(SB) Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

USA Today SEC awards: Kendra first team; Taylor and Vandagriff share Freshman of the Year. USA TODAY Sports Network 2025 All-SEC softball awards

 

Weren't some people on here griping about this team earlier in the year or did I imagine that?

 

After these recent interviews, especially some of the things Kendra said I feel confident my worries about team chemistry were unfounded. It’s great to be wrong sometimes!

 

That was last week, lol

 

Liv and Taylor got me pretty good. And I LOVE that Comia and Holtorf are so close. They've been, essentially, battling for the same position all season and I think that it says a ton about both of their characters. (Good thing I work in child welfare, because someone just came into my office and I was able to play off my tears as a reaction to a really gnarly case for which I'm doing court-prep. Lol.)

 

I was saying that to notexgator on Friday. She is an All-American to me no matter what the media says. The only issue against her is that she doesn't hit home runs. IMHO that should not be considered in Kendra's case.

 

Compared to players with gaudy hr numbers, her sb’s should be a comparable stat to look at. Would imagine her numbers there would show a relevant stat that she dominates. If forced errors were tracked, that would be another category she’d likely dominate. Unfortunately, I don’t think that one is tracked.

 

She takes away runs with outstanding defense. That should count as much as home runs.

 

I completely get your point, but just look at what the NCAA basketball committee did. Auburn won the regular season but UF beat them at their place AND won the tourney. UF also had better metrics. They chose Auburn as the #1 seed.

 

Wisely and softly asked! I have been wanting to ask the same question. The suggestion of chemistry problems was wholly unnecessary as well.

 

Another stat that isn’t tracked, like forced errors. Probably too subjective.

 

Almost every metric available for the committee to use had Auburn and Duke over us. Their OOC schedules really beefed up their numbers. Some metrics still have them above us even after the tourney. Kenpom does, for sure.

 

Not sure if this is the case for softball or not, but it seems like more people get frustrated that tournament results are not included. I wonder if there is reason to expect that the tournament results will get included.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

 

To be fair to any previous posters. Hindsight is always 20/20. This team has some flaws that, for example, last years didn't have. I'd go so far as to suggest in a five game head to head matchup, 2024 wins four out of five games. Especially with how the 2024 team peaked at the perfect time. Let's all hope the 2025 team does as well. Then we can all reflect on our in the moment emotion inspired comments and laugh. As my dad used to say "winners tell jokes, and losers say deal the cards".

Go Gators!

 

Lol...I was going to say "if by early you mean yesterday "

 

My seats for Saturday were right behind the Oklahoma dugout. I was sitting in the middle of some of their big boosters and with some of the girls' parents. I was expecting them to act like the keyboard warrior Oklahoma fans I've encountered, so I pep talked myself on the drive down from Jax. Y'all... the people around me were so nice. They had nothing but complimentary things to say about our girls, and even gave Kendra a standing ovation for her crazy robbery. One of the booster guys told me that the team that showed up to play them was not the team he had watched in the LSU series, and we looked like a national championship team. It was such a pleasant, unexpected experience. By the end of the game, they had even learned my trick of looking to Rothrock's dad behind home to gauge whether or not to be upset about a called ball or strike... lol. Such a weird, pleasant experience.

 

How dare you point out my aged and faulty misremembering! You are, of course, correct. I'm going to get my bowl of pudding and take a nap!

 

Metrics 5.5.2025

Warren Nolan RPI:

RPI (Live) 2025 College Softball | WarrenNolan.com

Warren Nolen Strength of Schedule:

Strength of Schedule (SOS) - 2025 College Softball | WarrenNolan.com

KPI Softball Rankings:

Faktor (Plug in D1 and Women's Softball)

NCAA RPI:

https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/softball/d1/ncaa-womens-softball-rpi

The poll rankings will drop on Tuesday.