| BSB/SB 🥎Bama Softball Offseason: Roster moves and other news...

I’m coaching down at a HUGE tournament in Gainesville, FL this week. I was talking to a current Auburn player today and she is excited for the new coaches and she expects them to hit much better going forward because of the hire(s).

She also said Cahalan is transferring to the barn as well. She said it wasn’t set it stone yet but that is what is expected.
 
@Tidexc1... your thoughts?

From my understanding they swung and missed on Kenny G from OSU and Pete D’Amour from Virginia Tech. But I sadly like the hires. They are extremely well respected in the softball world and will do well there. They don’t have any pitching for next year so they will have to hit the portal hard to really even be competitive in 2025 but their offense will start to improve pretty quickly.
 
I am currently in Tuscaloosa with my daughter at the softball camp this week. I can confirm the coaching staff is 100% the same as last season. Of course I’m not sure when their contracts run out though. Murph gave an interesting speech to start off the camp on Monday just basically saying how tough the season was and how it made the trip to the WCWS even sweeter this year.

Briski and Jenna Johnson are my daughter’s coaches this week. I also saw Kristen White had knee surgery after the season.

I always love being back at Bama!
 
I am currently in Tuscaloosa with my daughter at the softball camp this week. I can confirm the coaching staff is 100% the same as last season. Of course I’m not sure when their contracts run out though. Murph gave an interesting speech to start off the camp on Monday just basically saying how tough the season was and how it made the trip to the WCWS even sweeter this year.

Briski and Jenna Johnson are my daughter’s coaches this week. I also saw Kristen White had knee surgery after the season.

I always love being back at Bama!
Are these open camps or invitational camps? My daughter will be moving to 12U this fall and we need to start looking at the bigger picture a little.
 
Newest addition...

She will be a senior...



From OleMiss.com...

2024 (JUNIOR): Made 29 appearances in the circle, including 14 starts for the Rebels … Helped lead Ole Miss to its eighth straight NCAA Tournament bid … Ranked second on the team with a 2.81 ERA in 79.2 innings of work despite a 4-7 record … Tossed three complete games, including one shutout … Struck out 52 batters faced … Allowed only three hits in a complete game shutout at Hawaii (2/10) … Picked up her first save of the season, slamming the door on UConn (2/23) … Threw 5.1 innings with no earned runs in relief against UAB (3/1) … Went the distance at Nicholls State, surrendering just one earned run in 7.0 innings pitched (3/13) … Recorded the final two outs to earn the save as Ole Miss handed No. 2 LSU its first loss of the season (3/17) … Held No. 22 South Carolina scoreless for 5.0 innings (3/29) … Tossed a complete game against UT Martin, allowing a pair of runs in 7.0 innings pitched (4/3).

2023 (SOPHOMORE): Threw a team-high 106.2 innings, boasting the second best ERA on the team with a 2.69 mark … Helped lead Ole Miss to its seventh straight NCAA Tournament appearance … Tallied an 8-7 record through 17 starts and 27 appearances … Recorded four complete game efforts and combined on one shutout … Struck out 61 batters while holding opponents to a .287 mark at the plate … Pitched 3.1 innings in relief in the season opener against North Carolina before suffering an injury (2/10) … Returned to the circle a month later, tossing 6.0 innings and only allowing two hits at No. 4 Tennessee (3/11) … Earned her first victory of the season against St. Thomas (3/18) … Helped the Rebels take down No. 10 LSU in their SEC home opener … Tossed a complete game in the win at No. 19 Auburn (4/1) … Picked up a ranked victory over No. 15 Kentucky in a complete game effort (4/9) … Held the Gators to one run in 6.1 innings pitched to help Ole Miss pick up its first win over No. 14 Florida in Gainesville since 2014 (4/29) … Combined on the shutout of No. 16 Baylor in the opening game of the Salt Lake City Regional, only allowing three hits in 6.1 innings pitched (5/19) … Sent Ole Miss into the NCAA Regional final with a win over No. 16 Baylor (5/20).

