The 2022 Bethune-Cookman softball team will be one of the youngest Laura Watten has fielded in her storied career.

Upside? Of course.

"[This is] one of the hardest working teams I've ever had. I know they'll bounce from any challenge," said Watten, whose team opens the season Friday against Northern Illinois in the FAU Invitational. "The thing about this young team is they fight, battle and work extremely hard. I can trust that they're very resilient, eager and hungry and excited. It's going to be exciting to see how they grow."

B-CU is returning to action after COVID-19 suspended play in the middle of the 2020 season and cancelled all of 2021. They'll jump right in top level competition this weekend, facing Ohio State, Indiana and Louisville with future tournaments including Maryland, Missouri, BYU and Arizona.

"To be out for so long and have our first real competition against Power Five teams is pretty exciting," Watten said.  "We get to see where we're at and what we need to work on. We'll learn a lot."

Only five upperclassmen are on the roster, including graduate student Kayla Traylor, who was a part of both Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship teams in 2018 and 2019.

"Kayla's solid. We expected her to be a leader on and off the field," Watten said. "The upper classmen are going to be challenged to set the tone."

After tournaments in Boca Raton, Leesburg, California and Deland, Bethune-Cookman's home opener will be March 8 against Tennessee State. Southwestern Athletic Conference play begins March 11-12 at Jackson State.

"We'll take it one pitch at a time," Watten said. "It's a marathon, not a sprint."