LA MIRADA, Calif. --- In 2013 Biola improved its win total by 10 games, going from 15-29 to 25-28. According to Head Coach Lorie Coleman, the Eagles look to repeat that trend this season by improving to at least 35 wins and a higher place in the Golden State Athletic Conference.
 
The Eagles are a team built around pitching and defense, especially defense. Biola led the GSAC in double-plays turned (25) and fielding percentage (.962) last season, and the entire starting infield returns in 2014.
 
"The best thing about this team is that we only lost two players; our entire infield is the same," said Coleman. "We want to shoot for 35 wins, hold our opponents under two runs per game and score five every game."
 
The Eagles do not have too far to progress in order to hit those marks, as they averaged 3.88 runs per contest in 2013 and did not lose any of their offensive firepower. They did allow just over four runs per game last year, but added some big arms this offseason to fix that.
 
"Reba DePriest will be huge defensively for us. I can see her breaking some records over her two years here," said Coleman. "She is going to be lights out."
 
DePriest, a transfer from James Madison, will pitch and play first base for the Eagles. She went a combined 5-8 with 80 strikeouts over 107.1 innings pitched for the Dukes.
 
DePriest is one of two newcomers to the pitching staff that Coleman mentioned as a big help to the Eagles' veteran, CeCe Luster. The other is Shelby Jacobsen, a freshman who will be used mostly in relief throughout this year as she gets used to pitching at the collegiate level.
 
Luster makes her much-needed return this season after missing more than half the year in 2013 due to injury. She is one of the best players to ever don a Biola uniform, hitting above .380 in each of her three seasons and holding the team's single-season RBI record. This season will be the first time since her freshman year that she will serve a primary role as a pitcher. Of course, she was an NAIA All-American as a freshman.
 
Bria Madrid is another player who had a standout freshman season for Biola. She was the only freshman selected to the All-GSAC team a year ago, after hitting .287 and picking up 30 RBI. She threw her way around the conference by leading the GSAC with seven pickoffs, no one else had more than one. She and her sister, Brooke Madrid, will be key to the improvement of the Eagles' offense in 2014.
 
Coleman also mentioned Heather Hall as the primary power hitter for the Eagles this season. Hall will anchor the hot corner and be looked upon as a big-time run producer.
 
"She has been hitting the ball out of the park like crazy lately. She will definitely hit fourth for us," said Coleman.
 
The Eagles will get an early test after their season-opening series' with Southern Oregon, La Sierra and William Jessup. Biola competes in the Simpson University Tournament beginning Feb. 7. This tournament will show the coaches exactly where the team shakes out, as they face ranked opponents in three of their six games.
 
The regular season begins Jan. 31 with a doubleheader against Southern Oregon, played at Concordia. The conference schedule kicks off with a doubleheader against Arizona Christian on March 8.
 
"I believe we have a winning team if we, the coaches, can figure out the right formula," said Coleman. "We have all the ingredients, we just need to be sure we play to everyone's strengths."