2024 Travel Team Preview: Top Gun ‘27/’28 STL 14u eyes upcoming 2024 campaign

By Jeff Strange

Upon reflecting on this past season and some defining moments, Top Gun ‘27/’28 STL 14u head coach Brian Grenia offered up some insight on his thoughts on what has led him, his coaching staff and group of athletes largely constructed from the greater metropolitan St. Louis area to where they are now…

“There’s so many things that this team does, both collectively and as individuals, that make me proud,” said Grenia. “I can’t pinpoint one thing that I’d say “defined” our season or that really defines this team. I’ll just say this: In September of 2021, we had eight players on the roster. Eight! Tournaments had begun, we only had eight, and several people were hoping we would fold so they could scoop up some of the top players. Just two years and 146 wins later, we’ve developed this group of girls into a legitimate team. We just flat outworked a lot of people.”

Moving to a new organization this past fall and now donning the navy blue and orange of the Top Gun organization, Grenia also took some time to reflect on some of the positive moments of the past season, while still with the Missouri Bombers.

“We won the first tournament of the spring and our final tournament of the summer,” said Grenia. “That was our last time wearing a Bombers uniform. That was an incredible way to end our tenure as the Missouri Bombers ’09.”

Now looking ahead to 2024, we caught up with Grenia on his thoughts for the upcoming season:

Can you give some background information on your coaching staff and coaching styles?

“Matt Frownfelter and I are going on our 4th season together stretching back to our first year as MO Bombers. Dave Smith is in his 2nd season as an official coach on the team.

As far as responsibilities go for the team – I’m responsible for the defense; Matt has pitchers, catchers and base running; Dave owns hitting and our mental development. As a side note: this Fall, Dave earned his Mental Performance Mastery certificate to become a certified mental performance coach. He believes so strongly in helping our girls and others in their mental health that he committed 100’s of hours studying this aspect of the game. Few people know that about him.”

Does your team face any challenges with schedules? If yes, how do you manage that?

“Most of our players will play a second sport in HS. That makes that Friday night game in the Spring a little challenging. Fortunately, the heart of our tournament season doesn’t begin until after Memorial Day when HS sports won’t be a factor. We practice late on Tuesdays and Sundays in order to minimize any conflicts.”

What are your primary goals and objectives for your team?

1) To build the girls’ self-esteem

2) To teach them how to work hard.

In your opinion, what traits make your team unique?

“We are still a homegrown team. January-March, we practice together twice a week as a team. In-season, we practice together weekly as a team even during heavy tournament play. Our roster is entirely 2009 girls from the St. Louis (and surrounding) area.”

Can you give some analysis/perspective on your team for 2024?

“I’m excited about the team heading into 2024. We returned 10 players and picked up a much-needed second catcher. That’s really where we focused at the end of the summer. We carry five pitchers and two catchers, which is a luxury for us compared to our rosters over the past few seasons. Offensively, we are strong up and down the lineup possessing both speed and power. Our defense has always been one of our strengths. I’m looking forward to watching the girls work on defense this year.”

What are your short-term goals for your team?

“We will work hard with indoor training five hours a week from January through March. We will run up to Iowa once or twice this winter to play an indoor just to break up the grind.

Spring ball is challenging for us this year because all of the surrounding states will be in high school ball. We will probably play up in some local events. In addition, we plan on setting up situational scrimmages with teams in March and April, just so we can see live pitching and work on our defense.

This summer, we will alternate between local tournaments and travel events playing in some of the bigger name events.”

What are your long-term goals for your team?

“We are spending more resources on college recruiting. We played 230 games over the last two seasons in an effort to maximize game reps. That was by design. It is extremely difficult to simulate live reps, under pressure, in practice or even practice games. We made a decision to play a lot tournaments. Going forward we will be more selective on what we play, focusing more on showcase events and camps.”

2024 Travel Team Preview: Nebraska Gold 16u National looks to build off successful 2023 campaign; gears up for 2024

By Jeff Strange

For Coach Bill Heard’s Nebraska Gold 16u National team, the summer of 2023 was filled with many jubilant moments, en route to an overall record of 49-10-2. Highlights for the summer included:

  • A championship performance at the Top Club Spring Invite (7-0)
  • A third place finish in the Nikki G Classic while playing up in the 18U division
  • 5-1 in the Top Gun Invitational (Sunday was rained out)
  • World Fastpitch Champions (10-0)

Those performances alone cemented a strong showing for this NE Gold squad. Nonetheless, Coach Heard believes that it was his team’s performance at the Colorado Sparkler last summer that really defined this groups’ season.

“With the Sparkler being such a big event, we truly didn’t know what to expect,” said Coach Heard. “As a 15U team, we were not given a berth to the power pools; we had to earn it. We went 3-1 in our supplemental pool and moved our way up to the power pools. We lost to a very good Hot Shots National team on Friday evening. However, we were able to pull out three wins on Saturday against very high-level competition (Rogue FC, Aces and VA Glory National) to get to Sunday. All of our kids contributed to this run and allowed us to compete at the highest level.”

That showing led to a Top 8 Finish at the Sparkler and asserted this squad as a top contender on the national stage going into 2024.

Top Gun Events Media caught up with Coach Heard to get his feedback on several key elements for his Nebraska Gold 16u National squad’s 2024 season and beyond:

Can you give some background information on your coaching staff and coaching styles?

“Myself – Bill Heard. I am the head coach at Gretna High School in Gretna, NE. I have been coaching this team from the very beginning (7U).

Chad Perkins – Head Coach, Omaha Marian High School, Omaha, NE. Chad joined the coaching staff last year. He has coached multiple Nebraska Gold teams over the years, including the 2020 Nebraska Gold 18 U, which was a highly successful team.

Jess Waller – Assistant Coach. Jesse joined the team last year. Jesse has been a coach in the Nebraska Gold and Nemesis organizations in Nebraska from the time this group began playing softball.

McKenna Nixon – Assistant Coach, Assistant Coach Gretna High School, Gretna, NE. McKenna has been coaching this team for the past three summers.

Our coaching style/philosophy is to place our trust in our players. We rotate our players throughout events. Our belief is that each player on our roster has the ability to compete and help us. The true strength of our team is our depth and ability to continually grind away throughout tournaments.”

Drawing athletes from multiple states, how do you manage any challenges with schedules?

“We have athletes from three states, which can be challenging at times. The reality of our situation is that we are unique for the level of competition we play at. Most teams we are seeing are drawing players from all over the country. We have one player from South Dakota and two from Colorado. We have seven players from the same high school and three more who live very close to each other. Long story short, our model is different from other teams; we have to make the most of the roster we have and max out every player.”

What are your primary goals and objectives for your team?

“Our goals are unique. We do not talk about winning and losing; we focus on being great teammates and being great competitors. Ultimately, we feel that winning and losing is a byproduct of the way we do things. We want each player to max out their abilities, so we constantly provide them opportunities. With the level of competition we play and the constant opportunities, the recruiting piece tends to take care of itself.”

In your opinion, what traits make your organization unique?

“We have strong leadership (Larry Swift), a tradition of success that creates an expectation for kids at a young age and foundation that allows for this to continue for years to come (Gold DNA). With all of that said, I think our organization is unique because it places doing what’s right for kids ahead of all other decisions.”

Can you give some analysis/perspective on your team for 2024?

“We return our entire team from last year, in addition to two new players we have picked up.  If we can stay healthy, we should be very competitive.

  • Pitchers:
    • Alexis Jensen (UNL Commit)
    • Jayd Juarez (2026)
    • CJ Morgan (2205)
    • Caitlyn Semple (2025)

Our staff should be strong this year. More depth than we have ever had. All of our pitchers will draw lots of college interest this spring.

