RTS is saddened to report the passing of Italian National Softball Team Head Coach Enrico Obletter. The manager of Team Italy was battling COVID-19 and had recently taken an unfortunate turn according to friends and colleagues after a series of oxygen and other treatments. Obletter would have led the Italian Olympic Team later this summer in the Tokyo Games. Considered an elite coach and well thought of in the World Softball Coaching Community, Obletter catapulted the Italians onto the global stage by capturing the 2019 European Softball Championship title and qualifying for the 2020 Olympics Games after winning the 2019 WBSC Softball Europe/Africa Qualifier.
Changing of the Guard in the ACC?
Friend and associate to RTS Chip Grubb from Tech Sideline was in the ACC Pod in Atlanta along with us this weekend. He talks about all the action and the upstart Hokies.
MGCCC Names Interim Coaching Staff
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College moved quickly to fill their completely vacant coaching staff going with former longtime head coach Kenneth Long to serve as interim coach, and high school assistant coach Shelbee Sowders and former South Alabama student-athlete Katelyn Gruich as interim assistants. Long coached the Bulldogs for 18 seasons amassing 584-232 record before his retirement. MGCCC Administration seemed to prefer the interim route until the summer hiring season after being engaged by a few highly successful current and former coaches from various collegiate levels.
Ivy League Call It Quits Again
Being the first to cancel their sports seasons in 2020; The Ivy League is at least consistent and now made it two in a row canceling spring sports for 2021 due to pandemic concerns. This will be the second season in a row Ivy Softball Institutes will not compete in league play or decide an Ivy League Champion.
Neel Out at MGCCC
RTS has learned from sources that Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Head Coach Eric Neel is no longer with the program. It’s unclear to the reason of the early season departure and there has been no release or comment from MGCCC. Neel was in his second season coaching the Bulldogs. Danielle Barton and Ally Raines are still listed on the athletic department website on the coaching staff page as assistant coaches.
Southern Arkansas Holds On To No. 1 in DII Top 25
Southern Arkansas has held on to the top spot in this weeks NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll. SAU opened the season last month 2-0. The Muleriders collected 15 of the 16 first place votes while No. 2 North Georgia collected the other vote.
| Rank | School | Points | 2021 Record | Last Poll |
| 1 | Southern Arkansas (15) | 399 | 2-0 | 1 |
| 2 | North Georgia (1) | 385 | 6-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Augustana | 363 | 0-0 | 3 |
| 4 | UT Tyler | 353 | 2-0 | 4 |
| 5 | Young Harris | 327 | 5-1 | 6 |
| 6 | Saint Leo | 318 | 0-0 | 7 |
| 7 | Texas A&M-Commerce | 311 | 3-1 | 9 |
| 8 | Rollins | 292 | 0-0 | 8 |
| 9 | Angelo State | 271 | 1-1 | 5 |
| 10 | Valdosta State | 233 | 2-1 | 12 |
| 11 | Concordia Irvine | 231 | 0-0 | 11 |
| 12 | Oklahoma Christian | 220 | 2-0 | 13 |
| 13 | Winona State | 188 | 0-0 | 15 |
| 14 | Saint Anselm | 185 | 0-0 | 14 |
| 15 | Lenoir-Rhyne | 176 | 0-0 | 16 |
| 16 | Southern Indiana | 167 | 0-0 | 17 |
| 17 | UAH | 149 | 5-1 | 20 |
| 18 | Rogers State | 134 | 0-0 | 18 |
| 19 | Indianapolis | 115 | 0-0 | 21 |
| 20 | Lincoln Memorial | 106 | 3-0 | 22 |
| 21 | West Chester | 69 | 0-0 | 24 |
| 22 | Tampa | 50 | 0-0 | 24 |
| 23 | Texas A&M-Kingsville | 45 | 2-0 | RV |
| 24 | Grand Valley State | 43 | 0-0 | 25 |
| 25 | Lubbock Christian | 19 | 5-2 | 19 |
Receiving Votes: Minnesota State (17), Metropolitan State University of Denver (8), St. Cloud State (6), Francis Marion (5), Saginaw Valley State (5), Adelphi (4), Central Oklahoma (3), Biola (2), West Liberty (1).
