WINTER HAVEN – Before Polk State Softball had named a head coach for the 2024 season, its captains kept the squad together.

Appointed in the fall, the infield trio of Savannah Jacobs, Jillian Hudson, and Nayeli Hernandez served as a uniting force. When Head Coach Kevin Lewis began his tenure earlier this month, he saw no need to make a change.

"I've never had leadership from team captains like this before," Lewis said. "It's important for our captains to be leaders not only on the field, but in the classroom as well. They really make this team go."

A native of Wesley Chapel, Hudson is the lone captain to have spent time on the field for Polk State last season. As a freshman in 2023, Hudson finished with 12 RBIs but is coming off an impressive fall.

"I've matured more and been exposed to more personalities, which has made me better as a person," Hudson said. "I've learned to be open-minded and to roll with whatever comes. To be selected as a captain was a high honor. It's great to have the opportunity to lead by example."

Jacobs was on the roster last season but missed the entire year with a knee injury. Although she was unable to play, Jacobs found ways to contribute in practice and by keeping statistics during games.

"It was tough not being out there, but at the end of the day, the girls were my sisters and my family, and I wanted to support them," Jacobs said. "I got to watch them grow. I learned a lot about the little things that come with softball. It's more than hitting and fielding. The small details matter and that's helped me prepare for this season."

After beginning her career at Webber International University, an NAIA program in nearby Babson Park, Jacobs will take the field this time for the first time since 2022. Jacobs is one of the older players on the team and learned all she could from the coaching staff last season.

"As a captain, there's some pressure, but that's what you live for," Jacobs explained. "The girls are so driven. There's a lot of talent and motivation with this team. Our motto is to get 1% better each day."

Hernandez was the lone freshman to be named captain. A native of Puerto Rico, Hernandez said having to rally around each other in the absence of a permanent head coach brought the team together.

"We bonded as a team," Hernandez explained. "We believed in each other and stayed together. It turned out to be a great experience. It helped me grow personally and us grow as a team."

As a team, Polk State has undergone a significant roster overhaul. In addition to Hudson and Jacobs, utility Chelsi Rae' Hebert is the only other returning player and she's coming off a season-ending injury.

"I have never been on a team that got this close this fast," Hudson noted. "We've had our challenges, but we've kept the right mindset. As a returning player, I know the ins and outs of everything. So far, with the bond we have, this year has been easier than last."

When it comes to important team decisions, the trio of captains comes together as a mini committee. They make big decisions collectively and then look for feedback from the rest of the team.

"The three of us sit together as a team and decide what we think is best for us in the long run," Jacobs said. "With this team in general, it's a sisterhood. We all have each other's backs."

Polk State has improved its record in each of the last two seasons but hasn't had a winning season since 2015. The Eagles will rely heavily on their captains to change that this year.

"They've really kept the team together," Lewis noted of his captains. "They're doing a great job. This is a really close team."

Since his tenure began early this month, the captains and the team have embraced Lewis. Now in his fourth season as a junior college coach, Lewis led Hocking College, an NJCAA Division II program in Ohio, to a 30-9 record and a conference championship last season.

"He fits in perfectly," Jacobs said. "He's fun to be around and to joke with but we know when it's time to lock in and get serious."

"He's been very open to everybody," Hernandez said of her new coach. "He really understood what we had here. He didn't jump in and try to change everything."

Polk State will look to improve after a 17-25 finish last season as it transitioned to the new Citrus Conference. Lewis will make his Polk State coaching debut on Jan. 27 as the Eagles open the year against Pensacola State College in the JUCO Classic in Clearwater.

"The whole team has really embraced me," Lewis concluded. "I couldn't ask for a better group of people to be around. They've had a great attitude the whole time and I'm excited to be here."