  • Catchers:
    • Carlie Muhlbach (UNL Commit)
    • Brylee Rupiper (2025).

Brylee and Carlie give us a great combination behind the plate. Brylee is receiving considerable Division 1 interest as well.

  • Infielders:
    • Emersyn Exner (2026)
    • Emerson Johnson (2026)
    • Makenna Harrington (2025)
    • Megan Marshall (2026)
    • Autumn Bryant (2026)

This is a strong and versatile group. Each can play multiple positions, which allows us to have lots of lineup flexibility. Lots of college interest in this group as well.

  • Outfielders
    • Anniston Trevarrow (2025)
    • Brylee Heard (2026)
    • Raina Waller (2026).

Our outfield play is one of our strengths. All three can more than carry themselves at the plate and will garner college interest this spring. Multiple infielders will also spend time in the outfield for us this spring.”

What are your short-term goals for your team?

“We hope to be competitive in every event we attend this year. Our schedule will be very demanding and will challenge our depth, toughness and preparation.”

What are your long-term goals for your team?

“We would like to see all of our kids playing at the collegiate level and enjoying their experience. Long term, the hope is that softball can provide some lessons that kids can use the real world starts.”

2024 Travel Team Preview: BC Peppers Organization Gears up for 2024, with 18u Squad Phoenix-Bound for the Upcoming Weekend

By: Jeff Strange

For the BC Peppers 18u Wallace squad, the escape of the frigid temperatures of the Midwest for warmer weather lies on the horizon; they are headed to Phoenix, AZ this weekend for the PGF Arizona Last Blast event. An exclusive invite tournament that includes some of the best teams in the country, the Peppers will start out with pool play games against the Arizona Storm, California Explosion, and Pacific Fury in the 18u division.

As they gear up for the start of their 2024 campaign, Top Gun Events caught up with BC Peppers Head Softball Coach Jeff Wallace for a look into his organization and several key elements for 2024:

Can you give some background information on your coaching staff and coaching styles?

“This is my 17th year coaching. I started like most – my daughter wanted to play, so a good friend with a daughter the same age started a team. Eric Flores (associated head coach, Director of Offense – or my Underboss) is involved with all teams. Kristen Kelly (former Peppers player) is an instructor and coaches defense for the 16s and 18s. Brynn Minor, former University of Kansas pitcher is the BC Director of Pitching and Assistant Director of Fastpitch. She is the Head Coach of the 14s. Courtney Nemechek is a former player and assists with all teams. Ryan McCall assists with pitching as well as other elements of practice; his daughter is a 2023 graduate and freshman at U of Central Mo. I would say we are player friendly coaches and believe this is a “game” and supposed to be fun. We have an extremely strong alumni base that includes both players and parents.”

Can you hit on some key points/highlights from this past season?

“Going back to the summer of 2023, both the 16s and 18s had a solid year with both finishing well at PGF Nationals. We have a strong class of 2024’s that signed their NLI/Grant In-Aid agreement as scholarship athletes – a total of six in all. All received all-state accolades based on their spring 2023 high school seasons. In addition, four of our seven 2025’s have committed to D1 programs to continue their college careers with the other three committing soon.

For the fall season, we combined the 16s and 18s due to fall high school and for exposure purposes. Unfortunately, we lost two tourneys due to weather. I would say a highlight would be the Easton/Rawlings Fall Invitational where we played four nationally ranked teams, and included a win against PGF Nationals runner-up the Beverly Bandits coached by Bill Conroy. Nebraska-Omaha commitment Brylee Brewster pitched extremely well, and offensively Missouri State signee Riley Baber had a nice game.”

Drawing athletes from multiple states, how do you manage any challenges with schedules?

“Our 16u and 18u teams have players from Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, which includes multi-sport athletes. We are flexible with practice, as long as the players are getting their work done. However, during the winter months we get strong attendance due to specific training and development.”

What are your primary goals and objectives for your teams?

“At 14u we are focused on player development, which starts with the Homefield SSA training staff. Our program is athlete centric-based on DARIMotion kinetic player evaluation. Each athlete is trained to increase performance as well as enhancing joint quality. We believe you must be a great athlete before you can be a great player.

At 16u and 18u, the playing schedules become more competitive focused on national level competition. An emphasis is placed on playing the best teams possible. In addition, we focus on our philosophy and process of college exposure and recruiting.

By the end of the summer, we hope to look back on the season and feel we competed at a high level, are identified as one of the top 100 teams in the country, and have a strong finish at a National event.”

In your opinion, what traits make your organization unique? 2023 saw a partnership with Building Champions, Homefield (the corporate entity that owns the facilities and provides sports opportunities for athletes) and the Peppers organization; can you give some insight on the purpose of the partnership , the desired outcome, the benefits offered, and the facility that you now utilize?

“Once the offer was extended by Homefield/Building Champions it was a no brainer and essentially just details. Simply put, we have possibly the best facility in the United States, unmatched technology, equipment partnerships, 501c funding resource, and corporate staff support led by BC Fastpitch Director Travis Huenfeld.

The desired outcome was to have a unique program that was not based on an individual or individuals, but rather a true player development program that works in partnership with college programs. We have four kinetic trainers that work with our athletes to improved athletic ability, strength, power, explosiveness and joint quality. This staff regularly is in communication with the college coaches and the training staffs of programs where our athletes have signed, committed, or are being recruited.

The HomeField facilities are multiple and I believe unmatched in the United States. There are four training facilities in the Kansas City metro area as well as our own fields located in Kansas City, Kansas. The primary diamond sports training facility is 255,000 square foot and located in Olathe, KS. This facility was highlighted as part of the NetFlix series Quarterback. It includes 33,000 square footage of athletic performance training, a full-sized softball infield and partial outfield, 16 hitting cages (with a six cage hitting lab), a pitching lab wired with technology, a catching lab, and a soon to be actual full sized softball field (with a 30 foot ceiling).

Technology starts with DARIMotion, which is a kinetic athlete performance and joint quality measurement resource that analyzes gains in an athlete’s performance. Proteus rotational training technology is another highlight; this is a $35,000 piece of training equipment that focuses on rotational explosiveness and power. Rapsodo is a staple of our pitching evaluation and training. Building Champions is Top 5 nationally with Blast Motion swings and evaluation. The facility has multiple Hack Attack pitching machines used by our athletes. Training areas have monitors where training can be recorded during training exercises.

We are blessed! Not only is this great for training and practice, our athletes have seven days a week access to train, hit and field with their teammates in a controlled environment. College coaches and programs visit our facilities to understand the SSA training program and learn about technologies.”

Can you give some analysis/perspective on your teams for 2024?

“Our 18u team is a core group of athletes that finished 12th at PGF Platinum in the 16u division last Summer. The team is made up of six 2024’s, seven 2025’s, and one 2026. We feel there can be a strong two-year run with this group of athletes.

We have five quality arms in the circle that all bring something different to the opponent.

  • South Alabama signee Kooper Barnes hails from Lincoln, NE and is a 6’ left hander that burst on the scene the last three tourneys of the Summer, and a dominant run at PGF Nationals. She was highly sought after by many schools in August. She sits in the 63/64 range with 1,300rpm “up spin” and very good change of speeds. Kooper is an on-base machine from the left side of the plate, and an elite defender.
  • Washburn signee Avery Wende from Silver Lake, KS is a strong down pitcher with a strong change-up that generates ground ball outs. Her drop ball approach will bring a strong look against opponents.
  • Crowder College signee Shelby Underwood from Arma, KS is one of the top two-way players in the state. She will be a key run producer for us as well as bring velocity in the circle.
  • Brylee Brewster from Warsaw, MO is a Nebraska-Omaha commit and one of the top LHPs in the country that was highly sought after by many colleges. She works in the 63/64 range with 1,400rpm Rapsodo spin and a change-up that has 10”-12” down life.
  • Anniston Reith hails from Rogers, AR and is a strong two-way player for the team. Currently, she is on a college visit tour and will be making her college commitment soon. Another 6’ athlete and daughter of a U of Arkansas offensive lineman, she brings parking lot power as well as plus velocity and spin.

