The photo at the top is Saint Louis infielder Chloe Wendling – the Cat in the Hat fielding grounders was our favorite “action shot” of Halloween 2021.

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While an official press release has not yet been published, the Sun Belt also confirmed the addition on their own social media channels, noting the league’s expansion into West Virginia as its third new state this week. Marshall follows Southern Miss and Old Dominion, both of which joined the conference earlier this week.

Southern Miss and Old Dominion are each slated to join the Sun Belt no later than July 1, 2023, and Marshall is likely to follow a similar timeline.

Also on Friday, according to multiple reports, James Madison’s board of visitors executive committee passed a motion to pursue moving up to the FBS level and to seek an invitation from the Sun Belt. The Dukes are expected to be the fourth and final team to realign to the Sun Belt.

Old Dominion – which does not sponsor a varsity softball program – along with Marshall and, ultimately, James Madison are expected to all join the Sun Belt’s East Division once the realignment occurs. Southern Miss will join the West Division.

From a softball perspective, the addition of Marshall brings another decorated softball program to the Sun Belt and strengthens the league’s softball offering yet again. The Thundering Herd have, historically, been quite successful on the diamond and boast a hearty fan base for their program.

Despite not appearing in the NCAA tournament since 2017, the Herd have continued their winning ways. Under Megan Smith Lyon, who took over the program with the 2019 season, the Herd have won 80 games and played in the NISC postseason tournament in 2019.

Historically, the Herd have won five conference championships since the program’s inception, including three regular-season titles and two tournament titles across three different leagues. The program’s first championship was the SoCon tournament title in 1995, and the list also includes the 2003 and 2005 MAC regular-season titles, as well as the 2013 tournament and 2017 regular-season championships in Conference USA.

Alumni of the Thundering Herd program that have entered the coaching ranks include Abilene Christian head coach Abigail Farler; Miami assistant coach Morgan Zerkle; Santa Fe College head coach Savanah Webster; and Central Oklahoma assistant coach Jordan Dixon. Program Hall of Famer Rachel Folden also coaches in the Chicago Cubs farm system.

Buckle up, Sun Belt softball fans – your softball scene was already good, but it’s about to be GREAT. Friday’s addition is yet another underscoring of that fact.

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What is she known for? During her playing career at CoC, Hodgson filled her trophy case. She was named to the SoCon All-Freshman team in 2011 and earned all-conference honors from the SoCon in 2013 and the Colonial Athletic Association in 2014 following the program’s realignment. She was named the Cougars’ Offensive Player of the Year in 2014 and finished her career as the program’s record holder in career home runs and in the all-time top ten in an additional ten offensive categories.

Here’s something interesting… College athletics runs in Hodgson’s family; in addition to her own outstanding softball career, both her father and brother played college football. Her dad played football at Georgia Tech from 1979-81 and her brother played at Mars Hill College from 2007-11.

Quotable quote: “Softball is something you do, it is not your entire identity. It is so easy for us to deem our worth based on our performance, but you are so much more than your statistics, playing time, or record.”

What’s she up to now? Since 2017, Hodgson has been on the coaching staff at Shorter University, a Division II school in Rome, Georgia. After beginning her tenure as a graduate assistant, Hodgson was elevated to an assistant position and now enters her third season as head coach.

In December of this year, Hodgson will be part of a group of coaches and staff members from Shorter that will take a group of nearly two-dozen female student-athletes on a mission trip to Ichmul, Mexico. “Throughout the trip we will have the opportunity to share the Gospel with Mayan communities through different sports camps, clinics, and games,” Hodgson said.

Keep up: You can find Hodgson on both Twitter and Instagram under the handle @kelseyshodgson.

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After completing her playing career, Paulick didn’t waste time in entering the coaching world and she didn’t have to go very far to take on the new title, either – in August, she was announced as the new assistant coach at Bellarmine.

Recently, after she got the first several weeks as Coach Paulick under her belt, Paulick talked about beginning her coaching career; playing and coaching in the same region as her hometown; and moving directly from her playing career to her coaching career.

JWOS: When did you know that you wanted to pursue a career in coaching?
Mollie Paulick: I always knew that I wanted to coach when I got done with school. I wasn’t sure where my skills would lead me, whether that was a strength coach or a coach in another capacity for a university team. That decision really became even more clear after my experience working with the coaching staff at EKU. I did my internship with them my sophomore year. I asked a ton of questions and it helped me gain insight to all the things that a coaching staff does behind the scenes to create a great team and coach players at the next level. Once I gained that perspective, I knew that is what I wanted to do once I graduated. 

JWOS: Did you have any qualms or uncertainties about going directly from being a college athlete to being a college coach? Has there been much of a learning curve that you’ve had to process since you got to Bellarmine?
Paulick: I was never super worried about that immediate transition into coaching after being a college athlete. When I began my 4^th and 5^th (COVID year) year as a player, I was ready to teach and learn more from the other side of the game. I knew that I would have to separate myself as a leader because I am still very young in my career, but I didn’t think it would be a problem for me personally. The biggest learning curve for me has been more about the dynamics of working for a coach I hadn’t worked with previously and learning my way around a new University program. Coach Hicks has been awesome and let me dive right into the team responsibilities. I am grateful that she has allowed me to gain traction early and let me have a full range of responsibilities despite length of experience as a coach. I’m learning so much about the coaching world, while leaning on my experience as a player to teach and help impact the team. 

