January 24 2012 Update

 

Pac 12 Pre-season Poll

Returning national champion and No. 1 ranked Arizona State topped the rankings and received six of the nine first-place votes. Returning World Series advancer California and Arizona followed in second and third places, and picked up two and one first-place votes, respectively.

 

The remaining standings for the nine-team league follow: UCLA (fourth), Stanford (fifth), Washington (sixth), Oregon (seventh), Oregon State (eighth) and Utah (ninth).

 

Known as the ‘Conference of Champions’,  the Pac-12 has been just that in NCAA tournament play and won 23 of the 28 NCAA championships held, including the last five.

 

1. Arizona State (6) 61

2. California (2) 58

3. Arizona (1) 48

4. UCLA 40

5. Stanford 38

6. Washington 30

7. Oregon 26

8. Oregon State 14

9. Utah 9

 

NPF REMAINS 4 TEAMS WITH NEW OWNERS

CHARLOTTE, NC – January 24, 2012 – The National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) League announced today that a new professional women’s fastpitch team, the Carolina Diamonds, has been franchised and will begin play in 2012. The team is based out of Charlotte, North Carolina. 

 

“The League is certainly happy to be making this announcement,” said Cheri Kempf, Commissioner of the National Pro Fastpitch League. “We believe the Carolinas region is a very good area for expansion in the women’s professional fastpitch market for a number of reasons. Primarily, there is an audience there that understands and appreciates the game and has shown their support in the past. We are looking forward to returning the top level of competition the sport has to offer to current and future fastpitch fans in the Carolinas area.”

 

The Carolina Diamonds will be a woman owned and operated company. Owner, Amelia Nemeth and husband Alan Demaske will be involved with the day to day operations of the new Carolina NPF franchise.
 
“I am thrilled to be bringing professional softball to the Carolinas,” Nemeth said. “The excitement we hope to generate in the Carolinas is something both avid fans and the casual softball or baseball fans have been looking for. These ladies are fabulous athletes playing at the pinnacle of the game. It’s an honor to associate with the NPF, and have the opportunity to support women’s athletics.”

“As we were researching the possibility of ownership, we experienced the excitement of an NPF game last season. The athletes are superb on the field and inspiring to young girls both on and off the field. Our family is eager to share our NPF experience with families in the Carolinas.” stated Demaske. “There is a very large following in this area and we certainly hope to bring a winning program to the fans.”

 

The Carolina Diamonds will kick off their franchise as the NPF season opens in June of 2012. The team is slated to play its Home schedule at various venues throughout the Carolinas during its inaugural year of competition. With the franchise agreement, the Carolina Diamonds also obtain rights to the NPF Diamonds player roster. The NPF Diamonds and the Tennessee Diamonds were a league operated team in 2010 and 2011. That inherited Diamonds roster includes former UNC All American and ACC Player and Pitcher of the Year, Danielle Spaulding, and former UNC catcher with ACC honors, and North Carolina native, Brittany McKinney. The new team is currently working on contract renewals with NPF Diamonds players and should release player information soon.

 

North Carolina has played host to professional fastpitch before with the former Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF) League and the Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL) locating teams in both Durham (Durham Dragons) and Gastonia, North Carolina through the seasons of 1997, 1998, and 1999. 

“It is really exciting to have an NPF team back in the state of North Carolina! As a coach and a fan of fastpitch softball, I have watched many games when it was the WPF/WPSL and there was a team in Durham and Gastonia. The sport of fastpitch softball has grown in the state of North Carolina and I know there will be a great fan base. What a great opportunity for young developing players and families to come out and enjoy one of the best games there is,” commented Donna Papa, head coach of the UNC Tarheels softball team. “As a bonus, fans will be able to come out and see two players with North Carolina roots competing for the Diamonds, in pitcher Dani Spaulding and catcher Brittany McKinney. Both competed here at UNC and distinguished themselves within the conference and nationally.”

The Carolina Diamonds will replace the NPF Diamonds as the fourth member of National Pro Fastpitch. The League will not operate a team in 2012. “Although the total number of teams will not increase, the strength of the League will grow with four solid franchises in place, commented Kempf. “We are definitely moving in a positive direction.”

NASHVILLE, TN – National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) League Commissioner Cheri Kempf announced today the schedule for the upcoming 2012 Season. 

