UNA athletics will be kicking off again very soon, and a new year of UNA sports means fresh, new faces in the athletics program.

A number of high school seniors and junior college transfers have already, during the winter and spring, signed letters of intent to come play for the Lions. So far, 27 are signed for the football team and 10 for the baseball team, as well as several for the softball and volleyball teams.

More commitments will be made as summer deadlines near.

Many of the student athletes already signed with UNA hail from the surrounding Shoals area.

Logan Ezzell, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound linebacker from Russellville, signed with the Lions football team in February.

“I signed with UNA because I wanted to continue my education and athletic career,” he said. “I also felt really comfortable with the coaches. Most of all, everyone is there to win.”

Ezzell said his mind is on learning the system and staying focused.

“My expectations for next season are to come in and learn my role, learn my position and learn what the coaches expect of me,” he said. “My mindset for next year is to really focus on the weight room and getting bigger and stronger.”

He said improving is more of a priority than getting a certain amount of playing time.

“With a lot of older linebackers, I may not get playing time, but my mindset is to know our defense and game plan as if I was a starter,” he said.

UNA baseball signee Mitchell Lovell, of Sheffield, said developing his abilities is one of his goals.

“My expectations consist of developing as a player and learning all that I can from a great baseball program with an impressive coaching staff,” he said.

Lovell is entering the program with a positive attitude.

“I will have an open mindset coming into next season,” he said. “This will allow me to easily adapt to UNA’s philosophy and program.”

He said one of his goals was to start as a freshman, a possibility that head coach Mike Keehn said he has not ruled out at this point.

“Right now, all (the players) might have a chance to play,” Keehn said.

Head football coach Bobby Wallace said some of the freshmen that signed this year will be redshirted.

“We’re very fortunate to have a lot of returning starters, so even though I think we signed some really good players, I think we’ll probably end up being able to redshirt some of them,” he said. “It is simply because of the players we have coming back.”

Wallace said he is hopeful that some of the new players will be able to contribute immediately, and he is happy with the amount of talented depth acquired during the signing period.

UNA head softball coach Jason Anderson is also optimistic about the future.

“We are bringing in a mixture of very talented junior college players from very good programs, as well as some very talented freshman,” he said.

Anderson said a few of the new players could see the field immediately.

“We feel we could have several recruits, both freshman and transfers, that can come in and make an immediate impact, as well as add some depth to an already-talented group of returners,” he said.

Anderson said he hopes that the success from last season will carry over into the upcoming year.

“Just like every year, we plan to be a contender not only for the GSC conference title, but also to make a deep run into the postseason,” he said.