Rounding Third Softball

‪Wright State has seemingly become the first Division I causality of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Officials announced the discontinuation of the program today citing budget restructuring to reduce expenditures. It’s also being reported that in dropping the Wright State Softball program, school administrators have not as of yet sought NCAA approval for the waiver to drop from the 14 required sports that is required of Division I classification to 11 (men’s and women’s tennis was also dropped). The move itself is pretty bold and could be of concern in how easy institutes might believe it would be just to drop programs below required numbers and the NCAA’s willingness to allow it.

Siena didn’t wait long to fill their open head coaching position. The Saints have found their next head coach from within promoting assistant coach Casey Bump. Bump has spent the last seven seasons on the staff as pitching coach. She replaces Bill Lajeunesse which recently retired.

The USSSA Pride has announced that Roman Foore will serve as head coach this season. Foore will be joined by his wife Penny Foore, which will serve as an assistant coach on staff. The husband and wife tandem serve as coaches at Bethel University in Minnesota during the collegiate season. The Pride opens up training camp June 14 in Melbourne, Florida at the Space Coast Complex.

Academy of Art University has announced Nikki Gentile as their new head coach. Gentile spent the last three seasons as head coach at Solano Community College where she won back-to-back Big Valley Conference Championships in 2018 and 2019.

One of the biggest and most prestigious club softball and showcase events has pulled the plug on their 2020 event. The Independence Day Tournament in Boulder, Colorado scheduled for July 1-5 was cancelled by event organizers today due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The event regularly draws nearly 400 collegiate coaches each summer.

Siena has announced the retirement of head coach Bill Lajeunesse. Lajeunesse spent 14 years with the program with the last 10 coming as head coach. He won 200 games in his time with the Saints, 104 of those coming in MAAC play.

The NCAA Division I Council Coordination Committee has extended the recruiting dead period in all sports through July 31. In essence this wipes out the majority of the summer recruiting opportunities and showcase events and camps for DI collegiate softball staffs.

Henderson State has announced the promotion of assistant coach David Martinez to head coach. Martinez has served on the Reddies Staff for the last four seasons under former coach Beth Jackson. He has also had coaching stops at Southern Miss and Delta State.

Minnesota has named Carly Wynn associate head coach. She comes to the Twin Cities from Arizona State where she helped the Sun Devils to an appearance in the Women’s College World Series in 2018 and a 135-57 record over five seasons.

San Diego State has announced that associate head coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz has been named head coach in waiting. The former U.S. Olympian has spent 12 seasons on staff with the Aztecs and will take over for longtime head coach Kathy Van Wyk at the conclusion of her career. The move seems to have come on the heels of her flirting with Cal about their head coaching position earlier this month.