Rounding Third Softball

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA ) will induct Arizona Director of Recruiting/Operations Stacy Iveson into the associations Hall of Fame. As a head coach Iveson built National Championship programs at both Pima Community College and Yavapai College. She collected National Championship wins in 2004, 2006, 2009, and 2011. Iveson was NJCAA National Coach of the Year on those four occasions.

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) has announced fifteen finalists for the 2021 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division III National Pitcher and Player of the Year. The award honors the outstanding athletic achievements among softball student-athletes throughout NCAA Division III.

The fifteen finalist list includes:

Kennedy Carruth, So. P, Belhaven University

Kenzie Dore, Fr. INF, Husson University

Sadie Erickson, So. 2B, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Claire Fountain, Jr. 1B, George Fox University

Jessica Goldyn, Grad. C, Virginia Wesleyan University

Julie Graf, Sr. P, St. Olaf College

Cami Henry, Jr. P, DePauw University

Hanna Hull, Grad. P, Virginia Wesleyan University*

Kelly Jurden, Jr. OF, Texas Lutheran University

Abby Mace, So. OF, Salisbury University

Brooke Matyasovsky, Jr. UTIL, Eastern Connecticut State University

Sarah Miller, Sr. INF, Case Western Reserve University

Sarah Reinert, Jr. SS, Alvernia University

Taylor Skraba, Jr. OF, Benedictine University (Ill.)

Savannah Vargas, Sr. 3B, George Fox University

Georgia Southern wasted little time filling their open head coaching position. Former Georgia Tech Coach Sharon Perkins has been named to lead the Eagles. Perkins was 290-138 in seven seasons leading the Yellow Jackets from 2007-2013. Georgia Tech won three Atlantic Coast Conference championships and advanced to NCAA postseason play six times in Perkins tenure. She takes over a GSU program that was 17-26 in 2021.

USA Softball has named Lisa Navas to the Junior Women’s National Team Coaching Staff. Navas spent the last nine seasons on the coaching staff at South Carolina. The veteran coach joins USA Softball assisting JWNT Head Coach Kyla Holas at the upcoming Selection Trials next month in Oklahoma City. Navas will then serve as an assistant coach with the team at WBSC U-18 World Cup in Peru and the Junior Pan American Games in Columbia later this summer and fall.

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) will induct longtime Blinn College Softball Coach Rick Church into the associations Hall of Fame. Church ranks 14th all-time in JUCO wins. In 24 seasons as a head softball coach in the NJCAA, Church has compiled a 928-403 record. He coached seven teams to the NJCAA Division I Softball Championship Tournament in 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and most recently in 2015.

The NCAA has now sent out a communication to all-session/season ticket holders that the capacity of the WCWS has officially been increased to 100%. Those ticket holders will now receive all their tickets for all sessions they would usually be entitled to, instead of the 50% ticket/session allotment that had been under the former capacity plan. The communication also stated that single-session tickets will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, May 27.

Grand Canyon has parted ways with head coach Ann Pierson. She led the Antelopes from the programs inception in 2004. In her 18 seasons at GCU she compiled a 509-419 record.

RTS has confirmed through sources that Furman has officially moved on from head coach Wally King. King had been on suspension from his position since April for undisclosed reasons. Those sources also confirm assistant coach Stacey Johnson-Whitfield will now serve as interim head coach as the school conducts a national search.

The WCWS capacity saga continues and seemingly is evolving by the minute. RTS received a communication just minutes ago from the NCAA. Part of that communication stated:

“Currently, the NCAA is working with state and local officials to finalize capacity to the 100% for current ticket holders for the WCWS event this year.”

The email would indicate that a plan is in its final stages to open the event to full capacity in some way starting with current all-session ticket holders. The WCWS is less than two weeks away starting Thursday June 3.

The muddled message on the question of capacity at the WCWS continues. Sources close to the situation have informed RTS that the annual WCWS Fan Fest was removed Thursday from the operational schedule for USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. The annual Fan Fest takes place inside the Hall of Fame Complex just outside the stadium and runs the entire week of the WCWS offering interactive and other softball specific activities to fans. The move could further indicate that an increase of attendance capacity from the current 50% might not be in the cards in OKC. On Wednesday NCAA had announced it had lifted all capacity limitations for their championships if local and state guidelines allowed such a move.