Rounding Third Softball

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced Tuesday the 15 student-athletes that have been selected as finalists for the 2021 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Year awards. The award honors the outstanding athletic achievements among softball student-athletes throughout NCAA Division II. The winners will be announced following the conclusion of the 2021 NCAA DII Softball Championship.

The 15 finalist list includes: Tatum Brummitt, Sr., University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Bailey Byers, Sr., Malone University

Hannah Rose Corbin, So., Columbus State University

Kendall Cornick, Sr., Augustana University

Sydni Hawkins, Jr., Missouri Western State University

Alyssa Herrera, Fr., Georgian Court University

Hannah Marsteller, So., Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shanna McBroom, Grad., West Texas A&M University

Nicole Pennington, Jr., Valdosta State University

Morgan Perry, Sr., Saint Anselm College

Ellie Smith, So., Colorado Mesa University

Kenzee Smith, Fr., University of Indianapolis

Kylee Smith, Sr., University of North Georgia

Mackenzie Ward, Jr., Minnesota State University, Mankato

Faith Willenbrock, Sr., Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Unanimous once again. For the 12th straight week Oklahoma (45-2) sits atop the final USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll of the regular season. Heading into postseason play the Sooners picked up all 32 first-place votes.

Rank	School	Points	Record	Last Week
1	Oklahoma (32)	800	45-2	1
2	UCLA	767	41-4	2
3	Alabama	735	45-7	3
4	Florida	706	42-9	4
5	Arkansas	629	40-9	6
6	Washington	606	41-11	5
7	Oklahoma State	594	42-9	9
8	Florida State	557	39-10-1	7
9	Arizona	552	36-13	8
10	Oregon	469	37-15	11
11	Texas	457	39-11	10
12	Arizona State	439	32-14	12
13	Clemson	399	42-6	13
14	Missouri	375	38-15	15
15	Louisiana	362	44-10	14
16	LSU	331	32-19	16
17	Duke	283	42-10	21
18	Tennessee	278	41-13	19
19	Kentucky	273	39-13	17
20	Michigan	242	36-6	18
21	Virginia Tech	165	33-13	20
22	JMU	114	34-1	22
23	Wichita State	83	39-11-1	24
24	Minnesota	72	29-11	23
25	Liberty	49	42-13	25

New to Poll: None

Dropped Out: None

Receiving Votes: Georgia (14), Notre Dame (12), Miami University (8), Ole Miss (7), Mississippi State (6), Fresno State (5), Boston University (5), USF (3), UCF (2), Stanford (1).

Christie Koschke has resigned after nine season as head coach at Colorado State University Pueblo. Koschke joined the Thunderwolves for the 2013 season. She went 178-226 overall with a 151-160 record in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) play.

RTS has confirmed from sources close to the situation that the University of the Incarnate Word has parted ways with head coach Joe DiPietro. UIW hired DiPietro in the summer of 2017. The Cardinals struggled during his four season tenure going 47-117 overall.

Boise State has made the surprising announcement that head coach Maggie Huffaker has resigned. Huffaker spent just three seasons with the Broncos, but lead the squad to the NCAA Postseason in 2019. She leaves BSU with a record of 70-52.

Softball Europe has set the date and location for the 2021 Women’s European Softball Championship. The event will be held in Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Italy, from June 27-July 3. The championship will serve as a qualifier for The World Games being held in July 7-17, 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Not to be overshadowed, there was another NCAA Selection Show that happened last night. The NCAA Division II Softball Committee made the selection of the 48 teams on Sunday that will participate in the 2021 NCAA Division II Softball Championship. Six teams will participate at each of the eight regional sites in double-elimination tournaments May 19-22. Winners of each regional site will advance to the championship finals May 27-31 in Denver, as the usual Super Regional Round was eliminated this year due to pandemic concerns.

Atlantic Region at Kutztown, Pennsylvania

1. *Kutztown (31-12)

2. Shepherd (26-12)

3. West Chester (30-14)

4. East Stroudsburg (26-14)

5. West Liberty (35-15)

6. Claflin (8-1)

Central Region at Edmond, Oklahoma

1. Augustana (South Dakota) (44-6)

2. Minnesota State Mankato (38-8)

3. *Central Oklahoma (35-12)

4. Southern Arkansas (27-8)

5. Central Missouri (36-12)

6. Arkansas Tech (28-16-1)

East Region at Manchester, New Hampshire

1. Georgian Court (35-4)

2. *Saint Anselm (29-4)

3. Adelphi (27-8)

4. Molloy (29-14)

5. New Haven (27-7)

6. Bridgeport (22-7)

Midwest Region at Allendale, Michigan

1. *Grand Valley State (41-7)

