PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Western New Mexico University softball team will open the 2012 season in the Grand Canyon University Kickoff this weekend playing against Grand Canyon and Cal State-East Bay.


The Mustangs will battle Grand Canyon in the first game of both Saturday and Sunday, and then will follow by playing Cal State-East Bay in the nightcap both days.


RMAC Preseason All-Conference Players Kaitlynn Barnes (Phoenix, AZ/Deer Valley High School) and pitcher Bri Robles (Mesa, AZ/Mesa High School) led this year's squad. Barnes led the offense in pretty much every category last season, including batting average (.425), home runs (16) and RBI (55). Robles, in turn, led pretty much all of the defensive categories in the circle for the Mustangs, including ERA (3.52), wins (15), appearances (35), games started (29), complete games (21), innings pitched (194.2), saves (2) and strikeouts (135).


Ashly Eichenberger (Scottsdale, AZ/Horizon High School) was second on the team in batting average (.367), along with 14 home runs, 47 RBI and 15 doubles.


Ricki Gentry (Lakeside, CA/Christian High School), as a freshman last year made an impact right away hitting .353, with three home runs, 21 RBI and five doubles while playing in 40 games.


Another senior, Jessica Jayo (Peoria, AZ/Centennial High School), hit over .300 a season ago posting a .329 batting average, two home runs and seven RBI.


Junior Aimee Vasquez (Ruidoso, NM/Ruidoso High School) and senior Ashley Gonzales (Queen Creek, AZ/Queen Creek High School). Vasquez tallied a .322 batting average, three home runs and 21 RBI. Gonzales added to that a .318 average, with three home runs and 20 RBI.


Sophomore Kale Gahn (Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle High School) came up just short in reaching the .300 batting average plateau with a .292 average, with nine home runs and 25 RBI.


Other returners that played in at least 32 games last season include Courtney Graf (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School), who tallied 28 hits, two home runs and eight RBI, Alisha Wyckoff (Lakeside, CA/El Capitan High School) with 13 hits and seven RBI, followed by Brittney Batten (Benson, AZ/Benson High School)'s 44 hits, seven home runs and 31 RBI.


Arriel Smith (Oakhurst, CA/Yosemite High School) tossed 44.1 innings in the circle last year, compiling a 1-6 record, 4.89 ERA in 19 appearances.


WNMU will have three freshmen, Stephanie Higgins (Escondido, CA/Mission Hills High School), Kim McKnight (Fruitland, NM/Kirtland High School) and Mary Othon (Tucson, AZ/Desert View High School) on the roster this year, as well as a transfer in Mariah McDonald (Silver City/Silver City High School) who will come in as a sophomore.