Rounding Third Softball

RTS has learned that co-head coaches Adam and Annalyn Burch have departed LSU Alexandria. The Burch coaching duo spent five seasons leading the Generals amassing a 109-81 overall record and making one NAIA Postseason appearance.

Journeyman Coach Jake Schumann has been appointed the new head coach at DII Ferris State. He replaces Kristin Janes who resigned in September. Schumann has multiple head coaching stops rebuilding programs at Carl Albert State, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Texas A&M Kingsville and Florida International. He also served on staffs at Iowa and Ole Miss. Ferris State finished the 2022 season 19-32 and 9-17 in conference play.

RTS is saddened to report that Kansas City coaching icon Galen Struve has died. He passed on December 16 at the age of 75. Struve led programs at William Jewell College, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Avila University, and Rockhurst University all located in the Metro KC area. He was also one of the top clinicians in the area having taught and coached hundreds of pitchers through their careers in the circle.

Less than nine months after indicating they would add sports to their institutional offerings, Holy Patriot University has announced it is scrapping athletics. The announcement came after an outcry of complaints from student-athletes and parents on HPU not delivering on promises such as proper training and practice facilities, and lack of suitable competition sites. The pop-up/non-accredited institution in Beaumont, Texas that operates out of an old church had already started their 2022-23 sports season, hiring coaches and recruiting student-athletes last summer. Softball was to launch this spring. Having no affiliation with any collegiate sports organizations (NCAA, NAIA, NCCAA, or USCAA), the team’s games would have been counted as exhibitions against affiliated institutes. University President David Angeron cited “three-quarters of HPU students as being late and delinquent on tuition payments” as to the move to axe sports. Holy Patriot is not allowed to offer Federal Financial Aid due to their status of being non-accredited.

Former New Zealand Men’s National Team member Karl Gollan has been named head coach at Augustana College in Illinois. Gollan takes charge after being elevated from an assistant coach role with the DIII program. The former four-time All-World selection replaces Lori Duncan who stepped down due to family and health concerns, but has agreed to stay on as a part-time assistant coach.

East Tennessee State has named Cheryl Milligan interim head coach. Milligan was named to the position after spending the past three seasons as head coach at Army. Her biggest coaching success came at Tufts University where she won three straight DIII National Championships between 2013-2015. In 18 years as a head coach Milligan has compiled a 540-208 record. She replaces Belinda Hendrix who was dismissed as ETSU’s head coach in November.

Tara Henry has been named the new head coach of the Great Britain Senior Women’s National Team. Henry, a National Championship player for UCLA, has worked in private instruction around the world while also having a stint as head coach on the high school level. She also has a history with the Brits serving as an assistant at the 2018 Canada Cup with the countries Under-18 Women’s Team. Henry is the founder of Run the Bases, an international organization dedicated to teaching life skills through the sport of softball. She is also a nationally known member of the working media covering the sport on the collegiate and professional levels.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has promoted Madison Sullivan to head coach. Sullivan has served on staff as an assistant coach at MIT since 2019, and was the Engineers interim head coach this fall. She helped guide the program to the NCAA Regional Finals in the 2022 season.

It’s a Bedlam Engagement for Oklahoma Softball Star Grace Lyons. The Sooner All-American infielder was proposed to on the field in Norman by OU Football punter Michael Turk on Saturday night. Oklahoma dispatched Oklahoma State 28-13 in the annual rivalry game. Lyons helped lead Oklahoma to back-to-back National Championships in 2021 and 2022.

USA Softball swept through the Pan American Championship with a 9-0 record to claim the title in Guatemala. The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Canada in convincing fashion 12-1 in the Gold Medal Game on Sunday. USA had 12 hits in the PanAm Final with home runs from Sahvanna Jaquish and Amanda Lorenz, while Aubrey Leach went 3-for-3 in the finale. Megan Faraimo and Rachel Garcia held their neighbors to the north to one run in the 4-inning shortened affair.