2. Indianapolis (43-6)

3. Northwood (28-14)

4. Trevecca Nazarene (26-12)

5. Hillsdale (31-17)

6. Ohio Dominican (28-16)

South Region at Valdosta, Georgia

1. Auburn Montgomery (39-5)

2. *Valdosta State (34-8)

3. Alabama Huntsville (31-12)

4. Rollins (19-2)

5. West Florida (30-14)

6. Mississippi College (20-19)

South Central Region at Commerce, Texas

1. Oklahoma Christian (37-7)

2. West Texas A&M (33-10)

3. Angelo State (33-12)

4. Colorado Mesa (38-3)

5. *Texas A&M-Commerce (28-16)

6. Texas A&M-Kingsville (23-12)

Southeast Region at Dahlonega, Georgia

1. *North Georgia (37-5)

2. Lincoln Memorial (36-6)

3. Young Harris (31-10)

4. Anderson (South Carolina) (29-11)

5. Tusculum (22-17)

6. Emmanuel (Georgia) (19-25)

West Region at Irvine, California

1. *Concordia (California) (26-11)

2. Biola (17-11)

3. Northwest Nazarene (24-10)

4. Western Washington (20-11)

5. Hawaii Hilo (17-11)

6. Central Washington (15-14)

The field is set. Some surprises and initial thoughts on the 64.

– PAC 12 runner-up Washington given the No. 16 National Seed and will host an always tough Michigan team. Winner of Seattle Regional would most likely have to go through Norman, Oklahoma to get to the WCWS.

– Oregon sent to No. 12 National Seed Texas for a matchup with former Ducks and current Longhorns Coach Mike White

– ACC Regular-Season Champion Clemson not picked as a national seed and sent to a Tuscaloosa Regional for a great possible matchup with Alabama.

– Duke seeded No. 13 nationally, but will not host due to institutional pandemic policies instead traveling to Athens as Georgia will host.

– South Carolina at 26-26 out, ASUN at-large Kennesaw State 26-25 in.

– If National Seeds hold true, an SEC showdown between No. 8 seed Missouri and No. 9 seed Tennessee will be on the Super Regional schedule.

Norman Regional

Oklahoma (No. 1 National Seed)

Morgan State

Texas A&M

Wichita State

Los Angeles Regional

UCLA (No. 2 National Seed)

Long Beach State

Fresno State

Minnesota

Tuscaloosa Regional

Alabama (No. 3 National Seed)

Alabama State

Troy

Clemson

Gainesville Regional

Florida (No. 4 National Seed)

South Florida

South Alabama

Baylor

Stillwater Regional

Oklahoma State (No. 5 National Seed)

Campbell

Boston

Mississippi State

Fayetteville Regional

Arkansas (No. 6 National Seed)

Manhattan

South Dakota State

Stanford

Baton Rouge Regional

LSU (No. 7 National Seed)

McNeese State

George Washington

Louisiana

Columbia Regional

Missouri (No. 8 National Seed)

Illinois-Chicago

Northern Iowa

Iowa State

Knoxville Regional

Tennessee (No. 9 National Seed)

Eastern Kentucky

James Madison

Liberty

Tallahassee Regional

Florida State (No. 10 National Seed)

Kennesaw State

Central Florida

Auburn

Tucson Regional

Arizona (No. 11 National Seed)

Maryland-Baltimore County

Villanova

Ole Miss

Austin Regional

Texas (No. 12 National Seed)

Saint Francis

Texas State

Oregon

Athens Regional

Duke (No. 13 National Seed)

UNC-Greensboro

Western Kentucky

Georgia

Lexington Regional

Kentucky (No. 14 National Seed)

Northwestern

Miami-OH

Notre Dame

Tempe Regional

Arizona State (No. 15 National Seed)

Southern Illinois

Brigham Young

Virginia Tech

Seattle Regional

Washington (No. 16 National Seed)

Portland State

Seattle

Michigan

RTS sends out congratulations to Virginia Tech Coach Pete D’Amour and wife Anna on the birth of their first child, baby boy Reaux Green D’Amour. The newest Hokie came in at 6 pounds, 4 ounces and 19 3/4 inches long. Timing seems to be everything as less than 24 hours after Virginia Tech’s hard fought elimination at the ACC Championship against Clemson in Louisville, the mom to be went into labor.

Rhode Island has decided not to renew the contract of head coach Bridget Hurlman. After joining the program in the summer of 2015, Hurlman spent six seasons leading the Rams and compiled a 61-167 record.