Though the softball team has gotten off to a 5-5 start, one bright spot has been the return of sophomore outfielder Bryanna Phelan.

Phelan, who is coming off an injury in the fall, appeared in 49 games and starting 36 in the 2012 season for the Huskies. She finished the season with a .242 batting average after recording 95 at bats and driving in four runs off 23 hits.

Phelan came to NIU after attending Coal City High School where softball also played a major role in her life.

She was a four-year varsity letterwinner and was named to all-conference and all-academic teams her sophomore and junior seasons.

Though Phelan has been involved with other sports and activities outside of softball, it was always her first choice and priority.

“I have been involved with softball since I was 8 years old,” Phelan said. “I played a lot of different sports when I was younger, but over time I just stuck with softball. I found it was what I liked to play over any other sport.”

She has started off this season with a .172 batting average, 29 at bats, two runs, five hits and three runs batted in, as well as 12 catches, 10 put-outs and two errors.

Last weekend in Boca Raton, Fla., she had one of her better games of the season, going two for three with an RBI and a run against the Florida Atlantic Owls.

Though returning from an injury is hard, Phelan feels she has the patience to adjust to it by practicing.

“There are some things that I have to adjust to and changes I have to make, but a lot of that comes with practice,” Phelan said. “Through practice I will be able to get back where I left off.”

Phelan is also glad to have the support of her teammates and coaching staff during this time.

“I really enjoy the fact that our team feels like a family,” she said.

Phelan and the rest of the Huskies will be returning to the field on Saturday when NIU travels to Carbondale to compete in the Coach B Classic.

NIU will open its tournament with its first game against opponents Western Illinois.

Phelan has high hopes for the rest of the season as well as the tournament. She believes the key to victory lies in teamwork.

“We need to keep good chemistry with the entire team and play to the best of all our abilities that we know that we can be,” she said.