Rounding Third Softball

RTS is kicking off the 2024 Division I Season starting Thursday and through the weekend at the Buzz Classic in Atlanta. Host Georgia Tech welcomes No. 21 ranked Alabama, Longwood, and Villanova to Shirley Clements Mewborn Field. Action starts tomorrow at 4 pm EST as Villanova plays the host Yellow Jackets. Alabama and Longwood follow at 6 pm EST. Check back here and on all RTS Social Media platforms for live in-game updates from The ATL.

Just days before the opening of the 2024 season, the University of Tennessee Martin has announced that head coach Brian Dunn is retiring. Dunn coached the Skyhawks for four seasons compiling a 96-72 overall record. The odd timing of the move leaves in doubt who will lead the program moving forward as UT Martin indicated an announcement concerning leadership would follow in the coming days.

Wallace State-Hanceville has made a head coaching change ahead of their 2024 season opener. Head Coach Carson Owens will be replaced on an interim basis by assistant coach Lauren Stewart. Owens was about to begin his second season with the #3 NJCAA preseason ranked Lions. The program finished 52-7 in his lone season leading the program.

RTS has learned that Hocking College will name Rick Walker their new head coach. Walker has spent the last year as an assistant coach and athletic administrator at Lyon College. Before landing in Arkansas he spent six years as head coach at Miami University-Hamilton. He will immediately take over a Hawks program that was 28-10 overall and 19-3 in conference play in 2023.

SPN has announced that nearly 3,200 regular season softball games will be broadcast in 2024 on all their platforms. Around 200 matchups can be seen across its linear channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network and Longhorn Network. The remaining nearly 3,000 games will be streamed on ESPN+, ESPN3, Big 12 Now on ESPN+, SEC Network+ and ACC Network Extra (ACCNX). The 2024 season coverage gets started Friday February 9 on the Mothership (ESPN) with Texas matching up with UCLA at 9 pm EST. A complete rundown of the broadcast schedule can be found at https://espnpressroom.com/…/espn-hits-home-run-with…/

Virginia Tech has promoted assistant coach Mike Lewis to associate head coach. Lewis is going into his fourth season with the Hokies. During his time as recruiting coordinator, VT has made three straight NCAA Postseason appearances and won an ACC Championship in 2022.

International education was the name of the game this past weekend in Germany. U.S. Native Coaches Monti Van Brunt and Michael Bastian made the trip to the Deutschland for a national clinic for coaches in the DBV (German Baseball/Softball Federation). Van Brunt an assistant coach at Dallas Christian College, and Bastian the operator of The Fastpitch School (TFS) instructed in the areas of offense, defense, and pitching during the clinic. Both coaches are no stranger to the international game as they have been involved with National Programs in the United States, Germany, China, Czechia, and The Netherlands.

Jan McDonald has announced she will retire as Director of Athletics at North Greenville University at the end of this spring. McDonald served NGU for 41 years, including 18 as head coach of the softball program. She started the program in 1985. McDonald guided the Crusaders through transitions from junior college competition to the NAIA, the NCCAA, and finally into NCAA Division II.

USA Softball has announced the U-18 Women’s National Team Roster. The squad will compete later this summer at the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage event in Dallas, Texas August 29-September 2. 16 athletes were selected through USA Softball’s High Performance Program (HPP) to represent the Red, White, and Blue.

Paislie Allen INF

Harlie Chism INF

Payton Crank OF

Addisen Fischer P

Lexie Hames P

Cameryn Harrison P

McLaine Hudson INF

Ella McDowell INF

Elsa Morrison C

Sofia Mujica C

Isabella Ruggiero C

Townsen Thomas OF

Saylor Timmerman P

Cayden Tullier INF

Brooke Wells INF

Payton Westra OF

RTS has learned that longtime coaching stalwart and Northern California Legend Tim Kiernan will be named coach for the La Crosse Steam of the new Northwoods League. Kiernan coached Sacramento City College for 34 seasons amassing a 1141-273 record, while winning 22 conference championships and three CalJC State Titles. He also spent time coaching top squads on the club level and in the various incarnations of the women’s professional softball league.

The new summer collegiate softball league will launch this June with four teams in La Crosse, WI; Minot, ND; Madison, WI; and Mankato, MN. The Northwoods League is no stranger to collegiate summer competition, having fielded one of the top summer collegiate baseball leagues for over three decades.