JWOS: How important was it for you to begin your coaching career in the Midwest/southern region where you spent your playing career and where you’re from?
Paulick: I am very close to my family and that was a factor in looking for a coaching position.  The Midwest/southern region would be ideal for that close travel, but I was also looking for a program that supported a family mindset for me personally. The Bellarmine coaching position offered me the ideal situation for both of those things. 

JWOS: I asked you about potential downsides of going directly from your playing days to coaching, but what about upsides? Among others, I imagine the fact that you’re closely familiar with every “local” team’s scouting report is of benefit?
Paulick: The upsides of me coming right from playing is the team/girls know that I just got done with my own college career. I have credibility with the things I’m trying to teach them, and I’m not expecting them to do anything that I haven’t worked hard for or done myself. Whether that is with their fitness program or long days in the office we are here to support them. Another upside is that I still speak a language that makes sense to a player and reduces their learning curve in execution of the drills. I know what worked for me and my teammates. I can personalize the drills to impact each of these individual players where needed. Lastly, I do think my familiarity of this area gives me the ability to recruit top notch players to impact this program, but more importantly, I know what it takes to be successful at the D1 level after playing against some of the best players for 5 years. I am playing in the conference that I just left, and I know these other teams and what it will take to be success against them. 

JWOS: What’s your favorite memory from your playing career?
Paulick: My favorite memory is probably when we won our conference tournament this year. That tournament win displayed true teamwork. We had each other’s back, and it took all of us to get there. Our pitching staff did our job. I love that team so much, we really grew as people, not just players. I also think this year I learned the most about myself personally and professionally.  I battled an injury this final year, and early in the season I knew my role would be different. That experience taught me great lessons about adversity and that got me even more excited about transitioning to the coach role. 

JWOS: Describe your coaching style to me. What do you feel are your biggest attributes as a coach?
Paulick: I would describe my coaching style as the person that will push you but is also there to catch you when you fall. I hold players to a high standard and have expectations that include controlling effort and attitudes on the field and during practice. I get to know the individual player and help design that coaching approach around what they want to achieve. I talk a lot with players to understand what they are thinking and what they want. On-going conversations are crucial to the success of the program. The more we can work a plan together, the more the players will be invested in the results. 

JWOS: If we have this conversation a year from now, once you’ve got a full season under your belt, what needs to have happened for you to be able to say ‘this was a successful year’? What defines that for you
Paulick: In a year, if I’m gauging success over the last 12 months, it would include player growth from hard work and by trusting the process to get there. This will lead to team wins in different ways. Most importantly, we will compete in the conference against teams that we perhaps viewed as “stronger than us” the previous year. I want the team to grow by understanding effort and attitude can compete with any team we face and the belief that we can compete with them will lead to success. 

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The pledge-gift of $9 million includes naming rights to the new facility, which will be monikered “Love’s Field”. The truck stop chain also pledged a dollar-for-dollar match of other donations, up to an additional $3 million.

In total, the truck stop chain will contribute $12 million to the OU softball program. According to a Sooners press release, it is the largest philanthropic gift directed toward a women’s sport in OU athletics history.

“As life-long Oklahomans, investing in the community, specifically the University of Oklahoma and its softball program, is something we’re proud to do,” said Jenny Love Meyer, chief culture officer and executive vice president of Love’s. “What Patty Gasso has accomplished in not only her tenure at OU, but for women’s college softball, is awe-inspiring. The program she’s built aligns with Love’s core values of integrity, perseverance and strong work ethic, and the world was able to see that as they won the 2021 Women’s College World Series. We are proud to have our name associated with this program and the new stadium that’s so well deserved by the team.”

The new softball complex will increase its square footage to 44,000 – up from 15,150 in its current state. The new facility will include a 10,500-square-foot training facility; training room; locker room; and classroom; as well as a space for a “recognition area” to spotlight the program’s national championships and All-American awards.

Set to be built roughly a half-mile south of the current facility, the new stadium will include seating for 3,000; the current facility includes permanent seating for just 1,378 and temporary seating increases current capacity to 1,900.

“I can’t put into words how grateful I am and our program is for the generosity of Love’s Travel Stops and the Love family,” Sooners head coach Patty Gasso said in a statement. “They share our championship mindset and have embraced not only the success of our program, but the culture we’ve built among our student-athletes and fans. They also recognize that for us to maintain the level of excellence we’ve achieved, we must be a national leader in all aspects of our program, including our facility. Love’s is empowering women to reach the absolute pinnacle of achievement while inspiring the next generation to look to the future with the biggest dream. As we see at a moment like this, dreams really do come true.”

Expectations are for a groundbreaking to occur on the new facility in 2022 and for the facility to open in time for the 2024 season.

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Historically, the tournament hosted teams in both the first and second weeks of the regular season, there will be only one session during the 2022 Challenge which will take place February 10-13, opening week of the Division 1 season.

