Less than a week after finishing the 2009 season with two losses in the Tuscaloosa Regional of the NCAA tournament, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball program got a dose of good news for the 2010 season.

Former Soddy-Daisy all-state pitcher Nikki Waters has decided to return home to finish her college softball career with the Lady Mocs. Waters has played the last two seasons at Southern Illinois.

“I started thinking about it toward the middle of the season because I wanted to be home and was getting homesick a little bit,” Waters said Thursday. “I want to be close to home and play ball, so I decided to play at UTC.”

Waters said she got a release from SIU and will be eligible to play next season. This season with the Salukis, she had a record of 15-2 with a 1.73 earned run average.

At Soddy-Daisy, she helped lead the Lady Trojans to the Class AAA state title in her junior and senior seasons. She was a Best of Preps all-city selection all four years at Soddy-Daisy and twice was player of the year.

Watching UTC win its second consecutive Southern Conference tournament title helped in her decision, Waters said, as well as the chance to reunite with a former teammate.

“I’m excited because they did really good this season and I played with (Lady Mocs outfielder) Lyndsey Stiles and won state with her,” Waters said. “I think it would be fun to play with her again.”

At Southern Illinois she was limited to pitching duties, but she said she was encouraged about the possibility of getting to bat with the Lady Mocs.

“It did play a role because I really missed hitting,” she said.

UTC coach Frank Reed cannot comment on Waters’ transfer since she has not yet signed scholarship papers or enrolled at UTC, but Soddy-Daisy coach Clifford Kirk said she would improve UTC immediately.

“I think she’ll be an asset to whatever program she goes to, but she’s going to help them get much better,” Kirk said. “When she played for me, she was a great player. In her four years, we went to the state championship game every year, and she won it twice.

“In my time with her, she proved that she would whatever she was asked to do, and she’ll be good for UTC’s program.”

Waters said she looks forward to being closer to her family and helping UTC build upon its recent success.

“I just hope I can help the team out and get further during the time I have there,” she said.