Rounding Third Softball

The NCAA Softball Rules Committee has once again embarked on their yearly crusade to leave their mark on the sport.

The committee has proposed that when pushing off the pitcher’s plate, both feet of pitchers could disengage from the playing surface during their delivery, starting in the 2023-24 year. “Under the proposal, the pitcher’s pivot foot could become airborne with one push from the pitcher’s plate. However, pitchers would not be allowed to replant their pivot foot, resulting in pushing off from a second point and the pitcher being farther away from the pitcher’s plate. Committee members think whether the pivot foot stays in contact with the ground or is airborne, there is no advantage gained by the pitcher.”

Other interesting debate to come out of the committee is the obstruction by a defensive player, deemed as such if said player blocks any part of the leading edge of any base or otherwise blocks the runner from advancing or returning to a base. The committee also recommended expanding video review, and a possible option regarding a visible action/pitch.

Missouri State Associate Head Coach Beth Perine has announced her retirement. Perine spent 28 seasons with the program. She helped lead the Bears to six Missouri Valley Conference Tournament titles and six NCAA Tournament appearances. Perine will transition into a new role as an academic advisor at MSU.

Eastern Arizona College Head Coach Kate McCluskey is stepping down. McCluskey led the Gila Monsters for 33 seasons winning Arizona Community College Athletic Conference Championships in 1998, 2007, 2015, 2016, and 2023, and Region 1 Championships in 2007, 2015, 2018, and 2023. Assistant Coach Alexis Aguirre will step in as the Interim Head Coach to lead the team for the 2024 season.

In an interesting and surprising move, Purdue has promoted assistant coach Magali Frezzotti to lead the program. She has worked on the Boilermaker Staff for the last two seasons as the team went 47-61 and 13-32 in the Big 10. Frezzotti’s other coaching experience came in assistant roles at Montana, Eastern Michigan and Concordia-Ann Arbor.

Megan Smith Lyon has been named the new head coach at North Carolina. The Tar Heel alumna replaces longtime Head Coach Donna Papa who retired after 38 seasons leading the program. Smith Lyon spent the past five seasons leading the program at Marshall. 2023 saw the Thundering Herd finish 45-10. She also had head coaching stops at Kansas and Western Carolina.

Josh Johnson has been named assistant coach at Virginia Tech. He will guide the Hokies Pitching Staff taking over for former Coach Doug Gillis. Johnson comes to Blacksburg after four seasons on the coaching staff at Mississippi State.

North Carolina A&T has hired Jose Gonzalez as their new head coach. Gonzalez joins the Aggies after serving the last two seasons coaching DII Claflin University. In his first season in 2022 he led the Panthers to CIAA Championship and trip to the NCAA Postseason. Before coaching Claflin he led the program at Savannah State for 14 seasons.

Bob Guerriero has resigned as head coach at St. John’s. He led the Red Storm for five seasons compiling a record of 79-122. Guerriero spent a total of 11 seasons in Queens serving as an assistant coach before his promotion prior to the 2018 season.

Head Coach Yvette Healy has been been given a five-year contract extension at Wisconsin that will run through 2028. Healey finished her 13th season leading the Badgers in 2023 going 27-20. She holds a 389-257-1 overall record at UW.

University of Maryland Baltimore County has announced a contract extension for Head Coach Chris Kuhlmeyer that will run through the 2026 season. Kuhlmeyer just finished his fifth year at the helm of the Retrievers, guiding the program to its fourth-straight America East Championship and NCAA Postseason Appearance. Under his leadership, UMBC has gone 117-75 with a 45-26 record in America East play.