Four Teams will compete in the 2012 Season; Akron Racers, Carolina Diamonds, Chicago Bandits, and USSSA Florida Pride. Each team in the league will play a 44-game regular season schedule, with all teams playing 6 home and 6 away series’.

The 2012 season will begin on Thursday, June 7 with the defending 2011 Cowles Cup Championship Series Champions, Chicago Bandits, taking on the defending 2011 Regular Season Ringor Cup Champions, USSSA Florida Pride in an opening weekend home series for Chicago. The recently inked Carolina Diamonds franchise will travel to Akron for an opening weekend against the Akron Racers, who finished second in league standings in 2011.  The regular season will conclude on August 19 prior to the NPF Championship Series, which begins on August 23.

 “The release of the NPF regular season schedule is much anticipated and always met with a lot of excitement and enthusiasm by NPF fans,” stated NPF Commissioner, Cheri Kempf. “The 2012 schedule is well balanced and will provide the home markets of each of our four teams with plenty of action during the course of the season. We are especially looking forward to welcoming a whole new NPF fan base in the Carolinas with the start of the Carolina Diamonds franchise.”

 The NPF regular season will see 88 total games of action between the four affiliate teams. All four teams will square off at the Championship Series held this season August 23-26 at the one-year-old Rosemont Stadium. NPF fans will once again be able to catch all the season action through Internet live streaming. Television plans for the season have not yet been announced.

 Since its inaugural year of competition in 2004, the NPF regular season title has been dominantly controlled by the Chicago Bandits, as they have come out on top, five of the eight seasons. The Championship Series Title has been a different story however, crowning seven different champions in eight years. The Championship Series has yet to crown a back-to-back winner.

Link to NPF 2012 Schedule

 Additional information on each team’s schedule can be found by navigating to www.profastpitch.com or individual team sites.

Additional information on each team’s schedule can be found by navigating to www.profastpitch.com or individual team sites.
Akron Racers – www.akronracers.org

Chicago Bandits – www.chicagobandits.com

USSSA Florida Pride – www.usssapride.com

Carolina Diamonds – www.diamondsnpf.com

 

 

ISF NEWS

SENIOR TEAMS CONVERGE ON FLORIDA
Fifty four teams in age categories from 50 to 75 will begin play this Friday in the ISF/International Senior Softball Association Masters/Seniors International Tournament of Champions. Tomorrow night the technical meeting will be held at the ISF world headquarters complex in Plant City. The following three days the facility will host games while others take place at two other softball complexes in Tampa. For more information on the men’s slow pitch event, visit www.seniorsoftball.org.

ISF EC MEETING HELD
The International Softball Federation Executive Committee held two days of meetings last week in Los Angeles, California (USA). The group covered a wide variety of on-and off-field softball business, including a discussion on the continued efforts to get the sport reinstated to the Summer Olympics. In attendance were ISF President Don Porter, ISF Secretary General Ms. Low Beng Choo, ISF 1st Vice President Dale McMann, ISF 2nd Vice President Bob Leveloff, ISF VP/Europe Ami Baran, ISF VP/Oceania Darryl Clout, ISF Director General Toma Malikoff, and Ed Colbert, Counsel.

NFCA Announces Continued Partnership With Capital One Cup

January 24, 2012
STARKVILLE, Miss. – For the second straight year, the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll has been chosen as the official poll of the Capital One Cup.  The Capital One Cup uses the final official coaches poll in 39 sports to honor one men’s and one women’s NCAA Division I athletic program for their cumulative on-field performance each year.

“We are thrilled to once again partner with the Capital One Cup to recognize the best in Division I athletics,” said NFCA Executive Director Lacy Lee Baker.  “Not only is the Capital One Cup committed to honoring on-field excellence, but the program are also committed to helping fund the education of student-athletes.”

For the second year, winners of the Capital One Cup will receive the prestigious Capital One Cup trophy and will also receive a combined $400,000 in student-athlete scholarships.

Not only does the Capital One Cup recognize the best in Division I athletics, but its principles are guided by a board of some of the most successful broadcasters and student-athletes in NCAA Division I history.  Board members include Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-American and Arizona player Jenny Finch, ESPN’s Reece Davis, former Ohio State basketball player Clark Kellogg, Heisman Trophy winner and Boston College player Doug Flutie, former USC basketball player Lisa Leslie, former Santa Clara soccer player Brandy Chastain and former Michigan baseball player Barry Larkin.

Standings for the Capital One Cup can be followed throughout the year at www.capitalonecup.com/standings.