The catcher position is held down by Steph Crittenden and Utility Karter Skillman.

  • Steph Crittenden from Bentonville, AR is committed to Central Arkansas. She is simply one of the best hitters in the class hitting over .400 in her career, against top pitching talent nationally. A rotational acceleration score reaching 20g is tremendous for a 2025. Behind the dish, she receives well and is blessed with a strong arm.
  • Karter Sillman is a Lindenwood commit, and resides in Olathe, KS. She is a “true utility” that could play as many as seven positions in one game. Karter is a strong athlete that lives in the weight room. She will be one of our top hitters and an on-base machine. Her 70+ swing speed and rotational acceleration scores stand out and make her a strong hitter.

On the Infield we are strong, led by one of the top SS in the country Mya January.

  • Mya January resides in Spring Hill and is a Central Arkansas signee. Mya is intense on the field and one of the most talented athletes on the field at any time. She is a gifted SS that takes the ball “on the rise,” blessed with a 68mph arm when she needs it. A middle of the order run producer that hits for high average as well as thump.
  • Riley Baber is a Missouri State signee that resides in Olathe, KS. The daughter of a former Kansas City Chief is one of the strongest athletes you will find. She is a middle of the order run producer that has a great approach and strike zone awareness. She will play primarily infield corners as well as some outfield.
  • Jerzey Hanna is a 2025 that resides in Kansas City, KS. A power hitter with plenty of thump, her elite bat speed and peak hand speed makes her a problem for any pitcher. At the hot corner, she is a plus defender. She is entertaining D1 programs with a recruitment timeline that will continue into the summer.
  • 2026 Tanna Howe is the youngster on the team. She is a slick fielding middle that is already generating D1 interest. We believe she has a big upside that will show this summer.

Our Outfield will utilize utility players as well to make up a strong offensive and defensive unit.

  • Jayden Hanna (she and Jerzey are sisters, their older sister played for us as well) is a St. Mary’s commit that resides in Kansas City, KS. Jay is a strong hitter that shows power as well as .400+ on-base percentage.
  • Demi Donahoe is a Bentonville, AR resident and YALE commit. She is extremely talented in the classroom as well as on the field. A strong outfielder, she will bring speed to the offense from the left side as a slapper.
  • 2025 Utility Allie Brown hails from Fort Scott, KS (my hometown) and joined the program in September. She brings speed and multi-dimensional offensive ability to the team as well as being a strong defender at any position. We were pleased to add this talented player to the program.

We are extremely excited about the talent on our 16u team. They are training hard and making tremendous strides athletically. All spent some time at the 18u level this fall and made a strong impression. 2025’s that will lead this team going into the summer;

  • Kendra Clark from Silver Lake, KS has a strong rise ball and change-up that creates problems for hitters.
  • Stella True from Olathe, KS turned heads this fall and into the camp season with her aggressive and fast left-handed swing.
  • Ava Harris from Shawnee, KS is a Winter addition that brings a power bat and run production to the line-up

The 14u team is loaded with talent and continues to improve daily. The SSA training program is developing faster, stronger, explosive athletes that generates improvement on the field. We are blessed with three power arms in the 2027, 2028, 2029 classes.”

What are your short-term goals for your team?

“To continue to develop bigger, stronger, explosive, fast athletes! We look for a strong showing in AZ, then head into the High School season. Our 2024 schedule is annually one of the best in the country highlighted by the Top Gun Invitational, Louisville Slugger IDT at Boulder and PGF Nationals.”

What are your long-term goals for your team?

“To continue to foster growth of our female leaders of tomorrow, and tremendous young women.”

2024 Travel Team Preview: Select Fastpitch 18’s Jones/Byrn Looks to Add to Tradition of Success in 2024

2024 Travel Team Preview: Select Fastpitch 18’s Jones/Byrn Looks to Add to Tradition of Success in 2024

By Jeff Strange

In the fall of 2023, Select Fastpitch brought together remaining athletes from three teams in the organization (Select 18’s Jones/Byrn, Select 18’s Alvarado and Select 16’s Salazar, whose team placed as a finalist in the PGF Premier National Championship) to create the 2023/2024 Select 18’s Jones/Byrn squad.

Success was immediate in the fall, as the newly formed team brought home third place at the Scenic City Top 25 tournament, suffering a lone loss in a hard fought battle to the Arizona Storm.

Top Gun Events Media caught up with Coach Eric Jones to get his feedback on several key elements for his team’s 2024 season:

Can you give some background information on your coaching staff and coaching styles?

“I love our coaching staff this year! Myself and Mike Byrn are co-head Coaches again this year, which is a blessing to have someone of Mike’s caliber alongside us. Jason Salazar is also on staff; he was the Head Coach for the 16’s last year who had an amazing year, making a big run at the PGF Premier National Championships, knocking off some of the top teams in the country to get there. Brandon Washington is also on staff and handles our in game stats for us.”

Drawing athletes from multiple states, how do you manage any challenges with schedules?

“This team is composed of athletes from Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, and Illinois. Having athletes from different states does pose some challenges at times, but we navigate it pretty well.  We do carry a bigger roster, which helps with athletes that have high school softball seasons at different times of the year. We have practice pods in St Louis, Columbia (MO) and Kansas City, which offer varieties of locations and opportunities to get work in.”

What are your primary goals and objectives for your team?

“Our objective this year is to mesh this team into one unit by June. It is awesome to have amazing athletes, and on that alone they can win some games. However, to reach the goals that they all have – and try to finish what they started last year – will take all of them and we hope that they are able to mesh into that team that we know they are capable of. Our second goal is to continue to develop and prepare them for the next level, mentally and physically. We want them to be in positions to compete for starting roles when they head off to their colleges.”

In your opinion, what traits make your organization unique?

“The trait of our organization is to be a blue collar, hardworking organization where there’s no entitlement or selfishness. We pride ourselves on being overlooked by some of the bigger organizations and feed off that energy. We’ve always had athletes that are grinders and play the game for the right reason.”

Can you give some analysis/perspective on your team for 2024?

“Our depth in the circle is unmatched, and anchored with some of the best pitchers in the Midwest and nation. Our athleticism up the middle is very good; I think this could be one of the best overall defenses that we have ever had. This year our team is led by some returning seniors, as well as some of the Top 2025’s around.

In the circle, we have a wealth of depth and talent that we feel comfortable with any of them being in a big game situation. Peyton Hardenburger (Tennessee), Kaelee Washington (Kansas), Abby Carr (Arizona State), Kelsey Hoekstra (Rutgers), Ryann Sanders (Louisville) and Bre Severino (Ball State) are all top flight pitchers and will have a big impact for us this year. With the grind of the schedule, it will allow us to keep some pitch count and innings low throughout the summer, so we can go into Nationals healthy. More importantly, the seniors can go into college and not have arm burnout.  

Behind the plate, we have Bailey Amezcua (Kansas) who can also play anywhere on the field, and is a big bat in our lineup.

