For a second straight season, Wichita State is the favorite in Missouri Valley Conference softball.
Consider last season a learning experience on living the role of No. 1. The 2015 Shockers finished fourth and a 1-7 start in conference play finished their efforts to repeat as champions by late March.
“We were the team to beat,” coach Kristi Bredbenner said. “I don’t think we knew how to play with a big target on our back. We just expected it to happen. We thought teams would just bow down to us.”
WSU starts the 2016 season on Friday in the Aggie Classic in College Station, Texas and the Shockers are confident they can return to the top of the MVC.