The past two seasons have been successful and this season the Nittany Lions will try to make it three in a row.

The Penn State softball team is about to kickoff its 2001 campaign. The team is coming off the most successful season in school history.

"Last season was a magical year," coach Robin Petrini said.

That magical year included a vast array of team records. The team broke the record for wins in a season by taking 38 victories from its opponents, giving them back to back 30-win seasons.

The team was also only the second to get to the NCAA tournament, as they competed in the Region 5 tournament.

Its NCAA appearance came after it participated in the Big Ten tournament. The team finished third in the final conference standings, posting a record of 12-5 in conference play.

Last season the team was led in part by its excellent pitching staff. Tanis Ambelang and Jaci Kalp headed that staff. Kalp led the team with 17 wins while Ambelang held the team's lowest ERA.

Both Kalp and Ambelang departed from the team after last season. This year's staff will have the tough task of trying to fill the vacancy they left.

The leader of the staff will be senior captain Kelly McCann, who is the most experienced pitcher on the team. Her 1.48 ERA was second on the team last season and her record was 8-1.

McCann only started five games for the Nittany Lions, but she thinks the experience she had at the end of the season will enable her to step into the No. 1 spot without a problem.

"I think my experience in Big Ten's and regionals is really a confidence booster," McCann said.

She will be joined in the rotation by sophomore Erin Norton and freshman Marisa Hanson. Norton will also see some time at first base.

Although McCann is the most experienced pitcher, she says it will take the effort of the entire staff to be successful.

"I think it's a collective effort," McCann said. "Success is not just based on one individual, but a staff effort."

The staff's battery mate will be captain Colleen Kersey. Known as a very good defensive catcher, Kersey's experience behind the plate should help the pitchers.

"Over the past couple of years I learned a lot from the coaches and the pitchers," Kersey said. "I think Kelly and I will be able to pass that on to the others."

Offensively the team is coming off of a season in which six players hit .300 or higher and had 20 or more RBI. The leader in batting average was outfielder and captain Karen Gulini.

Gulini's .400 average was one of the reasons she was on base enough to score 33 runs. Gulini saw much time as a leadoff hitter last season and is expected to see time there again this year.

As a senior captain Gulini is expected to be a leader for the younger players. She feels that she can do that by doing the right things on and off the field.

"You can show leadership in many ways," Gulini said. "I like to lead by example and remain positive. I hope it carries on to the players.

Pitching aside, the team will return all but one starter from last season. The lone departure is shortstop Terra Pracht. Pracht's defense and .273 batting average will be missed, but the team has a few options to fill the gap, and should not have much trouble picking up where they left off in the infield.

A corner stone for this year's infield should be junior third baseman Jennifer Tripken. Tripken led the team with 27 RBI and had two homeruns last season.

To go along with the veterans, the team has some new faces that should contribute. Hanson will see time on the mound to help with the loss of Kalp and Ambelang.

Another freshman that should also help to fill a loss will be Barbie Pierce. The Citrus Heights, Calif., native might see some time at the shortstop position left vacant by Pracht.

Sometimes youth is looked at as something that is harmful to a team. However, the Nittany Lions think that its young players will be an asset.

"I think it's a good thing," Kersey said. "They have nothing to lose and they have a lot of desire."

The team has shown a desire of its own as it has scheduled two teams outside the Big Ten that are ranked in the preseason top 25 poll, No. 5 Alabama and No. 23 Mississippi State. The Nittany Lions will see Alabama in their first competition of the season, as they travel to Texas A&M to play in the Aggie Invitational this weekend.

The captains are excited to get the season underway and to try to improve on last season's success.

"Every year we try to take it a little further and this year is no different," said Kersey.

The team is about to start to find out if they have what it takes to do just that.