 COMMITMENT DeMarini Zephyrs Gold

Joselynn Dean 2012 Butler JC

 

 

 

Advice from a Senior Source

TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN,

YET THE YOUNGEST YOU’LL EVER BE,

SO ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.

 

Observations On Growing Older
~Your Kids are becoming you…and you don’t like them…but your grandchildren are Perfect!

~Going Out is good.. Coming Home is better!

~You Forget names … But it’s OK because other people forgot they

even knew you!!!

~You realize you’re never going to be really good at anything ….

Especially Golf.

~The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do,

but you really do care that you don’t care to do them anymore.

~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than in bed.

It’s called “pre-sleep”.

~You miss the days when everything worked with just an “ON” and “OFF” Switch..
~You tend to use more 4 letter words ….. “what?”…”when?”… ???

~Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it’s not safe to wear it anywhere.

~You notice everything they sell in stores is “sleeveless”?!!!

~What used to be freckles are now liver spots.

~Everybody Whispers.

~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet …. 2 of which you will never wear.
But Old is good in some things:

Old songs, Old movies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS!!

Love Ya, “OLD FRIEND!”

Share this with other “Old Friends!” and let them laugh in AGREEMENT!!!

It’s Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter

That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived !

 

 

 

ASU Captures Both Polls

January 24 2012

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 24, 2012

 

Arizona State claims top spot in pre-season ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll

OKLAHOMA CITY — With the 2011 NCAA Division I Softball National Championship fresh on the minds of voters, defending National Champion Arizona State has secured the No. 1 spot in the pre-season ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll. The Sun Devils claimed 19 of 20 first place votes in the poll, announced today by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America.

Florida stole a No. 1 vote from the Sun Devils but the Gators are only fourth overall in the poll. At the 2011 NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS) in Oklahoma City, Arizona State’s Dallas Escobedo shut down the Gators in the Championship Series 14-4 and 7-2, becoming the first freshman pitcher to win the Championship Game since UCLA’s Heather Compton in 1990. Escobedo (Glendale, Ariz.) returns to the Sun Devil line-up while her co-Most Outstanding Player of the WCWS Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) anchors the Florida Gators.

Seven of the schools in the pre-season Top 8 participated in the WCWS with eighth ranked Arizona being the lone exception, having failed to make it out of the Tucson Super Regional in 2011. Alabama is No. 2 to start the season with California, Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma and Baylor claiming No. 3-7, respectively. Oklahoma State finished the 2011 season at No. 8 following a WCWS appearance but the Cowgirls start the season tied with Michigan at No. 16.

The Pacific 12  Conference (Pac-12) leads the way with seven teams ranked in the pre-season Top 25. Six teams each from the Big 12 Conference and Southeastern Conference (SEC) also appear in the first poll. The Big Ten Conference produced two ranked teams while the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Big East Conference, Conference USA and Sun Belt Conference each had one team among the Top 25.

 Of the teams ranked in the pre-season poll, five squads have athletes on the 2012 USA Softball Women’s National Team including Florida, who is represented in the Red, White and Blue, by Moultrie. Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.) plays for Cal. Chelsea Thomas (Pleasantville, Iowa) plays for Missouri. Keilani Ricketts (San Jose, Calif.) plays for Oklahoma. Lauren Gibson (Pasadena, Md.) plays for No. 9 Tennessee. Molly Johnson (Tucson, Ariz.) is an assistant coach for No. 18 Kentucky. In total, 16 of the Top 25 schools had athletes or coaches compete with the 2011 USA Softball Women’s National Team or the 2011 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team.

The ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll is currently in its 10th year. Starting Feb. 14, regular season polls will be released for 14 consecutive Tuesdays with the final poll of the season to be released on June 12 following the WCWS. The first of 14 USA Softball Collegiate Players of the Week will also be announced on Feb. 14 with a new player chosen each Tuesday of the regular season.

In addition to conducting the ESPN.com/USA Softball collegiate Top 25 Poll and the USA Softball Player of the Week, ASA/USA Softball is also in the 11th season of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. The Top 50 Watch List for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced Feb. 1 with the Top 25 announced April 11, the Top 10 announced May 9 and the Top 3 announced May 23. The 2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed May 29.

Ashley Hansen (Chandler, Ariz.) of now-No. 10 Stanford was named the 2011 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year following a stellar junior season. She returns to collegiate action this year as do her fellow Top 3 Finalists Katelyn Boyd (Phoenix, Ariz.) of Arizona State and Thomas of Missouri.

ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25

2012 Season – Pre-season – January 24, 2012

Rank	Team	2011 Record	Points	Final 2011 Ranking
1.	Arizona State (19)	60-6	497	1
2.	Alabama	53-11	438	3
3.	California	45-13	425	5
4.	Florida (1)	56-13	420	2
5.	Missouri	53-10	411	6
6.	Oklahoma	43-19	408	7
7.	Baylor	47-15	372	4
8.	Arizona	43-18	331	11
9.	Tennessee	49-12	316	16
10.	Stanford	42-17	314	10
11.	Oregon	42-16	252	14
12.	Georgia	51-14	239	9
13.	UCLA	36-19	235	16
14.	Washington	37-15	232	15
15.	Texas A&M	44-15	228	13
T16.	Michigan	53-6	211	17
T16.	Oklahoma State	40-20	211	8
18.	Kentucky	40-16	203	12
19.	Texas	46-10	195	19
T20.	LSU	40-18	106	22
T20.	Nebraska	41-14	106	21
22.	Houston	44-18	72	18
23.	Georgia Tech	45-12	62	24
24.	Louisiana-Lafayette	51-11	52	25
25.	Notre Dame	46-11	40	23

Parenthesis denotes first place votes. Dropped Out: None New to Poll: None

Others receiving votes: Syracuse (37); Ohio State (18); Tulsa (15); BYU (8); North Carolina (8); DePaul (6); San Diego State (6); Texas Tech (6); Auburn (3); Fresno State (3); South Florida (3); Florida State (2); Lipscomb (2); Louisville (2); Northwestern (2); Fordham (1); UMASS (1); UNLV (1)

Defending Champs Arizona State Are Unanimous No. 1 in USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Preseason Poll

January 24, 2012

 STARKVILLE, Miss. – The Arizona State Sun Devils will began the 2012 exactly where they left off last year, as the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation, according to the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Preseason Poll, that was released by the organization on Tuesday.

The defending national champion Sun Devils (60-6) claimed all 30 first-place votes in the poll to top the rankings for the sixth straight edition dating back to last season.  Florida (56-13) and Alabama (53-11) also remained unchanged in the preseason poll, finishing the rankings in second and third, respectively.  Rounding out the top five was California (45-13) who moved up one spot from the final poll last year to fourth, while Oklahoma (43-19) shot up two spots to fifth.

The only school to drop out of the poll from 2011 to 2012 was DePaul (41-15).  Despite leading the receiving votes column, the Blue Demons swapped spots with Big East rival Louisville (38-20), who joined the fray at No. 25.

 The Pac-12 conference led the way in the poll with seven teams, while the Big XII and the SEC each had six teams.  Other conferences placing teams in the rankings were the Big Ten and Conference USA with two schools each, while the Big East and the Sun Belt each had one representative.

The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by 30 NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each conference. Final 2011 records are shown, first-place votes are in parentheses.

 

Rank	Team	2011 Record	Totals	Final 2011 Poll
1	Arizona St. (30)	60-6	750	1
2	Florida	56-13	690	2
3	Alabama	53-11	675	3
4	California	45-13	651	5
5	Oklahoma	43-19	603	7
6	Missouri	53-13	594	6
7	Baylor	47-15	567	4
8	Arizona	43-18	515	11
9	Stanford	42-17	467	10
10	Georgia	51-14	455	9
11	Oklahoma St.	42-20	444	8
12	Washington	37-16	402	12
13	Kentucky	40-16	360	13
14	Tennessee	49-12	348	18
15	Michigan	53-6	324	17
16	Oregon	42-16	309	15
17	Texas A&M	44-15	297	14
18	Texas	46-10	278	20
19	UCLA	36-19	247	19
20	Houston	44-18	185	16
21	Nebraska	41-14	173	21
22	LSU	40-18	119	22
23	La.-Lafayette	51-11	95	23
24	Tulsa	46-15	45	24
24	Louisville	38-20	32	RV

 

Dropped Out: No. 25 DePaul

 

Others Receiving Votes: DePaul 23, Syracuse 18, Georgia Tech 17, Notre Dame 12, Fresno St. 10, East Carolina 8, Hawai‘i 7, Hofstra 7, San Diego St. 6, North Carolina 5, Texas Tech 5, Florida St. 2, Massachusetts 2, BYU 1, Fordham 1, New Mexico St. 1.

