Rounding Third Softball

RTS has learned that former Texas A&M Coach Jo Evans has emerged as a top candidate for the open head coaching position at UC Santa Barbara. Evans spent 26 Hall of Fame seasons leading the Aggies. She finished her time in College Station with a 987-503-2 record. The Gauchos finished their 2022 season 15-39. Former head coach Brie Galicinao stepped down in June after 15 seasons and has since joined the coaching staff at Cal Poly.

Former Memphis Head Coach Natalie Poole might not be unemployed long. The former Tigers coach has recently been engaged by both Southern Mississippi and Tennessee Tech for their open head coaching positions. Sources have confirmed she will interview in Cookeville this week for the open position with Tech. She spent 11 seasons with the Memphis Tigers compiling a record of 241-340.

RTS has learned from sources that Constance Orr has resigned as head coach at Florida A&M. Orr coached the Rattlers for two seasons after being elevated from assistant coach in 2020. She compiled a 24-53 record leading FAMU.

RTS has confirmed that Heidi Jordan will resign at DII Rockhurst to return to the junior college ranks as head coach at Iowa Western Community College. Jordan spent one season coaching the Hawks going 23-24 in 2022. The veteran JUCO Coach spent 17 highly successful years at Highland Community College in Kansas compiling a 576-234 record. During that run she won eight district championships and appeared in eight national tournaments.

Oklahoma Sooner great Jocelyn Alo won the ESPY Award for Best Female College Athlete during Tuesday night’s ESPYs Preview Show. Alo led OU to their second National Title in two seasons while leading the program in nine statistical categories all-time. The ESPY Awards air live tonight on ABC from Los Angeles.

The late-great head coach and legendary softball icon Joan Joyce has been inducted into the Conference USA Hall of Fame. C-USA made the announcement Monday that the former Florida Atlantic Coach is featured in the Class of 2022. Joyce coached the Owls for 28 seasons. The induction marks the 21st Hall of Fame Joyce is included in. She passed away during the 2022 season on March 26.

Kansas City has hired Kiki Stokes O’Connor as their next head. Stokes O’Connor comes to UMKC after a one-year stint as head coach at DII Upper Iowa. She went 24-28 in 2022 leading the Peacocks. Prior to her time in Iowa, the KC native, former All-American, and Pro Player worked on the staff at South Dakota State for three seasons.

The Cassady Sisters are having a pretty good summer so far.

The two became the first sisters to be hired onto coaching staffs at two separate Division I programs within the same week. Paige, the eldest Cassady, was hired as the new pitching coach at Texas Tech on Tuesday. The younger Cassady, Chase, was hired as the new pitching coach at North Alabama on July 6. Paige had served in the same role with Liberty before heading to Lubbock. Chase, a 2019 Liberty grad, served the 2022 season on staff at Gardner-Webb.

Collegiate Coaching runs in the Cassady family, as Patriarch John is also a former coach having worked on staff at Liberty for six years.

Wednesday’s gold medal game between USA and Japan drew the highest attendance of any event at The World Games 2022. The Hoover Met held over 10,000 fans for Team USA’s 3-2 victory over Japan to lay claim to the World Championship.

Barton College has named Melisa Shock head coach. Shock joins the Bulldogs after spending the 2022 season as pitching coach at Valparaiso. Valpo went 14-33 this year with the pitching staff sporting a 4.96 ERA. She has also had coaching stops at Frostburg State, West Virginia Tech, and Wheeling Jesuit.