The Eugene Exodus continues, as junior outfielder Shannon Rhodes and incoming freshman outfielder Alyssa Pinto have both elected to leave Oregon and transfer via the NCAA’s transfer portal. Rhodes, a Fort Worth, Texas native, broke onto the scene in 2017, earning PAC-12 all-Freshman honors and being named the Most Valuable Player of the Eugene Regional. After hitting .336 with seven home runs during the regular season, Rhodes hit .778 in the Ducks’ hosted regional, scoring four runs and collecting four RBIs in three games. In 2018, Rhodes posted a .347 batting average with eleven home runs and a .576 slugging percentage – a…
Author: jmcleod
It took less than two weeks for Giselle “G” Juarez to find her new home. The all-American pitcher announced on social media Sunday afternoon that she will transfer to Oklahoma and join the Sooners program. In a message posted to her Twitter account on Sunday afternoon, Juarez wrote “After some time of prayer and trust, I have decided to join the Oklahoma Sooners. I’m grateful for this opportunity and blessed to be a part of such an outstanding program! Can’t wait for January, Go SOONERS #BoomerSooner” Juarez earned first-team all-American honors after an incredible 2018 season that saw her post a…
Arkansas-Pine Bluff has filled their vacant head coaching position, naming Michael Bumpers as the program’s new head coach, though on an interim basis. Although the position at UAPB opened in early July following the departure of former head coach Kevin Montgomery to Jackson State, the hiring of Bumpers comes from inside the school. Bumpers currently serves as the Director of Veterans Affairs and Disability Services at Arkansas-Pine Bluff; he holds the title of Assistant Dean of Students. A UAPB spokesperson confirmed the hiring of Bumpers, but noted that his appointment was likely on an interim basis and for an undetermined…
Mary Iakopo, who earned all-conference honors as a freshman in 2018, will leave Oregon and transfer. In her inaugural collegiate campaign, Iakopo posted a .306 batting average with eight home runs and thirty-seven RBI. She finished fourth on the team with a .544 slugging percentage and ten doubles. Her pair of triples led the program. With the departure of Iakopo, the sophomore backstop is the third major player to depart the Ducks’ program since the start of fall practice under first-year head coach Melyssa Lombardi. All-American pitcher Miranda Elish and designated player Lauren Burke left the Oregon roster earlier in…
Cheryl Milligan, who won a trio of Division III National Championships at Tufts University, has stepped down as the program’s head coach. Milligan led the Jumbos to three consecutive National Championships, from 2013-15; in doing so, the program became the first-ever in Division III history to win three consecutive championships. From 2014-2015, the Jumbos set a D3 record with a 53-game winning streak that included a perfect 51-0 season in ‘15. Under Milligan’s leadership, the Jumbos earned a quintet of World Series appearances, including in 2009 and 2012, in addition to the three championship-winning seasons. The Jumbos’ head coach since…
Who is she? Lacey Middlebrooks, a former standout pitcher and hitter for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. What is she known for? Middlebrooks began her career at Minnesota before transferring to Tulsa and finishing the final three seasons of her career with the Golden Hurricane. A dual-threat player, Middlebrooks appeared in eighty-four games in the pitching circle and posted a 45-14 overall record, along with a 2.21 ERA and a .218 opponent’s batting average. At the plate, primarily batting as a designated player or simply for herself in games that she pitched, Middlebrooks posted a career .296 batting average with thirteen home runs and…
Maryland pitching coach Tori Tysonhas been named the new head coach at Howard Tyson spent the 2018 season as an assistant coach at Maryland, working with the Terrapins’ pitching staff in her single season in College Park. She led the staff to a 4.51 team ERA and 179 strikeouts during the season. Prior to joining the Terrapins’ coaching staff, Tyson spent two seasons as the pitching coach at Cal State Fullerton, where she was a part of back-to-back Big West Conference championship-winning squads in 2016 and 2017. Under her tutelage in 2017, Titans pitcher Kelsey Kessler posted a 1.02 ERA…
Danielle Gibson, who enjoyed a standout freshman campaign at Arizona State in 2018, will transfer from the Sun Devils. Gibson announced the move via her Twitter account on Tuesday. In the statement, she said, “First things first, a huge thank you to my friends, family, and fans who have supported me through my time at Arizona State University. I will always be grateful for the opportunities and relationships made at this school and in this program. Growing up, Arizona State had been a school I had dreamt of attending. I am so appreciative to have been given the opportunity to…
Giselle Juarez, known as “G”, has announced her intentions to transfer from Arizona State. Juarez is the second Sun Devils star to announce her transfer from the program on Tuesday; freshman star Danielle Gibson made a similar announcement just hours before Juarez. In a message posted to her personal Twitter account, Juarez said, “”Playing in front of my hometown crowd was nothing short of a blessing and an honor. I am forever grateful to the Sun Devil coaches, my family, teammates, friends, and the Sun Devil nation for believing in me. As tough decision’s (sic) go, I have made the…
Former USA Softball standout Jessica Mendoza will be inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2019. The announcement of Mendoza’s induction was made by USA Softball on Sunday. Mendoza will be joined by seven other individuals as part of the induction class. A longtime member of the US National Team, Mendoza helped the United States to a pair of Olympic medals, including the gold in 2004 and silver in 2008. She was a part of a three world champion USA squads (in 2002, ’06, and ’10) and also led the national team to…