 

 

JANUARY 23 2012 UPDATE

 

BIG EAST POLL

January 23, 2012

Softball Tabbed Third In BIG EAST Preseason Poll

DePaul voted preseason favorite by league coaches.

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – One of five teams to receive first-place votes in the 2012 

BIG EAST Conference preseason coaches’ poll, Notre Dame was picked to finish 

third in the league standings as announced Monday by the conference.

DePaul was tabbed the preseason favorite by the league’s coaches as the 2012 

poll marks the first time since the current conference formation was set in 2006 

that five teams have split the first-place votes. 

Notre Dame received three first-place votes on the heels of finishing the 2011 

season as the BIG EAST regular-season champion with a 46-11 overall record and a 

19-1 mark in conference play. Last season, the Irish led the league in batting 

average (.330), slugging percentage (.511), on-base percentage (.397), runs 

scored (333), RBI (291) and total bases (742). Head coach Deanna Gumpf and the 

2011 BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year will have to fill the shoes of five 

graduated all-BIG EAST selections, including BIG EAST Player of the Year Heather 

Johnson.  The Irish will look to pitcher Laura Winter, outfielder Alexa 

Maldonado, pitcher and Brittany O’Donnell, who were BIG EAST selections last 

season.

DePaul earned three first-place votes and finished second in the 2011 

regular-season standings. DePaul returns four all-BIG EAST selections, including 

the 2011 Rookie of the Year Kristen Verdun.  

Two-time defending tournament champion Syracuse earned four first-place votes to 

slide into the poll’s second spot.

This season’s BIG EAST Championship will be held at Notre Dame’s Melissa Cook 

Stadium. The league’s top eight teams will advance to the three-day tournament 

(May 10-12) with the championship game to be televised May 12 on ESPN2.

--

2012 BIG EAST Softball Preseason Poll

1. DePaul (3)

2. Syracuse (4)

3. Notre Dame (3)

4. Louisville (2)

5. USF (1)

6. Pittsburgh 

7. Rutgers     

8. Connecticut                       

9. Providence       

10. St. John’s                         

11. Villanova                          

12. Georgetown                      

13. Seton Hall                       

 

 

FRESNO STATE RANKED 22^ND IN MAGAZINE POLL

`Dogs Ranked No. 22 in Softball Preview
CollegeSportsMadness.com ranks Fresno State in top 25 of preseason poll and picks the Bulldogs to win the WAC
Jan. 23, 2012

FRESNO, Calif. – CollegeSportsMadness.com recently ranked Fresno State No. 22 in its 2012 preseason poll and four Bulldogs were named to its WAC Preseason All-Conference Team.

 

In addition, College Sports Madness picked Fresno State as 2012 favorite to win the WAC.

 

Pitcher/infielder Michelle Moses, infielder Brooke Ortiz and outfielder Andrea Ortega were all named first-team on its preseason all-conference list while right-handed pitcher Mackenzie Oakes garnered a second-team nod.

 

Other preseason polls expected to be released on Tuesday include the NFCA preseason top 25 poll and the USA Softball preseason poll.

 

The Bulldogs open the 2012 season with 10-straight home games, beginning on Feb. 9 with the Fresno State Kick-Off tournament.

 

The release sent to SPY did not contain a full 25 list, but offered these comments:

19		Northwestern	Look for a bounce back season.  A rare tournament absence in 2011, the Wildcats are ready to compete in the Big 10.
20		Houston	Reached program’s 2nd Super Regional. If Cougars can replace Crabtree in circle, UH can compete for CUSA crown.
21		LSU	LSU has a new coaching staff and outstanding pitching.  Need offensive improvement to overtake SEC powers.
22		Fresno State	The only program to qualify for all 30 NCAA Tournaments.  High hopes as the Bulldogs expect to win the WAC.
23		San Diego State	Third in Mountain West in 2011, the Aztecs should benefit from BYU’s move to the WAC.  MWC title hopefuls.
24		Tulsa	One game from a Super Regional, last year’s C-USA regular season champs should battle UH for conference title.
25		North Carolina	UNC looks to return to the tourney after a rare absence in 2011.  Should battle Ga. Tech and FSU for ACC title.