Our infield is comprised of some legit athletes who can also cause damage at the plate. Led by Madison Uptegrove (Missouri), Marin Heller (Florida State), Siena Snyder (Ohio State), Kendall Yarnell (UCF), and Cydney Fullerton our infield is very deep with an ability to hit for power in any count.”

What are your long-term goals for your team?

“Our goal beyond the 2024 season is to keep developing and putting ourselves into positions to play the best competition out there. We want to see where we are at so we can prepare for great tournament runs in the summer. Fall, winter and spring for the most part for us is just development and growth. The summer is where we like to put it all together. We also strive to help our athletes go to their high school teams and have fun and shine amongst their school peers as well.”

College 2024 Preview: Avila University Hoping to Continue Trend of Success in 2024

College 2024 Preview: Avila University Hoping to Continue Trend of Success in 2024

By Jeff Strange

2023 Overall Record: 35-21

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Record: 16-8

Cinco de Mayo 2023 was a day of celebration for the Avila University softball program, as the Eagles brought home their first KCAC title in school history, defeating Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Great Bend, KS.

The conference victory helped secure Avila’s berth to the NAIA National Softball Championship, their first trip since 2019. The Eagles opening round of softball was held in Chickasha, OK as the number 4 seed in a pool that included University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Mobile University (AL), and Cottey College.

Avila pulled out a win against a tough Cottey College squad, but fell to top seeded Science and Arts, setting up an elimination matchup between the Eagles and the number 13 ranked team in the NAIA, the Mobile University Rams.

Mobile got off to an early lead, but Avila kept battling all the way to the end before ultimately succumbing to a 6-2 loss, ending another successful season for the Eagles program.

For a program that was sometimes turning in single-digit win seasons 10-15 years ago, Avila’s softball program has turned itself into a force to be reckoned with in recent seasons, finding themselves consistently competing for conference and tournament titles while sprinkling in some postseason appearances along the way. Coach Charlie Kennedy is entering his 3rd season at the helm at Avila and his 23rd season as a collegiate softball head coach. Kennedy has amassed a career record 618-434-3 in his coaching career, which includes stints at Division 1 Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Division II UMSL, Division III Maryville and NAIA Lindenwood-Belleville.

Moving into 2024, there is a sense of excitement for Head Coach Charlie Kennedy, his coaching staff and his group of athletes. Top Gun Events Media caught up with Coach Kennedy to get his perspective on several key elements for the Avila University Softball Program:

Your program had a successful season in 2023; can you detail your thoughts on the season as a whole?

“We brought back seven kids from our previous season and 19 new athletes last fall. The program received an infusion of talent – I had 12 freshmen come in and seven transfers, along with good talent returning. Our depth was a key. We had strong pitching and a strong catcher behind the plate; it just took us awhile to come together with that many new faces. I can tell you that at one point of the season, I didn’t see us pulling off a conference tournament championship. I felt that we could compete in it and that we had the talent to do it, but early on we just weren’t all on the same page.

However, it came together very quickly towards the end of the season. The last conference doubleheader on the road, we were handed two losses against a team that was two spots ahead of us in our conference and it just didn’t taste good. A few days later, we took a trip to St. Louis and split with Missouri Baptist, who had just won their conference and it gave us a jolt going into the KCAC tournament, where we went undefeated. Through all of the ups-and-downs of the season, we just continued to work hard and grind out game after game and practice after practice. It was a great honor to watch the ladies come together at the end of the season and make a run into the postseason.”

Can you give some background information on your coaching staff?

“Aldyn Wildey is my pitching coach – she pitched a few years at Johnson County and was recruited to pitch at the University of Kansas but unfortunately blew out her ACL and didn’t get to throw her junior and senior years. Aldyn is very knowledgable and was instrumental last year to our pitching staff.

Mike MacFarlane, who played with the Kansas City Royals, Boston Red Sox and Oakland A’s – he was a 12 year major league baseball catcher; he’s our catching and hitting coach. Very sound fundamentals in hitting.

Mimi Maggard was player of the year in the Sun Coast Conference in Florida at Webber International University. She’s in her second year here and plays a huge role for us.”

Can you give some analysis/perspective on your team for 2024?

“We return 18 girls from last year’s team. We lost our top pitcher who had 20 of our 35 wins (Payton Walter) and our top catcher (Talley Cole), but I think what we have brought in over the past few years will help fill those roles very well. What we our right now is a team that has great depth, good pitching and great speed – we were number two in the country in stolen bases last season, led by OF Chelsea Kurtz, who swiped 72 bases in 2023 which was second overall in the NAIA last year. We added more speed to the lineup as well with incoming athletes. We’re a team that won’t be taken lightly this year; we were picked to take third in the conference with the preseason rankings. We were two wins away from the next round of the NAIA World Series last season and I think that our seniors are hungry to get back this season.

I feel that we are going to execute in situations. We bunt very well, we run the bases well, we play outstanding defense, and we can hit. We start out our season in Texas playing Texas A&M – San Antonio and Our Lady of the Lake (NAIA #7 preseason ranked team) right out of the gate. A month later, we are in California with Hope International (NAIA #19 preseason ranked team), Vanguard, Menlo and Westcliff. I feel that going to play these teams right at the start of the season will help build some mental toughness for our pitchers, offense and defense that will help us grow.”

What are your short-term goals for the program?

“It is a goal to break the top 25 rankings in the NAIA and challenge ourselves early on in the season so that we are battle tested when we start conference play and move into the KCAC tournament. If we can win our conference outright and/or win our conference tournament, that will secure us another automatic bid to the NAIA Championship Tournament. It’s an exciting time for us right now. We’ve started up spring practices and we’re a month away from playing our opener in Texas.”

What are your long-term goals for the program?

“If you have the consistency in the coaching staff and the ability to put talent on the field every year, then long-term is having Avila University as a recognized name as a tough team to beat. We want to be a perennial name as a tough opponent. We’ll continue to play a tough schedule and prepare our athletes to be strong opponent on game day.”

Lastly, do you have any information to share for prospective athletes in regards to camp information for 2024?

We will be running a camp on February 25th. The link for the camp is:

https://info.collegesoftballcamps.com/cksb/

*The Avila University Eagles will open their season on February 9th at the Our Lady of the Lake University Saints Classic in San Antonio, TX squaring off against Texas A&M University – San Antonio and Our Lady of the Lake University that Friday afternoon.*

 

2024 Travel Team Preview: Top Gun 16 National Sets Sights for Strong 2024 Campaign

2024 Travel Team Preview: Top Gun 16 National Sets Sights for Strong 2024 Campaign

By Jeff Strange

“Dare to be exceptional.” It’s a phrase uttered often by Top Gun 16 National Coaches Joe Sciara, Dave Rocha and Randy Walters during their practices.

“We believe that we have to help these girls feel confident and comfortable failing,” said Coach Sciara. “Getting a player to trust their athleticism takes them accepting that they may not make every play. However, the only way to find out what they can do is to try to make those exceptional plays at practice. You have to trust your athleticism, trust that your teammates have your back, and trust that your coaches would rather see you go all out on a play rather than play it safe.”

An exceptional level of success was accomplished early on this past season for Sciara’s squad. In late October of 2022, Top Gun Sciara was fighting for a berth to the PGF National Championships in the PGF Fall Qualifier. After an early loss in brackets, it was a win or go home scenario. According to Sciara, his group really grew as a team and as competitors that weekend as they won six straight (five back-to-back) games on Sunday to earn their PGF Nationals berth.

Top Gun Sciara finished their fall of 2022 off at the Finesse Fastpitch Space Coast Invitational, once again winning their last five games after a loss in the first game of the event. 