Arkansas and Washington headline the 6-team field, which also includes 2021 Big West champions Long Beach State. The trio of NCAA tournament teams are joined by Rutgers of the Big Ten; Lamar of the Southland Conference; and Memphis of the American.

Washington has become a mainstay in Puerto Vallarta and will make their third appearance in the tournament; Arkansas, Long Beach State, and Rutgers have also previously played in PV. Memphis and Lamar will make their debuts in Mexico as part of the 2022 tournament.

Game schedules have not yet been announced, but a potential matchup between Arkansas and Washington will surely draw a lot of interest. A matchup of aces Mary Haff and Gabbie Plain, respectively, could make for must-see action.

Wednesday’s press release noted that tournament organizer Triple Crown Sports hopes to return to the two-session format with the 2023 edition of the College Challenge.

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Southern Miss’ move from Conference USA to the Sun Belt is the first of several widely-expected similar moves that will take place over the next couple of weeks. Old Dominion – which does not sponsor a softball program – and Marshall are also expected to leave the C-USA and join the Sun Belt.

James Madison is said to be the fourth member of the realigning group and is expected to leave the Colonial Athletic Association and follow their regional compatriots to the Sun Belt. Both Marshall and James Madison are going through individual approval processes before making their respective moves official, according to various media reports.

For the time being, the only official move is the one made by Southern Miss on Tuesday. The Golden Eagles had been members of Conference USA since 1995, one of two charter members still remaining in the league. They will now join the Sun Belt’s West division, assuming all planned team additions are completed without hindrance.

Speaking strictly from a softball perspective, the addition of Southern Miss alone doesn’t seem to shake up the Sun Belt softball scene too severely. It does add a lot of history to the league; Southern Miss is one of only a handful of mid-major programs to reach the Women’s College World Series in multiple years, having done so in 1999 and 2000 when Lu Harris-Champer was head coach and behind the pitching arm of the legendary Courtney Blades.

In recent years, Southern Miss has not duplicated that same success – the program did see a pair of players, Alyssa Davis and Destini Brown, named to the all-conference first team following the 2021 season that included Davis leading the league in RBIs.

Golden Eagles head coach Brian Levin was largely successful during his stint as head coach at Division II Missouri-St. Louis and with the Akron Racers of the now-defunct National Pro Fastpitch league. Prior to Southern Miss, he led Belmont to the postseason for the first time as a Division I program and now enters his third season in Hattiesburg.

While the on-field product of the last several years might make it look like USM doesn’t have much to offer in the vein of competitive softball, think again. A program steeped in history and one that doesn’t shy away from a competitive schedule is only going to boost the Sun Belt’s softball offering.

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Rodriguez spent the last five seasons as head coach at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas, where she led the squad to an appearance in the NJCAA national tournament in 2021.

Prior to her tenure at Trinity Valley, Rodriguez was the inaugural head coach at Division I UTEP. She spent ten years leading the Miners and holds the program career wins record. Her coaching resume also includes a stint as co-head coach – with her husband James – at Eastern New Mexico, as well as stints at Schreiner University and Trinity University in the 1990s.

In taking over the Islanders’ program, Rodriguez takes the reins from Kristen Zaleski who left the program to become the volunteer assistant coach at Oklahoma. The Islanders posted an 18-30 overall record during the 2021 season, with an 8-16 record in Southland conference play.

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Gilstrap graduated from Clemson following the 2021 season after helping lead the Tigers to 44 wins and the ACC regular-season championship. Gilstrap was named to the All-ACC Third Team after batting .292 and starting 51 games.

Prior to finishing her career at Clemson, Gilstrap played at USC Upstate from 2015-18. She earned First Team all-conference honors in the ASun in 2017 and second-team honors in 2018, and was also named Most Valuable Player of the ASun conference tournament during the 2017 campaign.

In early September, Gilstrap was announced as an assistant coach at Division II UT-Tyler. She is a native of Blythewood, South Carolina.

At Winthrop, Gilstrap will join a coaching staff and a program coming off of a 26-24 overall record in 2021, as well as the third-best overall winning percentage in the conference and a tie for 4th place in the conference standings that saw them miss out on the Big South tournament by the narrowest of margins.

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ORIGINAL STORY:

Heather Tarr will be named the next head coach of USA Softball, JWOS has learned.

Tarr’s appointment is expected to be officially announced this week and possibly as early as Monday afternoon; the USA Softball Annual Council Meeting is taking place this week in Oklahoma City.

Currently the head coach at Washington, Tarr was part of Team USA’s coaching staff during the Tokyo Olympics and served as first-base coach for the US squad. She previously was head coach of the U19 Women’s National Team and spent the 2017-18 summers as part of the national team’s coaching staff.

While at Washington, Tarr has become the winningest coach in any sport in UW history. A program alumnus, she led the Huskies to the national championship in 2009. Most recently, the Huskies finished as national semifinalists in 2019 and as Super Regional participants in 2021.

In taking the reins of the US National Team, Tarr replaces Eriksen, who spent the more than a decade leading the program.

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