 

 

BANDITS RELEASE THREE

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Chicago Bandits GM Aaron M. Moore announced today that the Bandits have released the following players: infielders Christine Knauer, Robin Thompson and Stacy May-Johnson. Each player played a key role in the team’s championship season.Knauer was selected by the Bandits in the fourth round of the 2010 Senior Draft out of North Carolina. She spent most of her career at shortstop for the Bandits, batting .161 during the 2011 season with an on-base percentage of .188 and four runs scored. “Doc is the consummate professional and teammate,” said Moore. “She was always ready to play when her number was called and was a player we could always count on in the community. She really is a great example of what the Bandits are all about. “We wish her the best of luck as she works towards entrance in medical school this summer.” Thompson spent her collegiate career at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. before signing with the Bandits via open tryouts in May of 2011. Spending the majority of the season as a pinch runner for the Bandits, Thompson hit .222 on the season with an on-base percentage of .364 including two stolen bases and five runs scored. “Robin was definitely critical to the team’s success in 2011 after earning a spot on the team at tryouts,” stated Moore. “Speed is such a valuable asset in our game and RT provided that and was a key contributor off the bench. She is going to pursue a career opportunity with the Target Corporation and we wish her the best of luck there.”

 

Photo by Dina Kwit Coming out of retirement in August of 2011 to rejoin the Bandits, May-Johnson blasted a homerun in her first game back in a Bandits uniform. She finished up the season with a .125 batting average, and an on base-percentage of .364. “We were thrilled when Stacy decided to come out of retirement to help us down the stretch last season,” exclaimed Moore. “Stacy’s work ethic is contagious and her veteran leadership was key down the stretch for us. “The University of Iowa is very lucky to have Stacy in their dugout as a coach. She’s one of the smartest people in the game and the sky really is the limit for her.” For more information about the Chicago Bandits, visit www.chicagobandits.com or call 877-722-6348.

 

COMMITMENTS

Wichita Mustangs

Emily Griggs 2014 – University of Florida

 

Wichita Mustangs

Micaela Whitney 2012  – Iowa

 

 

MORE CONFERENCE AND TEAM ASSESSMENTS

 

SEE SPY’S REPORT ON 2011 STANDINGS

 

See Spy’s previous article on conference assessments
eg, the Big 12 and other evaluations evaluations.

 

SEC

Numerous emails form a consensus that the top six will be Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, LSU, Georgia and Kentucky, but observers differ on the order of finish.  Florida young but talented; Rodgers is back but losing Enea hurts. Pitching let them down at season’s end, but Junior team pitcher Lauren Haeger can make a difference, and they return stars like Moultrie, Schutte and Coyle, while adding Junior team standout Jessica Damico, .  Georgia lost its very powerful senior class.  Alabama graduated Dunne; can Jackie Traina fill the bill? Leslie Jury can make a pitching difference.  Much of that powerful 2010 lineup returns: Braud, Luncefore, Reilly-Boccia and Locke.   Kentucky seems to be everyone’s dark horse candidate, thanks to Lawson.  LSU returns 17 players from its 2011 roster sparked by NFCA All-American Third-Team and All-SEC First-Team selection Brittany Mack along with All-SEC Freshman Team pick Simone Heyward. Strikeout artist Rachele Fico returns; Tigers seem solid at defense.  The Tigers notched a 40-18 record and made their 13th NCAA Regional appearance last season. Tennessee is a question mark; loaded with talent at every position, but can they shake off the effects of last year’s slide?  Lauren Gibson has starred on the USA national team. UT adds Cheyenne Tarango, a slugger on the Junior team, and Madison Shipman returns from the Junior team.

 

BIG TEN

Michigan.  The Blue and Maize lost Jordan Taylor to graduation; behindjunioe Stepehanie Spiereman, who had some good dames in 2010, the unproven  pitching staff includes 2 freshmen.  And, some big guns are gone.  Nebraska will be anchored by Hageman and Workman;  good mix of upper and lower classmen who will contend for the berth.  No other Big 10 teams finished top 25.

 

PAC 12

For all the praise being heaped on the Southeastern, the Pac 12 could dominate post-season play – with defending champion Arizona State, Arizona, Stanford, Cal all boiasting veteran pitching, solid hitting, and good defense.  Pitching puts them at the head of the class.

