournament. With a crew of nearly 50 workers, MSUB returns to Majestic Park for the tournament which runs Friday through Sunday.

“This is a year-round planning event,” Desert Stinger tournament director and Director of Rec Activities at MSU-Billings Steve Johnson said. “When the tournament ends, planning for next year's tournament begins. There are weekly meetings beginning in September and every little detail of the tournament is discussed. It's a tremendous project, but we truly enjoy hosting this tournament.”

In the first year of the tournament, the Desert Stinger featured 16 teams from across the western region. It grew by eight teams the second year, and then another four were added last year. The Desert Stinger hopes to continue to grow the field to 32 teams in the near future.

The 2013 field includes teams from 14 states and one Canadian province. Minnesota-Duluth makes the longest trek to North Las Vegas. The Bulldogs leave behind 30-degree weather on a 1,811-mile trip to the desert. Conversely, Dixie State College of Utah makes a two-hour bus ride to the tournament.

Nine schools return to the tournament for the fourth straight season. Along with MSU-Billings, Academy of Art (Calif.), Chadron State (Neb.), Dixie State, Fort Lewis (Colo.), Grand Canyon (Ariz.), University of Mary (N.D.), New Mexico Highlands and Western New Mexico have been in every Desert Stinger tournament. Four schools — Azusa Pacific (Calif.), Black Hills State (S.D.), Cal State-Dominguez Hill, and West Texas A&M — are making Desert Stinger debuts.

“We are excited to be hosting the tournament again,” MSUB head coach Lisa Allen said. “The tournament has grown over the years into a great field of teams and we hope to continue to grow. The atmosphere at the fields is very intense with all of the spectators that come out for the tournament. It is an honor for this team to host this tournament and we appreciate all the work and support that the MSUB staff contributes to this tournament.”

Seven teams in this year's field made the NCAA Division II tournament last season, with California State-Dominguez Hills appearing in last year's final NFCA Top 25. The Toros open this season with the same ranking they ended last season with, No. 11. Led by reigning California Collegiate Athletic Association Coach of the Year Jim Maier, now in his 13th year as head coach, the Toros concluded their 2012 campaign with a mark of 45-15, including a 27-7 record in CCAA play.

Dixie State enters this season ranked No. 24 in the country. The Red Storm was picked second in the Pac West Conference preseason coaches' poll, but claimed four first place votes.

In the tournament's lone game between ranked teams, No. 11 CSU-Dominguez Hills meets No. 24 Dixie State in Game 39 on Field 4 at 3 p.m. Saturday (MST).

Three other teams, including host MSU-Billings, received votes in the national preseason poll. The Yellowjackets open 2013 with five votes, while Grand Canyon and West Texas A&M both have two votes.

Montana State Billings, Dixie State and Fort Lewis all claimed their respective conference titles a season ago.

The 2013 Desert Stinger field has representatives from six conferences across the West including, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (6), the California Collegiate Athletic Association (3), the Lone Star Conference (1), the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (4), the Pacific West Conference (6) and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (8).

Along with the Yellowjackets, Central Washington, Northwest Nazarene, Simon Fraser, Western Oregon and Western Washington will all be at the tournament to represent the GNAC. Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference sends the largest contingent of teams. Colorado Mines, Fort Lewis, Metro State, UC-Colorado Springs, New Mexico Highlands, Chadron State, Western New Mexico, and Black Hills State all represent the 14-team conference.

“This is a truly special event,” MSUB Interim Athletic Director Krista Montague said. “We are very pleased to host this tournament. It's not just a great thing for the school, but for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and the entire West Region. It's a lot of work, but we are glad to do it. We welcome all of the teams and want to thank them for participating. Of course, we have to thank the tournament staff, umpires and local help we get there. This tournament couldn't happen without them.”

The tournament begins Friday. Fans are encouraged to check the tournament webpage on www.MSUBSports.com for results after each game.
 
Fort Lewis will square off against Western Washington (12:30 p.m. MST Friday), Grand Canyon (5:30 p.m. Friday), West Texas A&M (5:30 p.m. Saturday), Central Washington (8 p.m. Saturday) and Dixie State (12:30 p.m. Sunday). All games will be played at Majestic Park.
 
“The team is excited about the upcoming season,” said third-year Fort Lewis head coach Kira Zeiter. “When the preseason poll comes out it is always a last push of motivation to fine tune before beginning games. We appreciate getting some votes to finish first, but what is more important is where we finish at the end of the season. We are definitely looking forward to the Desert Stinger and showing the hard work on the field.”
 
Fort Lewis enjoyed arguably the finest softball season in school history in 2012. The Skyhawks set a new school record for victories by finishing with a 30-26 overall record. Fort Lewis won the RMAC tournament and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs, each for the second time in school history. FLC tied for third place in the regular season standings at 24-16.
 
The Skyhawks were picked third in the RMAC preseason coaches' poll, with junior third baseman Chelsea Rodriguez named to the Preseason All-RMAC squad.
 
Rodriguez rewrote the FLC record books in 2012. She set single-season records for batting average (.474), hits (73), runs (58) and walks (47). She also owns numerous FLC single-game records, including hits (5, twice), singles (5, at New Mexico Highlands, game 2, April 14, 2012), total bases (11, at Chadron State, game 1, March 18, 2012), home runs (tied with several other players, 2, at Chadron State, game 1, March 18, 2012) and walks (4, vs. New Mexico Highlands, March 19, 2011).
 
Rodriguez was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2012 RMAC tournament, and earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Central Region first team, RMAC All-Tournament team, All-RMAC second team, RMAC All-Academic first team and RMAC Player of the Week (Feb. 14) honors in 2012. She was a third team All-RMAC pick as a true freshman in 2011.
 
She led all of NCAA Division II in on-base percentage (.610) and walks (0.89 per game) in 2012, becoming the first Skyhawk ever to lead the entire nation in a statistical category. She also ranked among the national Top 25 in batting average (sixth), slugging percentage (ninth), and runs per game (17th).
The Skyhawks return 11 players from last year's roster, including first team All-RMAC pick Destinee DeHerrera. The junior outfielder batted .351 with six homers and 30 RBI a year ago.
 
The FLC lineup card includes a trio of seniors. Fifth-year senior pitcher Kassie Haubert was named to the RMAC All-Tournament Team and the RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll in 2012 and ranks third in FLC history with 29 career victories. Outfielder Cierra Walters joined Haubert on the RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll and batted .298 last spring. Erica Conley batted .358 a year ago and ranks second in school history with seven career triples.
 
Seven newcomers joined the Skyhawk roster, including a bevy of players with power and baserunning abilities. FLC ranked fifth in Division II in home runs per game (1.25) a year ago.