NAMPA, Idaho – Walk around the Bobby Welch Halle Softball Field on Northwest Nazarene's campus and you'll notice things are a bit different this year.

And it's not just the giant banner reading "2018 GNAC Champs."

The NNU softball team has a certain swagger that was missing last season.

The Nighthawks set multiple program records, including winning the regular-season and GNAC conference tournament titles, and advancing to the national tournament for the first time.

They return everyone but two players from last year, feature 10 seniors and still have the league's best pitcher.

They were even picked to win the GNAC title by the league's coaches.

"We still have to keep our underdog mentality," NNU senior Anna Williams said. "One year – whoop de doo. We have to keep going at it until we can actually say we have a legacy of winning and being No. 1 in the conference."

Anyone who was worried that the Nighthawks might be satisfied with one extremely successful season can put those thoughts to bed.

This group wants to prove that last year was no fluke.

"We have such a large senior class and they talk about wanting to go out on a high note," NNU coach Rich Wagner said. "One year of winning is not a legacy, but putting together multiple years and then leaving something that lasts after they leave – that is how you start to create a tradition."

The Nighthawks return Kylie Orr, Shelbie Martinez, Anna Olson and Abigail Otto in the infield. Cassidy Fifield and Anna Williams return in the outfield, Brittany Genuardi is back as a catcher this year and Jordan Adams in the circle.

To say the team is stack is an understatement.

"We had a fantastic season," Adams said, "but we still have a lot of improvements to make. If we really learn how to continue vibing as we did last year, we will continue to capitalize on our success."

NNU kicks off its season at the Desert Stinger Invitational in Las Vegas on Friday and Saturday.

The Nighthawks will face some of the best teams in the country right off the bat, which should help them prepare for a tough GNAC slate that starts in March.

"I think we have to take this as a new journey and do the best we can with what we have," Orr said. "I think we have the pieces in place to see if we can make it another really special year."

NNU plays three games Friday and then opens Saturday against Chico State, which knocked them out of the playoffs last season.

"I think all of us kind of have a bitter taste in our mouth for how it ended," Williams said. "We didn't do as well at regionals as we wanted to. So that has given us fuel and fire. All of us want to do better. We are still out to get it."