Spring/Summer of 2023 found this talented group of athletes picking up where the fall of 2022 left off. Highlights for the season included:

  • Undefeated champions of the Top Gun Events Spring Invite
  • Champions in the 16u Gold Division at the USA Memorial Day Invitational
  • A strong run in bracket play in the Maverick Division of the Top Gun Invitational (including wins in their first two bracket games against PA Strikers National & a very good Texas Riptide team), before the event was ultimately cancelled due to weather.

Now looking ahead to the 2024 spring/summer campaign, Top Gun Events Media caught up with Coach Sciara to get his feedback on several key elements for this season and beyond:

Can you give some background information on your coaching staff and coaching styles?

“This will be the 10th year of coaching together for Dave Rocha and myself. We coached our daughters’ team up through graduation, and then took this group over at 11u. This season, Randy Walters joins our dugout as an assistant coach as well. Randy has coached and umpired high-level softball for a number of years. All three of us are non-parent coaches. Dave & I have always had a philosophy of pushing the girls beyond where they think their ceilings are, and allowing them to push themselves past failures. “Dare to be exceptional” is a phrase that you will hear quite often at our practices.”

Drawing athletes from multiple states, how do you manage any challenges with schedules?

“We have players from all over the country. In the past two years, we have had players from Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, New York, Ohio, Florida, Colorado, & Tennessee. Many of those states play high school softball in the spring. Others like Missouri, Colorado & Oklahoma play fall high school softball. We stick to most of our tournaments being during the recruiting windows of June-August and November. We make sure to have practices at most of our tournaments before play starts. We also have off-season Zoom calls as a team where we will do some team bonding and mental training, as well as our National Weekend Practices where our players will fly/drive in for 10-12 hours of practice in a weekend. Our girls that live within several hours of KC will practice a couple times a week with other national program players, ran in camp style setting. We’ve got a great, welcoming core of players and each time we get together, it’s like the girls never missed a beat.”

What are your primary goals and objectives for your team?

“Our ultimate goal is to help our players learn how to be leaders and be successful in a group or team setting. We are teaching those lessons through softball. In the end, wins take care of themselves. We are a very process driven team (and organization). We all love to win, but winning comes from controlling the controllable, putting in the right type of work when others aren’t and buying in/understanding your assignment and role in a way that makes others around you better.”

In your opinion, what traits make your organization unique?

“We have a saying at Top Gun Fastpitch – It’s just different here. So many clubs market their organization or team with the buzzword culture, but what are they doing to build the culture?  How are they living it with each decision that is made in the organization? We are intentional in building an organization over team, and team over player philosophy. 13u-18u players out of our national program can be found practicing side-by-side almost any day of the week. You can find girls off of our team instructing and/or coaching 8-12 year old players. Our older players have been taught to give back to the sport, give back to the youth and the community. Similarly, this selfless attitude can be found in our dugout at games. We carry a bigger roster, and each player has bought in and knows that every person on our roster can win us a game. I can vividly remember situations where one of our four very talented middle infielders was seen in the dugout jumping up and down excited when a teammate playing the same position makes a spectacular play. Same thing with our talented outfielders…at the end of the day, our girls compete with each other. They are not afraid to, and are learning how to compete against their close friends before they get to college. At the same time, they support each other and are fiercely loyal to the bonds they’ve built with each other. That’s not only a great lesson for college softball life, but for the workforce as well. Learn how to compete with your peers for a position, and then learn how to be a successful group no matter who wins the promotion.”

Can you give some analysis/perspective on your team for 2024?

“We are a team built on speed and pitching. We have six slappers and a seventh player with elite speed. We disrupt teams by creating chaos on the base paths and playing a very aggressive style of offense. We had 47 stolen bases in 19 games this fall. We look for one run an inning, but often our runs come in bunches because our team creates opportunities. Our pitching staff is elite. We have five players that could win a game any given day, but three pitchers that get the bulk of our innings. As a team this fall, we had an overall ERA of 1.71 and teams batted .184 against us. Collectively, our pitchers struck out 142 batters and only walked 53. 

Our 2024 Roster:

 #1 Macy Morrow, 2025 OF(South Dakota State University): Macy is an exceptional athlete who has traditionally been our leadoff hitter and center fielder. Macy is a lefty slapper with excellent barrel control and an understanding of where to place the ball.

 #3 Lexi Vernon, 2026, RHP: Lexi is new to our team this year. She had an exceptional fall for us. Lexi is a high-end pitcher that solidifies our rotation. Lexi is the #7 ranked pitcher by extra innings in the class of 2026. This fall Lexi threw 26 innings, had 30K, 19BB and a 1.62 ERA.

#5 Kaiya Delgado, 2025 OF: Kaiya is a true speed demon. Even with missing three tournaments last summer due to injury, Kaiya led our team in stolen bases.

 #7 Olivia Keiter, 2026 MI: Liv is a special athlete, and a big addition for the 2024 season. Liv had 3 doubles, a triple and 2 HR in 19 games to go along with her team leading 14 runs scored.  With Liv and Syd Boulaphinh (18 National, Stanford) we have the best two middle infielders, and arguably the best two softball players from the state of Colorado in our organization. Liv is a left-handed hitter that can slap, power slap, hit for power and bunt.

 #8 Kelsie Donaldson, 2026 LHP: One of the best pitchers in the country, KD also leads our team in most hitting categories. This homegrown talent had a .523 OBP, 11 RBI and only struck twice this fall. In the circle, Kelsie accounted for 7 wins and 38 innings pitched. She had 60 Ks and only 10 BB holding her competition to a 1.11 ERA.

 #9 Marleigh McDonald, 2027 OF: Marleigh is an athletic, fast and powerful lefty that plays all the outfield positions. Mar batted .462 in the fall with 7 stolen bases and only struck out twice.

 #10 Charlotte Garrison, 2026 Catcher: Charlotte controls the run game like no other. A quick release, strong arm, and a desire throw every runner out, Charlotte changes the momentum of a game within just a flick of her arm.

 #11 Reygan Ackley, 2026 C/IF: Reygan is a middle of the order hitter with elite exit velocity and barrel speed. Reygan had 2 home runs, 10 RBI and scored 6 runs this fall. Reygan gives 100% on 100% of plays.

 #12 Emi Jeras, 2025 Catcher, 3B: Emi has a sub 1.7 pop time and a big bat. This fall Emi had a .455 OBP with two game winning or go-ahead doubles.

 #17 Carmen Boxberger, 2026 MI: Carmen batted .400 with a .550 OBP this fall. She led the team with 10 stolen bases, and was second with 12 runs scored. Carmen is a smooth middle infielder with both quick hands and feet. Carmen had a perfect fielding percentage this fall.

 #19 Sydnee Wagner, 2026 MI: Wags had a .500 OBP this fall in 18 games. She had 3 triples and a home run. Wags is able to make throws from all the arm slots and is able to make the throw in the 5/6 hole due to her arm strength.

#25 Katie Courter, Catcher/MI: Katie is a true leader on the field and in the dugout. She’s a high energy player that commands the infield and manages our pitching staff from behind the plate.  Katie is a plus speed athlete from the right side. She led the team last summer with 30 runs scored.

 #34 Mikayla Deville, 2025 OF: Mik has been top 3 on our team in batting average and on base percentage each of the last 3 years. This fall Mik led our team in batting average (.514), on base percentage (.600) and played a flawless defense. Mik is an elite outfielder with a plus arm and an uncanny ability to read the peeling line drive.

 #38 Makenna Moore, 2025 RHP, OF: Kenna joined our team at the end of last summer and moved to us full time in the fall. Kenna threw 30.2 innings with 52 strikeouts and 19 walks. She had a 1.83 ERA and led the team with a .135 batting average against.