Arizona State ace Dallas Escobedo, who starred in the 2011 World Series and Junior World.  She is backed up by Bach and Popescue, both very experienced.  The Sun Devils may have lost some pop, but the irrepressible Katelyn Boyd returns at short; Amber Freeman, who had a good Junior World tour, is a versatile player.  Key veterans return, like Lockwood, Haro and Parlich.  The Sun Devils will be ready on Game 1 and may start the season as #1.  Arizona has three Junior World stars: Chelsea Goodacre; Shelby Pendley, and Hallie Wilson, a hard hitter – to support a stellar pitching corps, headed by Kenzie Fowler, with able support from Shelby Babcock.  The Wildcats pitcked up an important transfer – Jessica Spigner – from Tennessee.  Two pitchers may be enough – if Fowler stays healthy.  Much of the power has returned, Koria, DelPonte, Arriola and Kirker are dependable bats.  UofA will match up well with ASU. 

Stanford was already a contender for Pac 12 pitchin glaurels with Teagan Gerhart, supported by Jernna Rich, and now have added Nyree White, another Junior World Standout.  Ashley Hansen is a consensus choice for best shortstop – in any conference.  UCLA’s already deep pitching corps upgraded seriously with Ally Carda, who threw a no-hitter at Junior World, and has a strong bat.  Returning pitchers include Desinty Rodina, Jessica Hall, and Aleah Macon.  Katie Schroeder, excellent leadoff, Sammy Camuso and Andrea Harrison, and under-appreciated fielder and hitter, give the Bruins punch.  California starts with ace Jolene Henderson, who doubles at 1^st and hits hard; Arriana Arceq is a capable backup.  The roster has additional depth with Cheyenne Cordes, another Junior World Star.  Valerie Arioto, who stars on the USA national team, is among the best.  Five freshmen are on the roster; hitters like Ziegenhirt and Echavarria will have to lead.  Britt Vonk had some good moments in 2011.  Washington drew heavily last year on Kailtin Ingelsby, who also can hit; can she step up her game as a sophomore?  The Huskies have six freshmen on the roster but should benefit immediately by having Junior World standout Klyee Lahners in the infield.  UW is experienced at several positions; Kimi Pohlman will continue to impress.

Oregon  Under the direction of the third-year head coach White, this season’s 18-person Duck roster is arguably its deepest ever, according to the Ducks’ athletic staff. Based on 2011 awards, Oregon welcomes back All-Pac-10 and All-Region First-Team pitcher Jessica Moore, and All-Region Second-Team and All-Pac-10 Freshman Team infielder Courtney Ceo and catcher Alexa Peterson. Similarly, the outfielder duo of Samantha Pappas and Allie Burger were All-Pac-10 First Team and All-Region Second Team picks in 2010, respectively. Among other top returnees, senior pitcher Samantha Skillingstad and infielder Kelsey Chambers ranks sixth and seventh all-time for UO in career strikeouts (398) and homers (26). Junior second baseman Kaylan Howard has started more games (108) career-wise at one position the last two years. Among other notable 2011 stats for returnees, senior infielder Christie Nieto led UO in on-base percentage (.435), senior infielder Lindsey Chambers hit a career high .292, sophomore utility player Kailee Cuico sports the team’s third-best home run:at-bat ratio among returnees (1:16:4 / 7 HR, 115 AB) behind Lindsey and Kelsey Chambers (1:8 / 1:10.8), and sophomore utility player Lauren Kotz was the team’s most called-upon pinch-runner. UO graduated only two starters from last year, and welcomes a talented six-person freshman class composed of outfielders Alyssa Gillespie (Hillsboro, Ore.), Sara Goodrum (Red Mountain, Ariz.) and Janie Takeda (Placentia, Calif.), infielders Hannah Melick (Pacific, Wash.) and Jamie Rae Sullivan (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and pitcher Karissa Hovinga (Ralston, Neb.).
Oregon State will continue to rely heavily on wins by Paige Hall, but she needs more support.

Utah brings a very young team into its first year in Pac 12, with little record for comparison.

