2024 Softball Season

New rules changes made for the 2024 season! I really like the expansion of the video review and obstruction rule change. This should help the catcher for close plays at the plate. All seem common sense changes. And finally one way communication devices for calling pitches like the boys game.
NCAA Rules Committee Approves Changes for Upcoming Season

 

And, essentially, the elimination of the illegal pitch rule. That was just a joke. Everyone lifted that foot!

 

The controversy on Bahl caused them to change that rule no doubt.

 

So all this wait for.......

 

No way this was what Coach White was tweeting about? It was about a recruit and I'm 90% sure I know who it was. And it's a BIG commit!

 

Who?

 

Didn’t take long to get the 23-24 player pictures on the texassports softball page! Since the Coach doesn’t alert his fans if all the players arrived and are in school this pretty much confirms the 22 players we have on the team this year are in there places. Social media is just not Coach White’s thing.
Did notice that Mya Holmes is not on the roster. Not sure what happened there?
2023-24 Softball Roster - University of Texas Athletics
6 Freshmen
5 Soph
6 Juniors
5 Seniors
A nice spread of talent!

 

Really wishing all the best for Mya. With the struggles she had she appeared to have been a great team mate. If she chooses to get her degree here or continue her playing career somewhere else wishing her all the best....thank you. Hookem

 

Yeah, at the end of last season I wondered if she would enter the transfer portal and when. It was pretty obvious she wasn't going to get many at-bats, especially with Vanessa Q and Ashton M blossoming when they finally got consistent plate time. I suspect she'll downshift to become just a student at UT at this point, since there was no mention of portal entry.

 

@NBhornfan or anyone with knowledge can you tell me how Stewart is at catcher? I’m sure Atwood will be the day to day catcher but do you think Stewart will take the second spot from Cimusz?

 

I know for a fact she has a strong arm, but not sure how she is blocking or framing. For sure a true athlete utility player. Could see her getting time in IF, C, and even RF. Same with Ryan Brown. They both should get reps in OF too as well as their natural positions.

 

Who the heck is this?? Guess we signed another 2024. Lien Brister 3b/ss Clear brook HS. Played for Impact Gold 18u team. What a surprise! Does not seem like an elite recruit?? Ranked in the top 60 middle infielders by EIS.

 

Not a top recruit but a quality player. Does a lot of things well.

 

Maybe Mya Holmes giving softball opened up a door for Lien Brister? Timing odd. Was she committed elsewhere?

 

No wasn't committed anywhere. Some good under radar prospects in 2024 still out there. She did visit Duke and Houston before us.

 

Finally something from the softball team, even if it’s from the new assistant Coach, Patti Ruth Taylor. And nothing to do with softball.

 

Finally beginning to see something being posted about the team! Expecting to see a big crowd of recruits in for the Wyoming game this weekend!

 

Oh yea! Get to see our girls in action soon! And a couple of really decent games with the Aggies and Texas State! Come on now!
Nice article in the link on the post!

 

All the freshmen and the 2023 recruiting class all together at the Wyoming game!

 

I forgot, until I got an email from Softball, that there are two Fall ball games this Saturday. I'll try to make one and make notes about the new players. I don't think it'll be broadcast on LHN.

 

Gosh it’s good to see these smiling faces back in action!!

 

Definitely no radio or streaming broadcast. Looking forward to you attending (at least one game) and your detailed report! Your the best Racer!

 

Notes I jotted down on my phone during the first game:

• Jolie Mitchell playing third. Wait, isn't that Mia Scott's position? Mia is walking around in shorts with a "knee sleeve" around one of her ankles.
• Stewart is DP
• Henry is LF
• Bella hits a slap-ish ball that the catcher leaps up to snag, but overthrows first and Bella takes off for 2nd
• Bella tries to steal 3rd, catcher makes a throwing error to 3rd and Bella races home for first score
  
• Later, Henry pokes the ball past first baseman allowing another player to score from third
• During a foul ball, the ball hits the ground and pops up at the umps "sensitive areas" and the game takes a short break and the catcher and the pitcher confer a little to give the time ump time to recover. While recovering he yells out "Ball 5!"
• Estelle Czech is second player in shorts with a knee sleeve around one of her knees
• Mike is trying to steal bases whenever possible. This leads to a case where Bella is on 3rd and Leeann is on first and Bella tries to go for home, then they try to get her at home and she barely makes it back to third.
  
• Then Bella gets off the bag again to give Leeann a chance to take second and they go back and forth on this dance off of 3rd and 1st and the second baseman (with the ball) is trying to decide how to force Bella back onto third
• Finally Bella tries for a break at third and is tagged out at home and Leeann takes second
• Humidity was pretty heavy although it was "only" 87 degrees. Had drunk some amount of wine at a dinner the night before, so decided to bail and go home to sleep.
• I short story about Rori Harmon over in the WBB thread

Added: As we were walking up to McCombs, I could have sworn I heard Quiroga's name announced as one of the starting players.....only to not see her at all during the first game.

 

Social media for softball is just plain embarrassing. I get if the coaches are too into it personally, but at least direct someone into the role. Would be ideal if the person knew softball or baseball so they could post at bat to at bat, but at the very least they could take a picture of the book each inning and post it. Just hard to grow fans if that is the first spot that they are coming and you are just merely posting an end of innings score update.

 

The lack of coverage for women’s sports at Texas is thoroughly embarrassing to say the least. You see all these other schools with YouTube channels, papers, and more dedicated to specific women’s sports like women’s basketball at South Carolina has great coverage, Nebraska volleyball has great coverage, Oklahoma softball has great coverage and then you get to Texas where no media cares about any of the women’s sports. Basketball is non existent, softball is worse and volleyball gets little to none. Now that you mention it I’m going to email CDC about it because it’s ridiculous. I may sound like a Karen but there is no reason Texas shouldn’t women’s sports should be put on the back burner every year.

 

I would say that Sophia Simpson is pretty well known for her change-up. But teams are beginning to figure it out.

 

Yeah......but. Simpson was only used as a closer and so not as many innings on film as compared to the others, I think. Plus, a lot of the film is of her skipping the ball into the dirt. Too harsh?

 

Yall think Kavan will be our ace this season? I personally believe it’s a strong chance.

 

I haven’t seen enough of her yet. Simpson was really good out of high school and highly ranked so I’m always scared.