Rounding Third Softball

‪Arizona Head Coach Mike Candrea will be taking a 20% decrease to his $345,000 annual salary as part of cuts to the highest paid Wildcat Coaches. The cuts, a direct result of the Coronavirus Pandemic, is to help with an athletic department shortfall of $7.5 million in 2019-20. Candrea has spent 35 seasons coaching the Wildcats amassing 1,633 wins (1,817 in 40 years as a head coach) while winning eight National Championships.

The WBSC has announced the postponement of the 2021 Women’s Softball World Cup to 2023. According to officials this step was taken to keep the focus on the competition at the now rescheduled 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. In addition, the WBSC will now recognize the 2022 World Games taking place in Birmingham, Alabama as the top women’s international softball competition for 2022, with the winning team named world champion. 

Minnesota has announced Piper Ritter has been elevated to be the programs new head coach. The longtime assistant and alum takes the position second time around after being offered it three years ago when then Head Coach Jessica Allister departed the program. 

‪University of Mary Hardin-Baylor has announced the retirement of Head Coach Larry Hennig. Hennig guided UMHB to a 249-149 record in 10 seasons after 12 seasons at Temple College. He finishes his career with a 768-352 record. Assistant Coach Melissa Mojica has been promoted to replace him.

‪The NCAA has approved the process of developing legislation to allow student-athletes to benefit from endorsements and promotions. This legislation will allow student-athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness beginning in the 2021-2022 academic year.

Sources have confirmed to RTS that California has dwindled their finalists for their head coaching position to three. Texas Assistant Coach Chelsea Spencer, Texas Tech Associate Head Coach Sam Marder, and San Diego State Associate Head Coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz will all have second interviews this week. 

Following up on an earlier story; Conference Commissioners from the America Athletic Conference, Mountain West Conference, Mid-America Conference, Sun Belt Conference, and Conference USA petitioning the NCAA to allow institutions to fall below the minimum 16 sports for FBS Football Sponsoring Division I Institutions, won’t be considered as an option per the NCAA. Conferences were seeking relief in the wake of financial fallout from the COVID-19 (coronavirus) Pandemic that would allow them to fall below the minimum number by possibly cutting non-revenue producing sports. 

Ole Miss has named Jamie Trachsel from Minnesota as their new head coach. Trachsel spent three seasons with the Golden Gophers after spending one season at Iowa State. Trachsel amassed a 102-40-1 record in the Twin Cities while notching an appearance in the Women’s College World Series in 2019.

George Mason has announced that longtime Head Coach Joe Verbanic has stepped down from his position. In 16 seasons coaching the Patriots Verbanic compiled a 294-469 record.

The first institutional causality has come as a result of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) Pandemic as Urbana University in Ohio has announced it will cease enrollments and operations at the end of the Spring 2020 Semester. This will include the shutdown of its Division II Athletic Department and 19 sports including softball.