ACC Pod Set for Atlanta This Weekend
RTS will enter the Atlantic Coast Conference “Pod” in Atlanta tomorrow to start the second weekend of Division I action in 2021. Georgia Tech with host ACC foes Florida State, Virginia Tech, and Clemson as teams face off at one site in conference play. Follow RTS all four days on Twitter @Rounding3rdSB for real-time in game updates.
Schedule
Thursday 2/18
2 pm Georgia Tech vs. Florida State
4 pm Florida State vs. Georgia Tech
Friday 2/19
1 pm Georgia Tech vs. Florida State
Saturday 2/20
11 am Florida State vs. Virginia Tech
1 pm Virginia Tech vs. Florida State
4 pm Clemson vs. Georgia Tech
Sunday 2/21
11 am Florida State vs. Virginia Tech
1 pm Georgia Tech vs. Clemson
4 pm Clemson vs. Georgia Tech
NCAA Expected to Extend Dead Period
The NCAA Division I Council is meeting today and sources have confirmed to RTS are expected to take action today or in the next scheduled meeting in March to extend the current recruiting dead period through May 31. Football, men’s basketball and women’s oversight committees as well as the SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) all support an extension. The current dead period which restricts DI institutes from recruiting off-campus, hosting recruits on-campus, or working camps, was set to expire on April 15. Division II and III are not restricted by this dead period and had all restrictions lifted last year.
Bryce Announces Retirement
Legendary Wayne State Coach Gary Bryce has announced he will retire at the conclusion of the 2021 season. Bryce has coached WSU for 40 seasons. The 2008 Hall of Fame inductee currently sits at seventh on the NCAA All-Time Wins list with 1,317 victories. During Bryce’s tenure the Warriors have made 23 appearances in the NCAA DII Championship tournament.
UCLA Remains No. 1 in Top 25
UCLA kept the top spot in this weeks USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll. The Bruins were only able to play one game last week starting the season 1-0. UCLA received 31 of the 32 first place votes to stay No. 1. No. 3 Oklahoma received the other vote after their record setting 4-0 opening weekend.
| Rank | School | Points | Record | Last Week |
| 1 | UCLA (31) | 799 | 1-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Washington | 749 | 5-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Oklahoma (1) | 732 | 4-0 | 4 |
| 4 | Arizona | 704 | 0-0 | 3 |
| 5 | Alabama | 639 | 4-0 | 8 |
| 6 | Florida | 620 | 2-0 | 7 |
| 7 | Texas | 602 | 0-0 | 6 |
| 8 | LSU | 559 | 2-1 | 5 |
| 9 | Louisiana | 539 | 0-0 | 9 |
| 10 | Oregon | 504 | 5-0 | 10 |
| 11 | Oklahoma State | 484 | 2-0 | 11 |
| 12 | Kentucky | 418 | 3-0 | 13 |
| 13 | Florida State | 408 | 3-1 | 12 |
| 14 | Virginia Tech | 351 | 3-0 | 15 |
| 15 | Arizona State | 336 | 4-0 | 16 |
| 16 | Georgia | 283 | 2-1 | 14 |
| 17 | Michigan | 261 | 0-0 | 17 |
| 18 | Duke | 223 | 4-0 | 25 |
| 19 | South Carolina | 221 | 0-0 | 19 |
| 20 | Arkansas | 212 | 0-1 | 18 |
| 21 | Missouri | 181 | 3-1 | 23 |
| 22 | Mississippi State | 174 | 2-0 | 20 |
| 23 | Baylor | 127 | 0-0 | 22 |
| 24 | UCF | 100 | 3-1 | 21 |
| 25 | Minnesota | 60 | 0-0 | 24 |
Receiving Votes: Utah (32) Tennessee (24), Stanford (22), Liberty (7), Northwestern (7), Oregon State (7), Texas Tech (7), Clemson (6), James Madison (1), Notre Dame (1).