Just How Great is USF's Softball Team?

It's quite clear by now that the USF Softball team has been having an outstanding season. What may not be so clear, however, is what's pushing the Lady Bulls to such success. Currently, they sit at the top of the Big East standings, undefeated in conference play, remaining as one of only three teams in the Big-Six conferences to have that statistic. Coach Ken Ericksen has done an excellent job of grooming these ladies in the past years and it is now paying dividends for him and the USF community.

The Bulls (27-15, 7-0 Big East) at the moment are sitting on a ten-game winning streak, which gets tested tomorrow in a doubleheader at Rutgers and then in a three-game weekend series at Seton Hall. They are 7-0 in conference play, and only #23 Notre Dame (26-7, 5-0 Big East) and #1 Texas (34-3, 7-0 Big 12) are undefeated within their league among the six major conferences. USF even received four votes this past week in the Ultimate College Softball poll, which was good enough to place them at #32 nationally.

But what is really remarkable about this team's success is who is responsible for it. Of course, credit is due to Coach Ericksen for his tremendous coaching and recruiting talent, which made him the choice to coach the USA National Softball Team, but the truth is that the players themselves are the ones doing the dirty work. Eight of the 18 roster spots on the team are filled by freshmen. two more are sophomores, and there are only two seniors on the team this year. One of those freshmen is pitcher Sara Nevins, who has received national recognition by the conference for her outstanding performances in the circle. In her first start, she recorded 13 strikeouts, and in her last two starts, she has lost a no-hitter with two outs left in the game. The best part about her is that she still has three more years at USF and will continue to improve her game. Sophomore Lindsey Richarsdon went 3-0 last week and also received Big East honors. And as great as the pitching is, the hitting is just as good. The Bulls have only been shut out three times, and have gotten run-rule wins on six occasions. Junior Gina Kafalas and Freshman Stephanie Medina are currently the top two of the five team members who are posting a batting average above .300. Of those other three players, two are freshmen (Ashli Goff and Kourtney Salvarola).

Seriously, if you haven't been to a softball game yet, I strongly recommend that you go out and support our girls. Since our football team was in a transition year this season, and our men's soccer, baseball, and volleyball teams have all been performing very average this past year, this softball club could be the best USF product for this past academic year. The great record and winning streak are encouraging for now, but the youth of this team and the excellent coaching ensure a very bright future for years to come.