Melissa Jacobo, who was part of the inaugural Louisville softball team in 2000, passed away on January 11th. The news of Jacobo’s death was announced in a press release from her alma mater. Jacobo played for the Cardinals from 2000-02, and served as the team’s starting third baseman during her career. She hit the first double and first grand slam in program history, and finished her career with a .339 batting average, fourteen home runs, and 99 RBIs. In addition to her statistical achievements, Jacobo was the first Louisville player to earn first-team all-region honors from the NFCA, and was…
Author: jmcleod
With just weeks to go before the 2021 season begins, catch up on all the latest news and notes from the coaching world. The newest Coaching Buzz includes exclusive scoop on an AAC contender, as well as moves from the Mountain West; West Coast Conference; and Divisions 2, 3, and NAIA.
Abilene Christian – Release / Schedule Alabama – Release / Schedule Arizona – Release / Schedule Arizona State – Schedule Arkansas – Release / Schedule Ball State – Release / Schedule Baylor – Release / Schedule Belmont – Release / Schedule Boise State – Release / Schedule Boston College – Release / Schedule Bowling Green – Schedule Bryant – Release Buffalo – Schedule Cal – Release / Schedule Campbell – Schedule Canisius – Schedule Central Arkansas – Schedule Charlotte – Schedule Chattanooga – Release / Schedule Clemson – Release / Schedule Coastal Carolina – Release / Schedule College of Charleston – Schedule Creighton – Schedule Duke…
Quinnipiac has hired Bianka Bell as an assistant coach. While an official press release has not been published, Bell appears on the team website as an assistant softball coach. Her hiring date is reflected as Monday, January 11th. “I’m extremely humbled about this opportunity to represent Quinnipiac,” Bell said in a statement. “I’m ready to get to work with the girls as well as Hillary. I’ve heard many wonderful things about this program and I am excited be a part of it! Go Bobcats!” Bell spent the past two years on staff at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida,…
As we are now just weeks away from the start date for Division I softball, each conference seems to be doing things uniquely. Here, we’ve assembled an all-in-one place to see how each team is approaching their 2021 schedules. Check back for updates to this list as they are appropriate.
Fresno State has hired Justin Lewis as the program’s new assistant coach. On Monday, Fresno State head coach Linda Garza posted a photo with Lewis at the team’s softball facility. “Excited to work along side Coach Lewis Thanks for believing in me & @FresnoStateSB,” Garza captioned the post. Lewis spent the 2020 season as an assistant coach at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Islanders offense batted .218 in twenty-two games on the shortened year, with eight home runs and a team OPS of .621. Freshman Sydney Hoyt led the squad with four home runs, and finished second on the roster with…
Scott Smith, who leads the Bombers travel ball organization, is joining the coaching staff at Division III Texas Lutheran, he announced via social media on Sunday. “Excited to share that I will be joining the TLU softball staff as the hitting coach this spring. Can’t thank Head Coach Wade Wilson enough for the opportunity to join him and an already incredible staff and team. Time to get after it chasing down another National Championship,” Smith wrote on his personal Facebook page. “Excited to have you on board. We got better today,” Wilson added. Smith is the National Program Director for…
I. Conference Breakdown The Summit League has seven member schools that sponsor the sport of softball. North Dakota State is the reigning conference champion, having won the conference’s regular-season and tournament championships in 2019. When the 2020 season ended, conference play had not yet begun for Summit League teams. In non-conference play during the shortened year, only South Dakota State had a winning record (15-8), while Omaha owned an even .500 record (12-12) at year’s end. On July 1st of 2020, the Kansas City Roos officially joined the Summit League, while Purdue Fort Wayne departed in order to join the Horizon…
Worley Barker has stepped down as the head coach at Texas Southern, the school announced on Friday afternoon. Raven Rodriguez, who spent the last two years as Barker’s top deputy, will serve as the program’s interim head coach for the 2021 season. Barker, who spent the last fifteen years as the program’s head coach, is pursuing a new career opportunity. Under Barker’s guidance, the Tigers have won ten straight SWAC Western Division titles and have reached the NCAA tournament three times. Barker won more than 300 games during his tenure at the school. “It is with great sadness that I…
Presbyterian College has hired Kali Jones as an assistant coach. Jones spent the abbreviated 2020 season as a graduate assistant on staff at South Carolina, part of the staff in a year that saw the Gamecocks post a 17-6 overall record before the season ended prematurely. During her playing career at UNC-Wilmington from 2016-19, Jones was a 4-year starter in the outfield for the Seahawks. She posted a career .259 batting average, with a .368 on-base percentage; 33 stolen bases; and 72 runs scored. In addition to her on-field endeavors, she was a 4-time recipient of the CAA Commissioner’s Academic Award.…