Rounding Third Softball

Arkansas Senior First Baseman Bri Ellis has been named USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. Ellis hit .440 with slugging percentage of .1090. She set program single-season records for the Razorbacks in home runs (26), RBI (72), runs scored (68) and on-base percentage (.639). She was also the SEC Player of the Year.

RTS heads to The Mecca this week for the Women’s College World Series. Coverage starts Wednesday in Oklahoma City with pre-WCWS Team Practices and Media Day. The journey to crown the 2025 National Champion starts Thursday at Devon Park with four games leading off with Florida and Texas at 11 am CST. Check back here and on all RTS Social Media platforms for live in-game updates from the first pitch to the last at the WCWS.

Sources have confirmed to RTS that Brandon Telesco will be named the next head coach at California Baptist University. Telesco served the past two seasons on the staff at Cal. He was elevated to associate head coach for the 2025 season. The Bears went 37-21 this season losing in the Norman Regional Final against Oklahoma. Before coming to Berkeley, Telesco served as head coach at Park University Gilbert and associate head coach at South Mountain Community College in Arizona.

Lindsay Fico has been named the new head coach at Florida Gulf Coast. Fico spent the past four seasons leading the program at Mercer. She guided the Bears to their first Southern Conference Championship this season while going 40-26. Mercer ended the 2025 season in the Gainesville Regional Final losing to Florida. Fico replaces longtime coach Dave Deiros who retired.

Purdue Fort Wayne is discontinuing their softball program effective immediately. The coaches and athletes were informed this morning of the move. According to sources within the program the discontinuation of the team was unexpected and a surprise, as there was no talk of the move leading up to today. Most all athletes had left campus for the summer after the completion of the season and spring semester. The move, which also included the discontinuation of the baseball program, will save the institution $1 million annually. The cut of the two programs are part of a larger move by PFW to save $6 million. The Mastodon’s went 21-26 in what would be their final season in 2025.

RTS heads to Rocky Top for the Super Regional matchup between No. 7 national seed Tennessee (43-14) and Nebraska (42-13). Game 1 of the series is Friday night at 7 pm EST. Check back here and on all RTS Social Media platforms for live in-game updates as the from the Knoxville Super Regional.

Kim Sowder is retiring as head coach at Long Beach State. Sowder spent 19 years at the Beach amassing 579 wins. She led LBSU to five Big West championships and nine NCAA Postseason appearances.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has announced Head Coach Kathleen Rodriguez will not return for the 2026 season. Rodriguez coached the Islanders for four seasons compiling a 82-109 overall record and a 37-56 mark in Southland Conference play.

Central Arkansas Head Coach Jenny Parsons is retiring. Parsons spent the past 14 seasons at UCA first as an assistant/associate head coach, then the past four as head coach. During that time, she amassed 136 wins while notching an ASUN Championship in 2023 and appearing in the NCAA Postseason. Before joining the staff in Conway, she served as head coach for 10 seasons at Nicholls State.

Lori Meyer is retiring as head coach at Minnesota State Mankato. The Hall of Fame Coach spent 41 seasons leading the Mavericks compiling 1,444 wins. During that time MSU made 18 trips to the NCAA Regional Tournament and three appearances in the NCAA National Championships (1987, 2011 and 2017), with the 2017 squad winning the NCAA Division II National Championship.

Minnesota State will promote Associate Head Coach Kristle Wolcott as the fifth head coach in program history. Wolcott has been on the Mavericks staff for 14 seasons.