Rounding Third Softball

Oklahoma Coach Patty Gasso has been named head coach of the USA Softball Women’s National Team. She will lead the team through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The softball competition of those games will take place in Oklahoma City. Gasso has been involved with USA Softball since 2018 coaching various teams and assisting at numerous competitions and training events. The Hall of Fame coach will start her 31st season leading the Sooners later this week.

The SEC has announced its preseason poll, and the Texas Longhorns have been picked by the 15 head coaches to finish atop the conference.

2025 SEC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll

(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)

1. Texas (7) 186

2. Florida (6) 181

3. Oklahoma (2) 170

4. Tennessee 158

5. Texas A&M 153

6. LSU 115

7. Arkansas 104

8. Georgia 103

9. Missouri 100

10. Alabama 97

11. Kentucky 55

12. Mississippi State 54

13. Auburn 37

14. Ole Miss 34

15. South Carolina 28

Heather Tarr has stepped down as Head Coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team. She joined USA Softball in 2017 as an assistant coach, then was promoted to head coach in 2021. Tarr, the Head Coach at Washington, has indicated she made the move to focus all her time and efforts with a very inexperienced Huskies Squad moving forward. UW only has one returning starter from last season.

Less than three weeks after the exit of longtime head coach Pat Conlan, Georgetown has a new leader.

The Hoyas named DePaul Associate Head Coach Karla Ross to lead the program. Ross is no stranger to the Captains Chair as she spent four seasons in charge of the program at Maryland Eastern Shore. She also had stops on staff at George Mason, Florida Southwestern State, St. Johns River State, and George Washington.

Ross now has just over a week before Georgetown opens up their 2025 season on February 7 at the Charleston Southern Kickoff Tournament against Bellarmine.

Karavin Dew has resigned as head coach at Lafayette. Dew spent two seasons leading the Leopards compiling a 13-73-1 record while going 5-31 in Patriot League play. First year assistant coach Kelliner Croushore has been named interim head coach for the 2025 season.

University of Wisconsin-Stout has named Lakyn Wagoner their new head coach. Wagoner spent the past two seasons as an assistant at Evansville coaching the offense and outfield.

Cleveland State University has announced it will discontinue its softball program at the conclusion of the 2025 season to reduce its athletic budget. The Vikings are led by program alum Amy Kyler who is starting her seventh season as head coach. CSU, a DI member of the Horizon League, is scheduled to open their final season on February 7 in Leesburg, Florida against Rutgers. Cleveland State will also drop wrestling and women’s golf.

USA Softball has announced their Top 53 Watch List for Collegiate Player of the Year.

The list consists of athletes from 26 universities and seven athletic conferences. The potential award winners will be dwindled down throughout the 2025 season, with the Player of the Year named in Oklahoma City prior to the start of the Women’s College World Series in June.

For the complete watch list go to https://www.usasoftball.com/…/usa-softball-collegiate…/

Dallas Christian College has been selected by the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) to host their World Series in 2025, 2026 and 2027. The NCCAA World Series will be played at Oak Grove Softball Complex in Grapevine, Texas. Eight teams advancing from regional competition sites will play a double elimination format on May 19-21 to crown the NCCAA National Champion.

Sonoma State University has announced it will discontinue their athletics program due to a nearly $24 million institutional wide shortfall. The NCAA Division II member located in Rohnert Park, California sponsors 11 sports and are members of the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The softball program opens what will be its last season on January 31 in Irvine, CA at the Concordia Kickoff Classic.