 #99 Avery Davis, 2025 3B: Avery is a new addition this fall. Avery is a strong player that will hit in the middle of the lineup for us. This fall Avery hit .355 with a .400 OBP, 4 doubles and 8 RBI. Avery has a plus arm and is an aggressive defender at 3B.     

What are your short-term goals for your team?

“Since we took over the core group of this team at 11u, the philosophy has always been the same…seek out the best competition we can to challenge our players, and give them the biggest opportunity for growth. As we’ve gotten older, it is now more important to make sure that we are giving every girl on our roster the opportunity to play softball after high school. This particular group is our main 16 National team in our organization. They have lofty goals for college. We play tournaments nationwide. We play the best competition that we can find because that is where college coaches typically are. Colleges know that our girls are battle tested. Once the recruiting window opens, if we are playing a tournament in KC it is because it is a nationally recognized tournament that happens to be in our back yard. This summer we will be playing the USA Memorial Day Invite again, PGF Show Me The Money (Newberry Florida), Top Gun Invitational (Shawnee, KS), The Patriot Games (Windsor, CO), Sparkler Power Pool (Aurora, CO), Atlanta Legacy (Atlanta, GA) and the PGF Premier National Championship (Huntington Beach, CA).”

What are your long-term goals for your team?

“To prepare these girls to compete and create a positive environment on their college softball team.”

College 2024 Preview: Lindenwood University Lions look for continued Growth in 2024

College 2024 Preview: Lindenwood University Lions look for continued Growth in 2024

By Jeff Strange

2023 Overall Record                                     2023 Ohio Valley Conference Record

                        16-32                                                                           8-15

Coming off a 16-32 season – their first at the Division 1 level – the Lindenwood University softball team heads into the 2024 campaign returning two all-conference athletes (Jr. OF Irelynn West and So. IF Dallis Darnell) and according to Head Coach Erin Brown, a better idea of what to expect as they enter their second season in the Ohio Valley Conference. After a very successful run at the Division 2 level – the Lions finished out 2022 with a 35-13 overall record – Lindenwood was able to earn a berth in the OVC tournament last May as a first-year D1 program, with several highlights along the way.

Coach Brown enters her third season leading the Lions program, and her 18th season overall as a head coach in the collegiate ranks. Getting her start in 2004 running NCAA DIII Westminster College, Brown spent 2 years at the helm in Fulton, MO before heading to her alma mater at Truman State University, where she had previously carved out a successful playing career. Brown was the head coach at Truman State for 13 seasons, rejuvenating the program en route to a career 348-302 record along the way. Brown took over at Lindenwood University in 2021-2022 and has enjoyed six NCAA tournament appearances through her years leading three programs.

Top Gun Events Media caught up with Coach Brown to get her feedback on several key elements for the Lindenwood Lions Softball Program:

The Lindenwood softball program made the leap last season into the NCAA Division 1 ranks, joining the Ohio Valley Conference. Going from a very successful season in 2022 as a Division 2 program in the GLVC to a new conference at the Division 1 level, can you discuss some of the adjustments that your program had to make and endure?

“We’re still making the adjustments and I think will be for a few years. We decided to keep our team as it was, meaning we did not replace them with “DI” players. That first year we tried to get a few transfers that might make a difference right away but were limited to our 7.2 scholarships for NCAA DII programs. For the 2024-2025 year we are getting a scholarship bump, so we feel like that will help us recruit more players who are able to help us compete in the OVC. From an athlete’s perspective, I think last year was challenging for that team because they did not always know if they were “good enough.” We had a lot of conversations about focusing on what we had control over and that it was the same game they’ve been playing since they were little. I think it took a while for them to believe they could have success and once they did, then we could see a shift in our overall mindset, which resulted in more success as a team. The season had some ups-and-downs, but we have a better idea of what to expect for this upcoming season. Getting players to understand it can be hard and to expect that and embrace the challenge is something we talk about often. The pitching is more complete at this level; most pitchers have a changeup and 2-3 great pitches with command. We faced some great pitching at the DII level but they might not have/or need to throw a changeup to be dominate. Defensively most teams seem to have great overhand velo and it seems like everyone has above average speed as well. It’s just adjusting to who is playing the game, like at any level bump that players experience in their career.”

Lindenwood University Head Coach Erin Brown walks off as the Lady Lions celebrate a big win

Can you give some background information on your coaching staff?

“My assistant Ali Brems is from Wisconsin and played at Lewis University; I coached against her while at Truman. She had a successful career at Lewis and went on to become a Graduate Assistant there before coming to Kirksville, MO to be my assistant for my last two years at Truman. She has her master’s in both leadership and counseling. Ali is the magic behind all our social media posts and organizes our recruiting. Ali was a lefty hitter and right-handed pitcher. She had two different surgeries from pitching, including thoracic outlet. She is passionate about injury prevention as a result and has worked closely with OGX (formerly S2 Breakthrough in Chicago) to learn more about biomechanics and coaching strategies that honor each player’s individual body. Ali works with our pitching staff.

Christa Reisinger played for me at Truman State. She was a lefty slapper/power hitter -I know, doesn’t happen too often – and played OF. She was an All-American and could have played at the DI level. We got lucky that she came to Truman. It helped that she grew up on a farm and majored in agriculture. Christa works with our outfield and hitters.

I work with the infielders, catchers, and hitters.

Can you hit on some key points/highlights from this past season?

“I think a big highlight for us was sweeping Eastern Illinois, who went on to win the Ohio Valley Conference tournament and represent the OVC in the NCAA tournament. We made the conference tournament our first year in the league, beating out other teams who have been at the DI level for years. We had a couple of players earn all-conference. When we made the jump, we entered 4 years of being unable to compete in the NCAA tournament. We can compete and win the OVC tournament but could not move forward with a bid. Making the NCAA tournament is a great experience so when we did not have that opportunity, I wanted to provide them with some other experience moments and traveling to play Oregon was a great opportunity. Playing at their facility, hitting & lifting there was incredible and then making sure we got to the Pacific coast was on our list. It was a busy few days, but the girls really enjoyed that experience.”

The Lindenwood Lions taking time to celebrate National Student-Athlete Day while at Jane Sanders Stadium in the University of Oregon

Playing in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament for the first time in 2023, can you describe some of your thoughts on the event?

“The OVC tournament had a similar feel to the NCAA tournaments I’ve been to in the past. Choccolocco Park is a great facility. The OVC tournament is moving to Peoria for the 2024 season. We will play our games at the Louisville Slugger complex on Bradley University’s field. We’re looking forward to a shorter drive because the location was the toughest part of the event in 2023. You get a practice day before the tournament starts so we had to travel down the day before our practice day to get there in time – which meant that we had to leave on a Monday after playing our last regular scheduled game on Sunday. I’m looking forward to this new venue for 2024 and to see how it might change the feel of the OVC tournament.”

Can you give some analysis/perspective on your team for 2024?

“Staying healthy will be key, especially for our pitchers. We have one pitcher who is injured and out for the season, so we have brought a current outfielder and former pitcher back to the circle to potentially add some depth for our staff. We’re graduating a lot in the 2024 class. We have eight seniors (2 who are 5th years), 6 juniors, 5 sophomores & 5 freshmen. We have four pitchers, three catchers and nine infielders, five outfielders and three true utility players who have several options defensively. We have a couple of players who are injured and won’t be playing this spring. In total, we have a roster of 24, but 22 who will be able to play. We have more depth this year than we did last year. Last spring, we had some injuries and ended up shifting people around to make it work – it was a challenge. Having the depth this year is great and we will likely keep a roster over 20 moving forward for that reason.”

