by Kyle Parmely – Fastpitch Network
It takes talent to be a top-notch player.
But it takes more than talent to be considered among the best. The mental side is just as important as the physical one, and Kaitlyn Terry is the embodiment of that.
Terry is a powerful left-handed pitcher from the Class of 2023, ranked No. 24 overall and as the 14th pitcher by the Fastpitch Network. She’s got all the skills, but those aren’t what distinguish her.
by Kyle Parmley – Fastpitch Network
BYU softball is the epitome of the word consistency.
The Cougars have done nothing but win over the last decade and a half. BYU has won a conference championship each of the last 11 years, continuing to grab conference titles despite playing in four different conferences (Mountain West, Western Athletic, Pacific Coast and currently the West Coast).
Head coach Gordon Eakin has been there 18 years now, with his team posting a winning record in each of them. The Cougars are currently on a run of 15 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, and they broke through to the Super Regionals in 2010.
There was no NCAA Tournament in the COVID-19-shortened 2020, but the Cougars were 14-9 and playing well when the season was shuttered.
by Kyle Parmley – Fastpitch Network
It’s long been obvious to those that know her that Sierra Daniel has the potential to be an elite player.
A year ago, she already possessed every skill needed to be great. Then, she made a change in her game that has taken everything to the next level.
“Last year, we spent the year not slapping a lot, to make her a more complete player and develop her power,” said Steve Appel, Daniel’s coach with the Arizona Storm.
by Ryan Greenwood – Fastpitch Network
When Warren Wolfe started the Ohio Outlaws organization with just one team back in 2009, his plans were much bigger than just staying local. He had a vision to grow an organization to help the players in the area get more exposure during the recruiting process and to compete on a national level.
“I started the Ohio Outlaws because there was no one in the states of Ohio, West Virginia or Western Pennsylvania taking the girls to play the best competition and getting them the college exposure they deserved,” stated Wolff.
Although they started out playing locally as the program was getting its foundation established, they started to hit their stride as they expanded their playing area to compete on a regional level. From there, they got the attention of coaches and players from these tournaments. They started to see an interest in others wanting to be part of what they were doing.
by Kyle Parmley – Fastpitch Network
It can be argued the University of Missouri softball program was as equipped as any in the country for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Not that anyone was truly ready for a once-in-a-generation trial for humanity, but in a way, Missouri had been preparing for an obstacle like this for a couple years.
Larissa Anderson inherited a Mizzou program in turmoil in the summer of 2018 and the Tigers were hit with a one-year NCAA postseason ban before she ever coached a game.
The Baylor Bears are preseason ranked 18th in the ESPN poll and 22nd in the coaches poll and have recently released their action packed 2021 schedule. The Bears will open their season the second weekend in February at Lamson Park facing Missouri State and then facing preseason #9 ULL Ragin Cajuns. Head Coach Glenn Moore is in his 21st season leading the Bears and is “More appreciative than ever for the game of softball and Baylor University.“
The shortened 2020 season was a good one for the Bears as they were 19-5, surpassing the wins total from the prior year, defeating ranked opponents: Auburn, Minnesota, Arkansas, and Florida State. As fans look to this 2021 team they should expect a talented squad with lots of depth. Two freshmen have stuck out to Coach Moore, Sydney Collazos and Zadie Lavalley, “these are two of the best catchers we have had in our program, Sydney will get the nod early on and Zadie has a great arm, these two will turn some heads.” Maren Judisch, a freshmen pitcher from Iowa, has been training under Rich Thomas, the father of three-time All-American and Missouri Softball record holder in wins, Chelsea Thomas. “He has molded her into a pitcher and she has a lot of the same great qualities Chelsea had, we expect that she will move into a role of a very effective pitcher for us,” Moore said.
Just as the fall was different for every NCAA team this year, Baylor Softball had to tailor their routine and schedule as well. “We made it clear we were not trying to become a team per say in the fall, our goal was to let our players know they were competing for playing time and make it as competitive as possible,” Moore said. In the years past Baylor has played LSU in the fall and used this as a gauge to how they are prepared for the year, having not been able to play them Moore and his staff had to place an emphasis on pitching and challenging his hitters. Along with the effects of Covid 19 Baylor Softball lost one of its family members and coaches, Mark Lumley on December 27, 2020.
by Fastpitch Network Staff
1) UCLA
2) Oklahoma
3) Washington
4) LSU
5) Arizona
6) Alabama
7) Texas
8) Florida
9) Oklahoma State
10) Oregon
11) Florida State
12) Louisiana
13) Arizona State
14) Kentucky
15) Virginia Tech
16) Georgia
17) Michigan
18) Arkansas
19) Minnesota
20) South Carolina
21) Baylor
22) Mississippi State
23) UCF
24) Missouri
25) Fresno State