DENTON (2/3/06) - Kristina Fowler and the North Texas softball team are busy preparing for their season opener next weekend at the Sam Houston Tournament. The sophomore returns after a solid freshman campaign where she won 11 games on the mound and handled a majority of the pitching duties for the Mean Green.

The Meeker, Okla., native is ready for the 2006 season to commence. "I’m really excited about the start of the season," said Fowler. "I think we are so much better than last year. Everyone is coming together. When we are practicing, I feel as if everyone is used to playing with each other. We learned a new swing last year, and all of the new people have got it down. I am just really excited to surprise people. I think we have a really good team, and we have girls on the bench that can come in and do something great."

The sophomore answered some questions after practice on Thursday.

Q: When did you start playing softball?

A: Four

Q: What do you think is the best part of being a college athlete?

A: When you get to the college level, you know that you are with girls that really want to play. When you are in high school, you have girls that some want to play, some don’t. Here, everyone chooses to be here. Everyone works hard every single day. The competition is great.

Q: If you weren’t playing softball, what sport would you play?

A: I played a little basketball in high school, so maybe. I would probably just go to school.

Q: Can you talk about the role of being a pitcher?

A: Pitching is demanding because pitchers and catchers have to come early and stay late. I like having the pressure on me. When you are out there, you have to be totally focused all the time. Pitching is the one position on the entire field where you can’t have a mental lapse at all. You have to be thinking one pitch ahead, one batter ahead.

Q: What did you learn from your freshman year?
A: I learned that my teammates are behind me all the time. Last year, I did have a lot of rough games. I know that if I am not having a great day then my defense is going to be there behind me. I don’t have to try to strike everyone out. I can let my defense work for me. I don’t have to do everything myself.

Q: How would you describe this team?
A: I think we are very energetic and hard-working. We get up four, five days a week really early in the morning to condition and lift weights. Then we come out in the afternoon for a few hours to practice and maybe do some extra hitting. We are really hard-working.

Q: What sold you about coming to North Texas?

A: I really liked the fact that it was a new program. I thought it would be good to start something and be one of the building blocks of a new program. I did know a few girls that were here: Maureen Kelley, Susan Waters, Heather Bostic. I had played with some of them and I was comfortable with that. I liked the campus and the fact that I could be building something.

Q: Is it different living in Texas than Oklahoma?
A: The only thing different is the time of the year when you play softball. In Oklahoma, we play in the fall, school ball, and then we play summer ball. Here, you play in the spring and then summer ball. It was weird when I first got here, waiting almost the whole school year to play softball. When in high school, you would play right away and then wait till summer ball.

Q: Do you have any pre-game rituals?
A: When I am doing treatment before the game, I try and sit there and relax and think about how my mindset is going to be for the game. I say a little prayer for God to get me through it because some days you don’t feel 100 percent. And you still have to go out there and do your job. I try and get in the mindset, especially when I am pitching, to know who I am up against and go over the scouting report.

Q: Have you chosen a song that you are going to hit to?
A: The song I picked was Rawkfist by Thousand-Foot Krutch. The reason I picked it was the beginning. They are a Christian rock band, and the beginning is really in your face and gets you pumped up.

Q: How would you describe your role on the team?
A: Being a pitcher everyone is looking towards you to be a leader. I am more reserved and the type to go out there, I know what my job is, and I am going to do it for the team.

Q: What was the last movie you saw?
A: Glory Road. It was amazing. I loved every minute of it. It gets you fired up. No matter what sport you play, after you see a movie like that, you just want to go out and play.

Q: One TV show you won’t miss?

A: When it was on, I never missed Friends. Now I try and watch CSI Miami or the CSIs. I like those shows.

Q: What do you like about the new facilities?

I really like our locker room. It’s a great place where we can all hang out before practice. I am excited for our new field because that will be ours. There is nothing better than playing at your home field in front of your family and friends.