Your facility is undergoing upgrades; can you elaborate on those?

“Our facility was one of the nicer ones in the OVC and we just got new turf and new batting cages. New netting/padding in front of our dugouts is scheduled to go in before our home opener this spring. In addition to that, we have had to make some facility adjustments for ESPN+ streaming and video replay for umpire review. We will have the capability for umpire review this year, but the ESPN+ streaming will be live for the 2025 season. From the facility standpoint, I believe now we are one of, if not the best facility in the OVC.”

What are your short-term goals for the program?

“Short term goals are to continue to win more games and continue to finish higher in the OVC standings each year…start winning some recruits that our competitors are also recruiting. We’ve seen that a little in the 2025 recruiting class. Ultimately we also want to provide our players with a great experience while they are at Lindenwood.”

Infielders Tori Hatton (left) and Dallis Darnell (right) are two key components returning for the 2024 season

What are your long-term goals for the program?

“We want to be able to compete for the OVC championship when we are eligible to earn a bid, by 2027. We want to be one of the top programs for our size in the Midwest by 2027. We want to continue to provide our players with a top-notch experience…potentially taking a trip to Europe along with scheduling opponents that give our players the opportunity to play at incredible facilities and unique locations.”

Lastly, do you have any information to share for prospective athletes in regards to camp information for 2024?

“We will be having camps in May, June, August, and November/December. Specific dates have not yet been confirmed, but those should be out within the next several weeks.”

*The Lindenwood Lions will open their season on February 9th at the UIW Kickoff Classic in San Antonio, TX squaring off against Prairie View A&M University and University of the Incarnate Word that Friday afternoon.*

2024 Travel Team Preview: St. Louis Chaos ’09 National Perone-Beatty sets foundation with strong 2023 Fall Season, has eyes set for successful 2024

2024 Travel Team Preview: St. Louis Chaos ’09 National Perone-Beatty sets foundation with strong 2023 Fall Season, has eyes set for successful 2024

By Jeff Strange

Coming off a successful fall 2023 campaign, the St. Louis Chaos ’09 National Perone-Beatty squad has established themselves as a top contender on the national scene heading into 2024. The Chaos’ fall successes were highlighted with two impressive first-place finishes, including a 7-1 showing in Oklahoma City at the Top Club National Invite where they battled a tough Vision Gold ’09 team in the championship game, avenging their only loss of the event.

Head Coach Phil Perone’s squad promptly followed up that outing with a 5-0 run in the HFL/Alliance Fall Championship, bringing home another first-place finish and capping off an impressive 12-1 run over their final 13 games.

Top Gun Events Media caught up with Coach Perone to get his feedback on several key elements for his team’s 2024 season and beyond:

Can you give some background information on your coaching staff and coaching styles?

“With four coaches total – Evan Beatty, Adam Oberle, Dave Purves and myself, we are an experienced coaching staff with a combined 50+ years of travel softball, so we have a wealth of knowledge of what works and will not work at the next level. Our style emphasizes paying attention to details and not focusing on winning. If we focus on doing the little things and paying attention to detail on and off the field, winning will take care of itself. In practice, we move at a fast pace while working on the details of each movement and always applying controlled pressure, so the kids are prepared to play fast and confident when they hit the field.”

Can you hit on some key points/highlights from this past season?

“We have had the core for several years now and this past summer was a defining one for us as a group. At one point over the summer, we were left with our eight core players and that is when they ramped up their focus and started to play for each other. They regrouped and began to focus on the importance of TEAM. We won several older aged tournaments, qualifiers, and placed high in a few others, but with our lack of depth, we began to struggle going into the Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series. As a group, we knew that we had to thicken the roster and as the head coach, I knew we were too talented to take this next step without Evan Beatty in our dugout. We have a committed coaching staff and adding Evan’s 25+ years of coaching, knowledge for recruitment, and relationships is a huge advantage for our group as they continue the process of reaching their goals over the next 2-3 years.”

“We received stand out performances from:

  • Emily Perone was a key offensive contributor throughout the season.
  • Lexi Lohnes has established herself as one of the top two-way talents in the Midwest.
  • Kenzie Wieland is a workhorse in the circle and provides big power at the plate.
  • Ava Oberle was our most consistent player offensively, defensively, and in the circle. The kid is a softball player…just wants to be on the field and will do anything for the team.
  • Peyton Purves also had a great offensive year, but her defense behind the plate is next level; she is one of the best I have coached at that position in my 13 years.
  • Jay Haffer solidifies our defense with her great range at Shortstop and in the Outfield. She also offers power and speed on offense as well.
  • Katie Oelze has speed and power and was a key contributor in the middle of our lineup. She has come up huge in pressure situations at the plate.
  • Carlie Isbell was a new addition for 2023 and is solid behind the plate and at several infield positions. She helps our defense rotations and is one of our vocal leaders.”

Drawing athletes from multiple states, how do you manage any challenges with schedules?

“We will face challenges this upcoming spring with players from 4 different states, so we will navigate it as we go and play local tournaments utilizing players in our organization. Our travel season will begin with our full squad at our organization’s tournament – Hustle City (AFCS qualifier) at the end of May.”

What are your primary goals and objectives for your team?

“This year, our goals are different than what they have been in the past from when I took over this team 5 years ago. I have always had our girls learn multiple positions and sometimes sacrificed wins over learning and growth. In the past, it wasn’t out of the ordinary for us to have three shortstops in a bracket game. 13u and below we feel is all development while competing, and when you do that the winning will eventually take care of itself. We are getting to that point now where the girls are more position oriented with two main spots on the field and it showed in our play this past fall by winning two Alliance Tournaments and securing our AFCS bid to California.”

In your opinion, what traits make your organization unique?

“Being one of the oldest organizations in the region, we have been competitive on the national stage from the start in the early 90’s. During that time, we have remained small and family oriented, focused solely on development of our players on what works at the next level. We have monthly organization workouts at our own facility, which also allows players 24/7-365 access to work out individually. It is a huge luxury to have that asset and as we add players, coaches, and teams, they will immediately be able to take advantage of all the hard work that has been put into our future success.”

Can you give some analysis/perspective on your team for 2024?

“Our team picked up 4 players for the fall to add to our core and we will continue to look for like-minded athletes that want to compete within our group setting and at the highest level nationally. Makenna Johnson is a top 2028 athlete that has rejoined our group and is a huge addition to our lineup as she rotates in at shortstop with Jay Haffer and the outfield. Brylie Mills, Deja Jackson, and Brooke Bucy are all strong athletes that solidify our group with a team first mentality, and it will be fun to watch these players as we move forward. With the addition of these players, we added speed, high average, power, and defense. They bring depth to our group that we lacked as we continue the journey. Our goal this year is to continue to build a champion mindset and that will be reinforced with the addition of Evan to our coaching staff.  We want to continue to compete against the best in the country and win; that is our focus and our thoughts as we head into winter workouts. Our Pitching group really turned the corner this fall as they began to focus on their three main pitches that worked in pregame. We limited our free passes our last two tournaments and made it difficult to score with our strong defensive play. We have a solid rotation at the catching position with three players really working well together, keeping each other fresh. We feel the group at any time can eliminate a runner for us, so having them behind the plate as a weapon is a huge advantage moving forward. All of our players have two defensive positions, so our rotations defensively are coming together. We have a great foundation built from the past 5 years and they can now see their dreams are in reach, so the real work begins for our group.”

What are your short-term goals for your team?

