Baby Beacons ready to roll

SB: Newcomers fill nearly half of Valparaiso's roster, including eight freshmen ready for collegiate debut this weekend

Friday morning isn’t exactly going to mark the start of the Meaggan Pettipiece era for the Valparaiso softball program.

It only feels like it.

After getting hired deep into the start of the 2022-23 school year, the former Akron head coach went 8-41 in her first season with the Beacons while coaching a team that was on its third head coach in as many seasons.

Back for a second year at the helm, Pettipiece is hoping to bring some consistency back to a program that was once one of the best on campus.

She also brought in a surge of newcomers this season.

Valparaiso begins the 2024 campaign on Friday with a pair of games against Tulsa (10 a.m.) and No. 24 Texas A&M (3:30 p.m.) in College Station. The Beacons will play three more games over the next two days.