 

Atlantic Coast

Georgia Tech lost two aces, but its 2012 mound corps could dominate: veterans Hope Rush and Lindsey Anderson could be bolstered by freshman Kylie Kleinschmidt.  Look for Kelsi Weseman to have another super year at short.  Tech was the only ACC team in the Top 25.  Virginia Tech relied heavily on Jasmin Harrell; the question is wether three newcomers – Bailey Liddle, Lauren Darden and Isabella Corarro can put the Hokies into the top ranks of ACC?  Florida State is now home to Illinois ransfer Monica Perry.  This team with six red-shirts will be tested for cohesion.  North Carolina has two established aces: Lori Spingola and Amanda Buchholz, with high potential from freshman Lauren Walker.  The question is their power.  Maryland returns Kendra Knight as its veteran pitcher, but Terps fans are expecting big things from veteran travel ball pitcherKaitlyn Schmeiser.  Virginia will continue to draw on Melanie Mitchell and Stephanie Coates but look to freshman Rachel Gillen for important contributions.   The Cavaliers have an experienced lineup but last year lacked consistency.   Boston College is a very young  team but Chelsea Dimon could bolster the pitching staff, led by Horowitz,  Speer, Pandolfo and DiMaso provide experience and leadership.  The ACC is at best the fifth ranking conference.  North Carolina State doesn’t have the horses yet to change that standing, but some promising newcomers who could  light up some games.

 

MORE BIG 12

Baylor , which is predicted to finish 4^th, returns 11 letterwinners and eight starters off of last season’s squad, including second-team All-American pitcher Whitney Canion.  The Bears were ranked 4^th at the end of 2012.  Oklahoma State picked up freshman Simone Freeman, a star pitcher from Australia.  Five seniors anchor the roster.  Oklahoma State finished 2011 ranked 8^th.  Kat Espinosa and Moregan Hawkins headline the pitching staff, and have a solid team behind them.  Texas A&M finished 2011 ranked 13^th, and begin the 2012 campaign with the redoubtable Mel Zumewich; behind her is the capable Lindsey Sisk and three promising freshmen hurlers: Ainsley, Klein and Moreles.  Power begins with catcher Megan May but there are some other solid bats.

 

OTHERS from the 2011 Final 25

Louisiana Lafayette was ranked 25^th last season but could go higher in 2012.  The Ragin Cajuns have 7 pitchers, led by star Ashley Brignac.  Christi Orgeron has proved she can hit any pitcher.

Notre Dame was ranked 23^rd at season’s end, the only Big East team to make the final list.  The Irish return Laura Winter and Brittney O’Donnell but they lost six seniors.

Houston made the final 25 in the end of season poll and finished 18^th.  After graduation, this is a largely unproven roster with good upsides.

HAS THE DI DYNAMIC CHANGED FOR 2012?

 

The pre-season polls begin next week with the ESPN/USA Softball preseason poll.

As you can see from the final 2011 rankings, several teams advanced sharply after regional and super/regional play, notable declines including Tennessee, Michigan and Texas, while Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State jumped higher.  Indeed, four Big 12 teams qualified for the 2011 World Series.

 

How likely are any of these teams to hold those rankings in 2012?  SPY published an article earlier in the week on the conference predictions we have received.  Today, we add more notes in a separate article, primarily from conference and team web sites.

 

A major question is how will those players who starred on the Junior Women’s gold medal team upgrade their varsities?  Players like Carda (a no-no in South Africa) and Haeger are among the best young pitchers.  Chamberlain is a certified fence buster.

 

 

ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25

2011 Season – Final

 

Rank	Team	Record	Points	Previous Ranking
1.	Arizona State (20)	59-6	500	1
2.	Florida	56-13	480	T5
3.	Alabama	53-11	459	3
4.	Baylor	47-15	429	15
5.	California	45-13	417	T5
6.	Missouri	53-10	414	4
7.	Oklahoma	43-19	375	T12
8.	Oklahoma State	40-20	332	25
9.	Georgia	51-14	329	8
10.	Stanford	42-17	308	T12
11.	Arizona	43-18	271	10
12.	Kentucky	40-16	248	21
13.	Texas A&M	44-15	242	17
14.	Oregon	42-16	231	11
15.	Washington	37-15	228	14
16.	Tennessee	49-12	222	7
17.	Michigan	53-6	195	2
18.	Houston	44-18	169	RV
19.	Texas	46-10	154	9
20.	UCLA	36-19	126	16
21.	Nebraska	41-14	87	20
22.	LSU	40-18	63	22
23.	Notre Dame	46-11	62	19
24.	Georgia Tech	45-12	37	18
25.	ULL	51-11	26	24

 

Parenthesis denotes first place votes.

 

Dropped Out: Auburn
New to Poll: Houston

 

Others receiving votes: Tulsa (22); BYU (20); Auburn (12); DePaul (10); Louisville (9); San Diego State (9); East Carolina (8); Penn State (4); Florida State (1); and Syracuse (1)