“We are putting our kids through a professional evaluation to identify biomechanical deficiencies that may affect performance and precursors for future injury by developing an individual physical therapy and strengthening program for each player after their individual evaluation. The girls will then be professionally evaluated every few months to see their progression, so it is exciting for our organization to be partnered with a company that works with MLB teams and D1 college programs.”

What are your long-term goals for your team?

“I think our long-term goals are whatever the players’ goals are, or continue to be. They drive the bus, and we will be there to guide them along the way. This is their journey; of course we want to compete at the highest level, but we only can do that if they are determined on their individual goals. I told them 5 years ago, we will not fail them and to trust the process in the good and the bad. That thought hasn’t changed and is still discussed within the group. If they continue to trust the proven process developed over years of success, our group will realize their dreams and be able to perform and compete immediately at the next level.”

College 2024 Preview: Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville Looks to Build Upon Successful finish to 2023 Campaign

College 2024 Preview: Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville Looks to Build Upon Successful finish to 2023 Campaign

By Jeff Strange

2023 Overall Record                                     2023 Ohio Valley Conference Record

                        30-26                                                                           12-10

Coming off a 30-26 season, the Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville softball team heads into the 2024 campaign with high hopes of contending for another strong run in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Cougars caught fire in the OVC tournament last spring held at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, AL by closing out the event with a 4-2 record and bringing home second place overall, falling short to Eastern Illinois University in the OVC Championship game.

Head coach Ben Sorden enters his second season at the helm for the Cougars program, taking over after spending nearly the last decade as an assistant coach in the Big Ten Conference at Michigan State and Indiana, where he helped guide the pitching staffs to national honors and top-notch results.

Top Gun Events Media caught up with Coach Sorden to get his feedback on several key elements for the SIUE Cougars Softball Program:

Last season was your first at the helm with SIUE…how would you describe your experience taking over the program?

“I knew coming in, the focus was going to be on culture; we as a coaching staff had to get them to believe in themselves and trust each other, as well as trust us. Of course, there was initial excitement and skepticism, but eventually we gained their trust, but most importantly, they began to trust themselves.”

After spending the previous several seasons as an assistant coach at Michigan State and U. of Indiana, were there any adjustments on your end moving into the role of a head coach?

“The game is the game, we don’t adjust our standards. Our job is to coach them up to the standard to the best of our ability. Sure, MSU and IU may have more resources, but I also spent a significant amount of time at Coe College, a small DIII school. I have witnessed the haves and the have nots – you learn what is important and what is fluff. We are blessed to have amazing training and playing facilities at SIUE, outstanding athletic performance coaches, a mental performance advisor, excellent student-athlete support services and a beautiful campus that sells itself.”

The SIUE Cougars come together after a come-from-behind victory against St. Louis University in March 8, 2023

You have a strong reputation for churning out successful pitching staffs and developing pitchers…are there any particular approaches that you have developed to help aid in the success of arms on teams that you have been a part of?

“I’m a believer in being a master of few rather than mediocre of many when it comes to pitching. If the game is on the line, do you want to attack the hitter with your best pitch or your fourth best pitch? Everyone has a unique ability and we just try to find what each of us does well and polish that up. Additionally, I empower the pitchers to have control in what they are throwing. They learn to read swings, they learn to read situations, and they know what they want to throw in the moment. We also look to our catchers for valuable information; they make us better. Our catchers are our eyes and know what pitches are moving the best as well as what the umpire is calling. In the end, we just try and help them be the best version of themselves.”

Can you give some background information on your coaching staff?

“I’ve known Coach Courtney Gentile for a number of years. She played at Ohio State and has a very competitive spirit. She was a hitter that pitched (rather than a pitcher that hits) and also played outfield and first base for the Buckeyes. She is even able to throw left-handed batting practice! Courtney works with our hitters and our outfield.

Caitlin Wnek was added to the staff this fall; she was previously an assistant at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. I have known Caitlin since she was in high school and then followed her career when she went on to be a 4-year starting shortstop at UNI, where she holds the career doubles record for the Panthers. She works with our infielders and hitters. She keeps the game fun and likes to come up with competitive challenges for our hitters and fielders. Most recently, Caitlin was named the DIII Assistant Coach of the Year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association while at UW-LaCrosse.”

Can you hit on some key points/highlights from this past season?

“As a team, we were 2nd in the league in hitting and led the league in shut outs, stolen bases and strikeouts looking. Before conference, we had a good weekend in Memphis where things started to click for us, then a nice come from behind win against SLU, which taught us we were never out of any game. We then tried to just keep building confidence week by week and building momentum.

I am extremely proud that 11 of the 19 players were named NFCA All American Scholar Athletes. We emphasize excelling on the field, in the classroom and in the community. Being a champion starts with a championship mindset and that is doing everything to the best of our ability in all facets of our life.

Individually, Paige Rocha paced the league hitting .416 overall and .434 in conference. For her efforts, she was named All Region and All Conference. She is back and we are excited for her leadership. Lexi King was 2nd in the league in hitting, led the OVC in stolen bases and was 7th in the country in doubles. She is one of the most competitive players I have ever coached; we will obviously miss her. Syd Baalman was also an All-Conference selection and really got hot in the circle for us last season. She grew from a thrower to a pitcher during the season and peaked at the conference tournament. Grace Lueke is also back for her senior campaign after hitting .315 in conference with 6 homeruns. We look forward to her leadership this year.”

Senior Pitcher Sydney Baalman (top) and Junior Infielder Paige Rocha (bottom) are two key returning pieces to the Cougars roster in 2024

Taking home a second-place finish in the OVC tournament last season, can you describe some of your thoughts on the event?

“We had a great run in Oxford; it was a nice facility and the field crew was great, they did a great job with the venue. It was a competitive tournament and I enjoyed how we competed. It was a great tournament to build momentum for our program.”

Can you give some analysis/perspective on your team for 2024?

“Returners Rylie Pindel, Piper Montgomery, Lauryn Yslava and Jenny Herron have really upped their game and had significant contributions this fall. Kelsey Ray continues to improve and her senior leadership will be key in the circle.

We brought in 11 new faces this year – 5 transfers and 6 freshmen. Sisters Anna and Emma Henderson transferred in from the University of Iowa and will add power at the plate and experience in the circle and behind the dish. A pair of DMACC Bears, NJCAA All American third baseman Madison Kearns and NJCAA All Region shortstop Kaylynn Salyars each found their way to Edwardsville. NJCAA All American Outfielder Danielle Shuey, who led the nation in triples and hails from Danville Area Community College, rounds out the list of transfers.

Newcomers Maleah Blomenkamp, Amber Morgan, Abby Harvell, Jenna Little, Harley Limberger and Reese Ray add depth, additional speed and power to supplement an already talented team. We are excited about this group as they love to compete and have fun doing so.  They should be a fun team to watch.”

What are your short-term goals for the program?

“In the short-term, we want to build off of the momentum from last season. Earning a trip to and competing in a regional is at the forefront of our minds, but we need to focus on what we can control to help get us there.”

What are your long-term goals for the program?

“Long-term, we want to build a more competitive program that is recognized as a tough, gritty mid-major team who excels on the field and in the classroom.”

Lastly, do you have any information to share for prospective athletes in regards to camp information for 2024?

“All camps can be found at:

https://link.edgepilot.com/s/84cb7db8/MsSmqs6zm022N7RybXHl8A?u=https://www.sordensoftballcamps.com/

We will add an elite camp this summer as well as 2 fall prospect camps and continue our winter academies for local players.”

*The SIUE Cougars will open their season on February 9th at the Frank Griffin Classic in Deland, FL squaring off against Boston University and Stetson University that Friday afternoon.*