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83 "Right now, there are too many people to put in the lineup," said Looper. "As a coach, that makes it fun. It's a problem we always want to have, and I'm excited that the freshmen and newcomers give us that opportunity." Iowa opens the 2015 regular season Feb. 6 at the UNI Dome Tournament in Cedar Falls, Iowa. e Hawkeyes then travel to Gainesville, Florida, on Feb. 14-15 for the University of Florida Tournament where they will take on the defending national champion Gators. Fourteen of Iowa's 2015 opponents are ranked or receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Preseason poll, and, according to Looper, becoming the best starts with playing the best. "We seem to pick the defending national champions every year," said Looper. "But that's who we strive to be. If we shy away from playing them, then how do we know what it's like to be there? We have to face those who have been there and learn some lessons while we are there." e Hawkeyes want their opponents to know they are ready to compete. So what should the competition think when they see Iowa on their schedule? "We want them to think we are a gritty, scrappy, fast-paced team that gets it done; a team that has a lot of heart and is going to lay it all out on the line," said Looper. "I want them to be shaking when they see Iowa on the schedule." W ith the 2015 season rapidly approaching, the University of Iowa soball team is focused on defining its identity. "Right now we are asking ourselves, 'What are people going to say when they see Iowa on the schedule?'" said UI fih-year head coach Marla Looper. For the Hawkeyes, defining their identity starts with trust. e Hawkeyes used the first week of practice to concentrate on the mental aspect of the game in order to learn more about their teammates. "We learned to understand our teammates better," said Looper. "I think that is the biggest stride we have made. It's not only about understanding the people, it's about understanding that there is greatness in every single one of them, and then striving toward that greatness together." Getting to know your teammates is especially important with a young team. e 2015 roster is made up of seven freshmen, six sophomores, five juniors and one senior. Looper sees the team's youth as a positive opportunity. "We don't recruit anybody to just use them in their third and fourth year," said Looper. "Our newcomers are expected to step up and be like everyone else. e learning curve is a little steeper, but they know we are depending on them." So far, the newcomers are stepping up, giving the Hawkeyes more depth in nearly every position on the field.