2022 (FRESHMAN): Helped lead Ole Miss to its sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and fourth ever 40-win season … Appeared in 26 games, with 22 starts … Batted .361 on the season with 22 hits in 61 at-bats … Slugged .574 with seven doubles and two home runs … Recorded 15 walks and a .487 on-base percentage … Also made 29 appearances in the circle … Posted a 3.46 ERA in 81.0 innings pitched … Tallied a team high 12 wins, the second most by a freshman in program history … Pitched three complete games and one shutout … Threw five innings in her first start, earning the victory over Nicholls State (2/18) … Recorded her first collegiate hit, an RBI double, in the win over Oakland (2/27) … Tossed a complete game shutout against Samford (3/6) … Earned her first SEC victory, going 7.0 innings against Missouri (3/26) … Went 2-for-2 against UT Martin, driving in a run with an RBI double (3/29) … Picked up her first collegiate save, tossing the final 1.1 innings of the upset win over No. 9 Arkansas … Hit her first career home run, a grand slam, in the victory over Tennessee State (4/5) … Retired 11 of the final 14 batters to help Ole Miss knock off No. 9 Kentucky … Went 3-for-4 against Florida (4/15) … Collected a pair of wins at South Carolina (4/22 & 4/24) … Delivered a walk-off single to help Ole Miss upset No. 12 Tennessee on senior day (4/30).
 
I’m coaching down at a HUGE tournament in Gainesville, FL this week. I was talking to a current Auburn player today and she is excited for the new coaches and she expects them to hit much better going forward because of the hire(s).

She also said Cahalan is transferring to the barn as well. She said it wasn’t set it stone yet but that is what is expected.
Can’t blame KC for transferring. Not a single starter from 2024 had a BA of 300 and only 2 starters (Prange & Shipman) from 2023. Cahalan is too talented to stick around with a hitting coach, described by Murphy, as building relationship instead of developing batters.
 
Can’t blame KC for transferring. Not a single starter from 2024 had a BA of 300 and only 2 starters (Prange & Shipman) from 2023. Cahalan is too talented to stick around with a hitting coach, described by Murphy, as building relationship instead of developing batters.
 

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Are these open camps or invitational camps? My daughter will be moving to 12U this fall and we need to start looking at the bigger picture a little.
This was an “open” camp but technically all camps are “open” per NCAA rules. Once you get on a teams radar they will send you emails highlighting all their camps. Some are “elite” camps or “prospect” camps with only 40 slots or so. So basically only the kids getting the invites are the ones to sign up because they know about them before the general public and it fills up before anyone else can sign up. It is the way schools get around the “open” camp requirements.

This was my daughter’s 6th Bama camp over the years. She did win her team’s MVP and won some Bama batting gloves! Two years ago she won her team MVP and got a Bailey Hemphill signed batting helmet. Overall the talent didn’t look as deep as I’ve seen but the under 18 national team 3B was there. Briski’s little sister was there also.
 
This was an “open” camp but technically all camps are “open” per NCAA rules. Once you get on a teams radar they will send you emails highlighting all their camps. Some are “elite” camps or “prospect” camps with only 40 slots or so. So basically only the kids getting the invites are the ones to sign up because they know about them before the general public and it fills up before anyone else can sign up. It is the way schools get around the “open” camp requirements.
I was trying to figure out how to word this yesterday and the best I could do is "both," and I'm as verbose as they come. Camp rules are just...well, weird.

IE: I've always wondered how a kid can attend a camp in the summer and it's not considered an official visit. It doesn't matter now since the NCAA has removed the cap on visits. I know some of these kids have had their camp dues paid...just one of those 'how the sausage is made' stories.
 
Couple of softball notes...

-The portal closes today. If Bama can skate with just losing Cahalan, that's not too bad.

-Pitcher Alex Salter announced on social media last night that she is done playing (in part due to injuries), but will fill a graduate assistant role next season.

-From my vantage point, Bama could still use an impact hitter(s), (not just dept pieces) but they also really need another reliable pitcher. I heard late yesterday that Bama had some interest in Campbell's Isabella Smith, but I'm not sure if the interest is mutual... it would be nice if they can get her to visit though. She will be a senior next year, and IMO, fits what Bama needs (in terms of what is available right now). Below are some of the highlighted stats from this past season (from Campbell's website)...

2024 (Redshirt Junior)
  • Maintained a 1.56 ERA for the season, with a 26-7 record
  • Started in 30 games and made 42 total appearances with 206.0 innings pitched
  • Tossed 18 complete games with nine shutouts and two saves, and compiled 239 strikeouts for the season
  • Threw a no-hitter against UNCW and North Carolina A&T
  • Led Campbell to the win against No. 3 ranked Duke on April 10, allowing only four hits and striking out four
 
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