Rounding Third Softball

Richie Bruister has resigned as head coach at Stephen F. Austin. Bruister spent just one season in Nacogdoches where he led the Lumberjacks to a 30-24 record and No. 3 seed in the WAC Conference Tournament.

Kansas Head Coach Jennifer McFalls has received a contract extension. McFalls just completed her fifth season with the Jayhawks leading them to a 25-27 record. The 25 wins is the most for the program since 2018. McFalls has tallied 94 victories in her time leading KU.

Tennessee has announced it has extended Head Coach Karen Weekly’s contract. The extension runs through 2028. Weekly led the Lady Vols to the 2023 SEC regular-season and tournament titles. The 2023 Conference Coach of the Year also guided UT to a 44-8 record and No. 4 National Seed in the NCAA Postseason.

Even no longer with us, Joan Joyce continues to give to the Sport of Softball.

The Brakettes of Stratford, Connecticut have announced a donation of $50,000 has been received posthumously from the playing and coaching legend. The funds will be used to kickstart the Brakettes Museum Fund. Joyce played for the greatest Women’s Major Fastpitch Team of all-time in the Raybestos Brakettes. She won 11 National Championships with the squad while throwing 105 no-hitters, 33 perfect games, and striking out 5,677 batters in 429 career wins in the circle. Joyce went on to great success as the head coach at Florida Atlantic after her competition days. She sadly passed on March 26, 2022.

Michelle Cheatham has resigned as head coach at University of Texas San Antonio. Cheatham spent 10 seasons leading the program compiling a 197-287 overall record. In all she spent 22 seasons associated with UTSA as head coach, an assistant coach, and player.

Rounding Third Softball Postseason Coverage powered by Decker Sports continues this weekend at the Athens Regional. The No. 14 National Seed Georgia (39-13) welcomes Virginia Tech (37-18), Boston (51-8), and North Carolina Central (19-33) to Jack Turner Stadium. Coverage begins Thursday with scheduled team practices and media availability. Regional action gets started Friday as the Hokies take on the Terriers at 2 pm ET. The Bulldogs and Eagles follow at 4:30 pm ET. Check-in on Twitter @Rounding3rdSB and on all RTS Social Media platforms for updates throughout the weekend from the Athens Regional as the NCAA Postseason gets underway.

Sources have confirmed to RTS that Nick French has resigned as head coach at Bryant University. French spent five seasons leading the Bulldogs after one season on staff as an assistant. The well respected pitching coach nationally led the program through the difficult transition to the American East Conference. The 2023 Bryant squad finished 18-29, winning the most games since 2014.

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will transition from two-year to four-year athletics the Georgia institute has announced. Currently an NJCAA member, ABAC will apply for membership in the NAIA and join the Southern States Athletic Conference. The transition is expected to take affect in the 2024-25 sports season. The 2023 Golden Fillies Softball squad went 31-18 and 20-4 in conference play.

Erin Brooks has stepped down as head coach at Saint Joseph’s. She will be replaced by associate head coach Gina McCool who has served on staff for the Hawks the last five seasons. Brooks spent six seasons leading SJU compiling a 124-133 overall mark while going 80-56 in Atlantic 10 play.

The NCAA has announced the 62 teams that will compete in the Division III Championship. The Regional Round runs May 18-20, while the Super Regional Round will play May 26 and 27. In an unprecedented and head scratching move, the DIII Finals will be held the same week of the Women’s College World Series June 1-7. The DIII World Series will be held at Bell Park at Taylor Field in Marshall, Texas. The DIII Selections can be found below and the bracket at https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/softball/d3/2023

Automatic Qualifiers:

Penn State- Altoona

Wartburg

East Texas Baptist

Cabrini

Swarthmore

John Jay

Millikin

Rosemont

Endicott

St. John Fisher

Simmons

Transylvania

Moravian

Rochester

UMass Dartmouth

Framingham State

Trine

York (PA)

Misericordia

Grinnell College

Bethel (Minnesota)

Eastern Nazarene

Williams

MIT

The College of New Jersey

Husson

Hiram

Concordia Wisconsin

Linfield

Mount Union

Randolph-Macon

Waynesburg

Manhattanville

Berry

Redlands

St. Thomas (TX)

Spalding

SUNY Geneseo

Case Western Reserve

Penn State-Berks

Wisconsin-Superior

Pfeiffer

Wisconsin-La Crosse

The 1 institution selected from Pool B was:

Salisbury

The 18 institutions selected from Pool C were:

Belhaven

Central (IA)

Christopher Newport

Coe

Eastern Connecticut State

Lebanon Valley

Luther

Mary Hardin-Baylor

Marietta

Ramapo

Roanoke

Rensselaer

Rowan

Texas Lutheran

Tufts

Virginia Wesleyan

Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Wisconsin-Whitewater

REGIONAL SITES AND HOST INSTITUTIONS (16):

Angola, Indiana – Trine

Annville, Pennsylvania- Lebanon Valley

Ashland, Virginia – Randolph-Macon

Belton, Texas- Mary-Hardin Baylor

Cambridge, Massachusetts- MIT

Cleveland, Ohio – Case Western Reserve

Marshall, Texas – East Texas Baptist

Marietta, Ohio- Marietta College

McMinnville, Oregon- Linfield

Medford, Massachusetts – Tufts

Newport News, Virginia – Christopher Newport

Oshkosh, Wisconsin- Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Pella, Iowa- Central College (IA)

Salisbury, Maryland – Salisbury

Virginia Beach, Virginia- Virginia Wesleyan

Whitewater, Wisconsin- Wisconsin-Whitewater