Rounding Third Softball

As part of our WCWS Week coverage, RTS will be onsite at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium here in Oklahoma City tomorrow at 11 am CST for the exhibition matchup between the U.S. Women’s National Team and the USSSA Pride. Team USA are in their final preparations for next months Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. The softball portion of those games open on July 20. Follow RTS on Twitter @Rounding3rdSB for real-time in-game updates.

Midwestern State has parted ways with head coach Mark Ryal. In five seasons at the helm of the Mustangs, Ryal compiled a record of 74-115. MSU finished 12th in the Lone Star Conference this season going 15-27.

Upper Iowa Head Coach Ashley Hickman will move west to take over the program at Western New Mexico. Hickman spent the last two seasons heading the Peacocks program after a season as an assistant coach. In two seasons she compiled a record of 19-41. Before coming to UIU she was the head coach at McPherson College from 2015-2018.

he National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced on Wednesday the 2021 Division I All-American Teams. Fifty-four students-athletes from 30 different institutes were named to the First, Second, and Third Teams. The 2021 Division I All-Americans are:

First Team

P, Montana Fouts, University of Alabama

P, Megan Faraimo, University of California, Los Angeles

P, Keely Rochard, Virginia Tech

C, Dejah Mulipola, University of Arizona

1B, Alysen Febrey, Oklahoma State University

2B, Tiare Jennings, University of Oklahoma

3B, Charla Echols, University of Florida

SS, Sami Williams, Iowa State University

OF, Jocelyn Alo, University of Oklahoma

OF, Jayda Coleman, University of Oklahoma

OF, Maya Brady, University of California, Los Angeles

UT/P, Rachel Garcia, University of California, Los Angeles

DP or UT/Non-P, Aaliyah Jordan, University of California, Los Angeles

At-Large-C, Bailey Hemphill, University of Alabama

At-Large-P, Mary Haff, University of Arkansas

At-Large-SS, Braxton Burnside, University of Arkansas

At-Large-P, Gabbie Plain, University of Washington

At-Large-C, Kayla Kowalik, University of Kentucky

Second Team

P, Ashley Rogers, University of Tennessee

P, Carrie Eberle, Oklahoma State University

P, Kathryn Sandercock, Florida State University

C, Kinzie Hansen, University of Oklahoma

1B, Danielle Gibson, University of Arkansas

2B, Baylee Klingler, University of Washington

3B, Jenna Cone, George Washington University

SS, Grace Lyons, University of Oklahoma

OF, Aliyah Andrews, Louisiana State University

OF, Kiki Milloy, University of Tennessee

OF, Abby Sweet, University of Notre Dame

UT/P, Valerie Cagle, Clemson University

DP or UT/Non-P, Deja Davis, Duke University

At-Large-UT/P, Odicci Alexander, James Madison University

At-Large-SS, Sis Bates, University of Washington

At-Large-P, Alex Storako, University of Michigan

At-Large-SS, Taylor Pleasants, Louisiana State University

At-Large-C, Maddi Hackbarth, Arizona State University

Third Team

P, Brooke Yanez, University of Oregon

P, Elizabeth Hightower, University of Florida

P, Alyssa Denham, University of Arizona

C, Haley Lee, Texas A&M University

1B, Kaylee Tow, University of Alabama

2B, Hannah Adams, University of Florida

3B, Hannah Becerra, California State University, Fullerton

SS, Briana Perez, University of California, Los Angeles

OF, Brooke Wilmes, University of Missouri

OF, Haley Cruse, University of Oregon

OF, Janelle Meoño, University of Arizona

UT/P, Paige Rauch, Villanova University

DP or UT/Non-P, Hayley Busby, Oklahoma State University

At-Large-P, Georgina Corrick, University of South Florida

At-Large-2B, Mackenzie Boesel, University of South Carolina

At-Large-SS, Jessie Harper, University of Arizona

At-Large-SS, Sydney McKinney, Wichita State University

At-Large-2B, Janae Jefferson, University of Texas

Valparaiso Head Coach Kate Stake has resigned after seven seasons with the program. Stake led the Crusaders to 119 victories, including the 2016 Horizon League Tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Postseason. This season Valpo was 5-35 overall and 1-23 in The Valley Conference.

Northwest Missouri State has found their new head coach. Naomi Tellez will take over the program after Ryan Anderson coached the Bearcats for 15 seasons. The relatively young coach comes from North Dakota after serving as the pitching coaching for the Fighting Hawks. In the 2021 season the UND pitching staff had a 3.63 ERA and a combined 17-33 record.

The Pre-WCWS Virtual Press Conferences start in just 45 minutes. The fifteen minute pressers will feature each head coach and one selected player TBD. No. 1 Oklahoma kicks it off at 12:30 pm CST. Check-in on Twitter @Rounding3rdSB for real-time updates and insight from each conference.

Pre-WCWS Virtual Press Conference Schedule (all times CST):

Oklahoma 12:30

Alabama 1:15

James Madison 1:30

Arizona 2:15

Oklahoma State 2:30

UCLA 3:15

Georgia 3:30

Florida State 4:15

Ave Maria University has parted ways with head coach John Kelly RTS has confirmed. Kelly spent four seasons leading the Gyrenes after joining the program from Georgia Tech. He compiled a record of 81-86.

It was a clean sweep for the Oklahoma Sooners on Tuesday evening with freshman Tiare Jennings and senior Jocelyn Alo picking up two of most prestigious awards in Collegiate Softball.

Jennings received the NFCA/Schutt Sports Freshman of the Year Award. Jennings is the nation’s top run producer hitting .485 with 84 RBI and 1.42 runs scored per game. She also ranks in the NCAA’s top five in slugging (1.059), home runs (25), doubles (22), and hits (82).

Alo was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. Alo hit .487 this season, while also leading the nation in home runs with 30 hitting at least one in 28 of her 52 games played. She drove in an impressive 82 runs on the season with a slugging percentage of 1.1135.

RTS is on the ground for Women’s College World Series Week. We will be bringing you complete top to bottom coverage all week from here in Oklahoma City.

Coverage will start tonight with the announcements of the NFCA/Schutt Sports DI Freshman of the Year and the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year at 7 pm CST.

Our coverage will continue Wednesday with the coaches/players pre-WCWS Virtual Press Conferences starting at 12:30 pm CST. This years press conferences and traditional team practice sessions at Hall of Fame Stadium are closed to the public and media due to safety protocols. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) will also announce their Division I All-American Teams virtually on Wednesday at 3 pm CST.

Thursday the WCWS begins and our coverage will start with the Session 1 matchup between No. 1 ranked Oklahoma and No. 22 James Madison, and continue through the completion of this years championship. Follow RTS on Twitter @Rounding3rdSB for real-time updates, insider information, and all the happenings throughout the week here at the WCWS.