I still think this team is loaded. They have two national high school players of the year, a Florida high school player of the year, a former SEC Player of the year, and the current collegiate freshman of the year. Plus, I think Comia is a star in waiting. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Hope you're right, but we shall see. I think we get picked between 5th and 8th in the pre-season SEC polls behind Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M, Tennessee and maybe even Alabama, South Carolina and Arkansas. I've already seen a way too early national poll that has us 13th nationally with 7 SEC teams ahead of us. For 2026 there are more unknowns with the Gators than proven stars at the D1 level (high school accolades don't mean much, IMO). Tim Walton always fields a highly competitive team, but we don't know how this new group of players will gel as a team, nor how many of them will stand the test of the SEC grind. I agree that our infield defense should be better, but it's going to come down to pitching and how well the replacements for Falby, Walsh, Otis, Williams and Holtorf will hit. That's a lot of offensive production to replace.
With revenue sharing, NIL and pay to play corporate money involved, every year is a rebuilding year. And we don't have the $$$ to rebuild as well as the teams that are able to stack their rosters.
On3 is still showing Florida in competition with FSU for Florida Gulf Coast pitcher Allison Sparkman. Two other still unsigned players I wish we had a chance at are Amari Harper of Texas A&M & Bailey Lindemuth from Texas Tech. Harper is supposedly choosing between Oregon & Tennessee, but I can find no information on who has offered Lindemuth.
Using “conference Only” stats, we lose 3 of 4 players with batting averages over .297 team average, Falby Otis and Walsh. We also lost the next two highest average batters, Williams and Holtorf. I have taken the liberty to rate this group, in the above order as 5, 5, 5, 4, 3. These, so far, are being replaced by two 4’s and two 3’s from the portal. We return three untested players in Comia, Thomas and McLellan, and a .203 hitter in Cahalen. Brown’s .250 and Erickson’s .210 averages were not that bad as they had decent OPS’s. Of course, our shining star, Shumaker, returns. Our Conference ERA was 4.31, slightly worse than 2024 when it was 4.12. Rather than getting into details, I would think 2026 will be north of 4.00 even if Rothrock regains her 2024 form. 2026 has a lot of questions: Can Shumaker repeat her performance. Can Erickson regain her form. Will Rorthrock recover. Will we find a strong leader. Can our untested players step up. Hopefully CTW will once again get the best out of the players and reach the post season objectives.
That sounds rough but I do believe our pitching will be better. I also expect someone or two to take big steps forward.
Since we get so many who complain about why someone offer a negative review or offer that those of us with 2007 in our account overview shouldn't be bothered with and are a waste of space on this site. (I've lost more posts, responses to them, ratings, and status on this site through so many software upgrades it's impossible to keep up as time has gone by. I just don't give a rats rear end about them like sone of you) I'll explain: Offering stats from players who played sparingly or little isn't the total picture and shows a lack of understanding about softball. For every freshman AA, TW has generally allowed freshman to learn and watch the college game. Gabi played the most and her Falbyesque skill set of slap and speed, gave her a better chance to get on and then cause havoc on the bases. The 3 seniors you mention are all time greats that we all knew we're graduating. To now say we are a middling laughing stock (as your clearly offering) due to their graduation is negative and implies we're just a nothing program. Players generally improve and freshman make strides in year two under TW and staff. This isn't informative, it's negative and one sided! No joke the three players you cherry pick stats from will be difficult to replace. I'll bet on the staff that recruited, coached, and counseled them to find more stats to help replace them. Since stats is all you care about! Other boards on GC have fallen apart on GC with the people who think there in charge or all knowing. Along with negative baseless offerings about the future!! Some moderators are now on here allowing for the same.... Hopefully GC cleans up and starts to care again. I so miss Ray and Hall so very much!! Go Gators!!
I am sorry you didn’t like my post. If I have violated any rules adopted by this forum, I would appreciate you pointing them out. Perhaps many of us could benefit from your knowledge and advice.
While I may not be as well educated in all the nuances, and finite details of all or any of the sports that our gators participate in, I truly AM a fan. And while I may not always post comments that go along with a ‘positive’, toe the company line and always think the best for the team (not that THAT makes a hill of beans in their productivity), I DO want to see the teams succeed. But after 61+ years of living and over a half century of first participating and now watching organized sports, I have at least an ‘inkling’ of an idea of what is working, what will work, and what doesn’t have a chance. Sadly, IF money is going to be the primary factor in determining the highest levels of success for our teams, then we gator fans might just as well content ourselves in watching our athletes do ‘the best that they can and be satisfied. Because it looks like that other programs have the backing to build superstar teams that no amount of excellent, superior Coaching will be able to offset. Money can be a wonderful tool. But the love of it, and what it can seemingly buy, can be a very very bad thing. Good luck CTW . Do the best you can, and Go Gators!
I wonder if Francesca might rethink her career decision. Tough enough replacing a legend but to do it with your hands tied behind your back due to lack of resources might be too much to swallow for her. People are going to not give her much slack in assuming the program will just keep rolling along as usual and if it doesn't.....
Agreed. Seems like some coaches saw the NIL $$$ writing on the wall and decided it was not in their wheelhouse. Nick Saben comes to mind, as does Mary Wise.
Now, I admit this is a monumentally stupid post but....and I assume Tim has turned over every rock. But, can't we ID just two or three companies in Florida with an emphasis on women's sports, or who have CEO's with a Florida background, and get them to kick in $250,000 to $500,000 each to the softball program. It would drastically help to reduce the difference. The Texas Tech oil money is absurd. The A&M engineering money is absurd. Not to mention Loves donating $10 million for the stadium and certainly at least $1 million per year. I guess it must be hard or impossible or it would have been done by now but it just makes me want to pull out the few strands of hair I have left.
Freshman infielder/pitcher Bailey Lindemuth, the best Texas Tech player to hit the portal, IMO, has offers now from Texas A&M & Georgia. Gators don't seem to be in the picture.
