Rounding Third Softball

RTS is saddened to report the passing of former Emporia State player Jacie Stephens Cochran. Cochran passed away due to complications giving birth Thursday to her first child. Cochran played catcher for ESU from 2013 to 2017 and was a second-team All-MIAA selection as a senior after hitting .333 as the Hornets advanced to the MIAA Tournament Championship game. She is survived by her husband and former Emporia State student assistant football coach Cale Cochran and her newborn son, Jaxon Jay. A GoFundMe account has been set up for those who wish to support the family. https://www.gofundme.com/f/cale-amp-jaxon-jay-cochran

Kent State has promoted assistant Emma Thompson to associate head coach. Thompson has served as pitching coach for the Golden Flashes the last three seasons.

Louisiana College has announced it has officially applied for membership in the NAIA. LC had been a member of NAIA before moving to NCAA Division III. If accepted the move will come in the 2021-22 season. The Wildcat Softball Squad finished the pandemic shortened 2020 season 7-10.

Head Coach Megan Bartlett will be leaving Ball State to join the coaching staff at Texas it’s been announced. Bartlett joins the Longhorns after five seasons with the Cardinals going 141-108 during her tenure in Muncie.

USA Softball National Hall of Fame Member and renowned sports writer Buck Johnson passed away today at the age of 93. Johnson, a driving force for the inclusion of softball in the Olympic Games, served as the chief press officer for the International Softball Federation overseeing media relations for the Atlanta and Sydney Games.

Bethune-Cookman has announced they will leave the MEAC for the SWAC at the conclusion of the 2020-21 sports season. BCU has been a member of the MEAC since 1979. BCU sponsors 17 sports, including their softball program which has historically fielded an extremely competitive program. The program made a Super Regional appearance in 2005.

One of the longest tenured and respected coaches in college softball has called it a career. Kathy Riley the head coach at Longwood announced her retirement Friday. Riley spent 23 seasons with the Lancers. In a 28 year coaching career she amased 812 wins.

Wisconsin-Superior has named Melissa Fracker head coach. Fracker comes to the Yellowjackets after serving as an assistant coach at Western Connecticut State. Fracker helped the Colonials to a pair of Little East Conference championships and two NCAA appearances.

The NCAA Division I Council Coordination Committee has once again extended the recruiting dead period in all sports through August 31. The move now wipes out the complete summer recruiting calendar for DI Softball Programs and Coaches. The calendar for off-campus recruiting was set to expire on August 9.

Maricopa County in Arizona has announced that all Junior College Sports will be canceled for the 2020-21 sports season due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The move cancels the softball seasons for all eight NJCAA DII teams. Currently all five NJCAA DI teams in Arizona (which include Yavapai, Pima, Eastern Arizona, Arizona Western, and Central Arizona) have not canceled their sports seasons.