I. 2019 Recap Michigan won both the regular season and conference tournament titles, hosting a regional with the #15 national seed. Two other B1G teams hosted regionals, with Minnesota seeded #7 and Northwestern seeded #16. An additional three conference teams were selected to the NCAA tournament: Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Illinois. All fourteen league schools sponsor softball, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, and Wisconsin. II. 2020 Predictions Player of the Year: Jordyn Rudd, Northwestern Rudd was a major offensive catalyst for her club as a freshman,…
Author: jmcleod
I. 2019 Recap Virginia Tech won the ACC’s regular season title, while Florida State emerged victorious as conference tournament champions. A total of five teams participated in the NCAA tournament: Florida State, Louisville, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Virginia Tech. Thirteen of the fifteen league schools sponsor softball, including Boston College; Clemson; Duke; Florida State; Georgia Tech; Louisville; North Carolina; North Carolina State; Notre Dame; Pittsburgh; Syracuse; Virginia; and Virginia Tech.. II. 2020 Predictions
I. 2019 Recap South Florida won the American regular season title, and after rain shortened and later cancelled the conference tournament, the Bulls earned the conference’s automatic NCAA tournament bid. Tulsa and Houston were selected for at-large bids to the tournament after finishing second and third, respectively, in the conference standings. Eight of the twelve league schools sponsor softball, including East Carolina; Houston; Memphis; South Florida; Tulsa; UCF; UConn; and Wichita State.. II. 2020 Predictions
I. 2019 Recap Colorado State won the Mountain West regular season title, as well as the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament in the absence of a conference tournament. Boise State was selected with an at-large bid to the tournament after finishing fifth in the conference standings. Nine of the eleven league schools sponsor softball, including Boise State; Colorado State; Fresno State; Nevada; New Mexico; San Diego State; San Jose State; UNLV; and Utah State. II. 2020 Predictions
Ole Miss rising senior Kaylee Horton placed her name in the NCAA’s transfer portal on Tuesday morning, sources confirmed to JWOS. The news of Horton’s transfer was first reported by Maren Angus. During her junior season in 2019, Horton batted .289 with twenty-eight RBIs and thirty-one runs scored. She tied for second in the SEC with five triples, and recorded a slugging percentage of .364. Her twenty-three stolen bases finished fourth in the conference, and she recorded just one error as the team’s right fielder, earning a nod to the SEC’s All-Defensive team. A true utility player, Horton has started…
Texas A&M-Kingsville has earned the distinction of being named the inaugural Division II Team of the Week for the 2020 season. Ranked #2 to start the year, the Javelinas posted a perfect 6-0 record on the season’s opening weekend, including victories over four ranked opponents, during the Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational in Conroe, Texas. A 4-1 victory over Central Oklahoma started the season, followed by a win over Pittsburg State. The Javelinas posted a doubleheader sweep on Saturday over 14th-ranked Southern Arkansas and #21 Arkansas Tech, outscoring the pair of teams 17-11 on the day. In the weekend’s finale on…
It wasn’t that long ago that Francesca Enea was hitting home runs from one knee in a Florida Gators uniform. Since the finale of her spectacular playing career in Gainesville and the professional softball career that immediately followed, Enea now has established herself as one of the softball broadcasting industry’s brightest young stars. A three-time All-American during her career as a Gator, Enea remains one of the program’s all-time legends. She finished her playing career as the holder of seven program records, including career home runs and RBIs. She helped lead the Gators to the first three Women’s College World…
In preparation for the start of the 2020 NCAA DI season, we went a step beyond ranking just the best in country – we broke it down by position and ranked the top 25 in each of four categories: Pitcher, catcher, infield, and outfield. Some of the game’s biggest names currently run the field not only offensively but behind the plate as well. Let’s take a look at the top 25 catchers in the USA! Editor’s note: These lists were compiled in collaboration between Justin McLeod and Michael Kyllo-Kittleson. Freshmen are not eligible for consideration. The JWOS staff’s goal, especially…
After beginning her career at Georgia, Lacey Sumerlin needed a change of scenery. She sat out the 2018 season, committed to Southern Miss during the spring, and was officially announced as one of the newest Golden Eagles later that summer. The 2019 season marked Sumerlin’s first on the field with the Golden Eagles, and she made her presence known in Conference USA right away. Against conference foes, the right-handed infielder batted .394 with a 1.320 OPS and .803 slugging percentage. She hit nine home runs on the year, including six in league play, and recorded forty-one RBIs. Following her impressive…
Arizona State shortstop Jade Gortarez is no longer part of the Sun Devils’ roster, just days before the 2020 season begins. Sun Devils head coach Trisha Ford said in a statement on Saturday that Gortarez “”is no longer a member of the softball program, and we wish her the best. We’re looking forward to the 2020 season and concentrating on our current team. We are fully committed to Sun Devil softball and the Sun Devil way.” Gortarez has been the Sun Devils’ starting shortstop since she got to Tempe following a transfer from Texas prior to the 2018 season. She…