That's a solid and competitive tournament. Nice win for Impact. I think that puts $10,000 into their travel bank account. That's why it is called "Show Me The Money".
This is a little off topic, but a sophomore pitcher from Pace HS was just named Florida's Gatorade POY. Pace is the same school where LSU freshman pitcher Jayden Heavener played. Hannah DeMarcus Gatorade 2024 - 2025: Player of the Year Softball - Florida PLAYER OF THE YEAR Also, as an FYI, Gainesville HS, coached by Chris Chronister, has a sophomore pitcher named Leanna Bourdage, who was sensational as a freshman, leading GHS to the state championship game in 2024. She dealt with injuries this season, but watch out for her as a potential Gator recruit in a couple of years. Coach Chroniter raves about Bourdage as a pitcher, hitter and leader.
Well, it appears staying close to home isn't going to be a factor. Doesn't say she committed but you've got to think that is next:
Arizona has a lot of activity going on. They've already signed a pitcher from Iowa, a pitcher from Indiana, an OF from Ole Miss, an OF from San Diego and a middle infielder from Iowa State.
Leave #30 school in the nation. Arrive at #121 school in the nation. Enjoy next three years. Regret next 50 years. I wish her well, but when Layla applies for a job in the health industry (her major), the HR department isn't going to care about her softball career. I get that she wants to play, but there is also a bigger picture here. If I were her parent, I would have encouraged her to stick it out at UF and work her way off the bench.
Nijaree went from #4 Stanford to #214 Texas Tech. Google says average starting salary for a Stanford grad is 125k. Average starting salary for a Texas Tech grad is 66k.
I think they also had a bunch transfer out. Can't name names. Arizona isn't at the top of my list on who I am interested in following.
They have. I think 6-7 players have left so far. One of them is a highly rated OF, Dakota Kennedy, who it looks like is choosing between Texas & Texas Tech. Kennedy is rated just below Sydney Berzon and equal to Kaitlyn Terry as one of the Top 5 players in the portal, just ahead of Addison Fisher & Jazzy Burns.
FYI....Don't shoot the messenger. On3.com & Yahoo Sports just published their predictions for the 8 teams that will get to the 2026 WCWS. Gators didn't make either list.
Yeah Canady is a special case, she made the right long term financial choice. I don’t blame her at all, if the TTU alums are dumb enough to throw two million at her, out of pocket, on a sport with almost no revenue, take it. That’s life changing money. Some of the others are questionable to say the least. I get loving softball and wanting to play, bht the next 40 working years are more important than one or two softball years. Their choice though.
Ya, know. And I guess this just could be my own screwed-up reaction. But....high school kids getting recruited and invited for a visit constantly post...."thanks so-and-so for a fantastic visit". Meaning "aren't I great...look who wants me". I can't recall one single portal transfer player who has done that. There must have been one somewhere but I never saw it. Layla's post regarding her visit to Arizona says the same thing to me..."Aren't I great. Look at who wants me."
I agree with ocala & Vegas but the 24 team only had 7 returnees to the roster and that team did just fine. If everyone sticks the 26 team will have 10 returnees. If CTW comes through in the portal all is good.
Maybe they read Rick's post that 2026 is a rebuilding year. Rick, you gotta start copyrighting your posts and getting paid!
You have to look at WHO returned and was added for 2024 and WHO is returning and is being added for 2026 more so than how many. The 2024 team returned Wallace, Wilkie, Goddard, Kistler & Goelz, plus got Erickson & Otis from the portal and the freshman class was the best in the country, including Rothrock, Brown, Williams, Kowalewski & McLellan. We have no highly touted freshmen coming in (only 2 total) for the 2026 team, lost a ton of offensive production from the 2025 team (Walsh, Falby, Otis, Holtorf, Williams) and only have Shumaker, Erickson & Cahalan returning as starters in the field. So far we've only added 1 portal player, a back-up catcher who can play some outfield if needed. Let's hope CTW can bring in a few elite-type transfers, but if they are pursuing $$$, they're going elsewhere. And while we have Rothrock, Brown, Oxley & Miller hopefully returning as pitchers, plus true freshman Leah Stevens, pitching looks pretty solid. But do we know if Keagan will be as effective as she was in 2024 or will she still have problems like she did after returning from injury this year? If the season started tomorrow, we would probably have Erickson behind the plate, an outfield of Shumaker, McLellan and Towson Thomas, Cahalan at 3rd, Comia at either SS or 2nd, Brown at 1st and true freshman Kalie Matsuno at either 2b or SS, with Ella Wesolowski (the recent portal transfer from Miss. St.) the only bench player to back up everybody. Not looking very promising - yet.
This would be a nice portal player to get Texas A&M Softball Has 3-Year Starter Enter Transfer Portal Also, this Texas Tech player just entered the portal this afternoon. Texas Tech Softball Infielder Enters Transfer Portal
