Big Bats of Oklahoma Too Much as Bulls Drop First Game of WCWS

The Bulls, playing in their first ever WCWS game, jumped out to a 1 to 0 lead over Oklahoma in the 4th inning, but it wasn't enough in the end as the Sooners brought out the bats and beat USF 5 to 1 to take the opening game to the WCWS (USF now 50-13 on the season).

Game on: USF Set to Take on Oklahoma in First Game of the Women's College World Series

Time to bring the heat.

This is it, it's game one of the Women's College World Series.  The USF Bulls, 50-12, are making their first ever trip to the series in the program's history and the team wants to make some noise in Oklahoma City.  In the first game, the Bulls will have to square off against Oklahoma (50-8)  and the player of the year in Keilani Ricketts (game begins at 1PM).

Rush Through the Roster: #96 Anthony Hill

(Picture: www.gousfbulls.com)

#96 - Anthony Hill - DE - 6-4 283-pounds - Senior - Pensacola, Florida (Pensacola High School)

2011 stats: Hill played primarily as a reserve defensive end, seeing action in 11 games.  He totaled 8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 QBH, 2 PBU, and 1 forced fumble.

Position on depth chart: Hill tore his ACL during spring practice and will miss the 2012 season.

Projection for 2012: Hill will take a medical redshirt this season and will return for the 2013 season.  The team will miss having a solid senior leader on the depth chart this year.

Rush Through the Roster: #97 Ryne Giddins

#97 - Ryne Giddins - DE - 6-3 263-pounds - RS Junior - Tampa, Florida (Seffner High School)

2011 stats: Giddins started all 12 games last year at the left defensive end position.  He finished the year with 44 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 3 QBHs, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery.  He totaled a career high 11 tackles against UCONN and was named 2nd team all Big East.

Position on depth chart: Giddins is the starting left defensive end coming out of the spring.  Giddins has the size and strength needed to hold the corner against the run game and has the speed to rush the passer.

2012 projection: Giddins is the Bulls top pass rusher.  He got off to a somewhat slow start last season, but became a complete player later in the year, causing trouble off the edge.  As he continues to mature in the defense and get better with each snap, we could see a monster year from Giddins and even more sacks and tackles for loss with his ability to get into the backfield.

NCAA 2012 Women's Softball College World Series Eight Team T-Shirt

Congratulations to the USF softball team for making it to the 2012 Women's Softball College World Series. This is yet another great accomplishment for USF athletics and to commemorate this achievement this limited edition NCAA 2012 Women's Softball College World Series t-shirt  is now available online. Please pick one up today in adult and youth sizes while supplies last, and once again congrats to the ladies of the softball team. We wish you the best in Oklahoma City! GO BULLS!

Rush Through the Roster: #98 Cody Sanfratello

#98 Cody Sanfratello - DL - 6-0 245-pounds - Jensen Beach, FL (Jensen Beach High School)

2011 stats: Sanfratello redshirted after walking on to the team.

Position on the depth chart: Sanfratello did not appear on any of the depth charts coming out of the spring practices. 

2012 projection: Sanfratello will most likely be a contributor on the scout team this season or could even get on the field if their is a blowout.  The Bulls do not have a lot of experienced depth at the end position so if there are injuries (pray there aren't) and he progresses well, he could sneak onto the field at some point.

Pitching Staff Leading the Way for USF Softball

The Bulls are headed to the WCWS in Oklahoma City starting on Thursday afternoon when they take on Oklahoma in the first game.  For the Bulls, it's been an amazing season so far.  A 50-12 record, their first time hosting the super regional, and first trip to the world series are all program firsts, but the team is not satisfied by just making to the series, they want to make some noise while they are there.  The team will have that chance due to the starting pitching they have.

Top 11 Moments from 2011: Number 1

#1 - The Win over Notre Dame

Was there really any question on what the top moment from 2011 was?  The win over Notre Dame was history in the making.  The Bulls, a team that the national media had really no idea where they were located, was on the road facing one of the most historic programs in all of college football.

USF Baseball Falls 3 to 7 in Big East Tournament Championship

What a run the team had.  The USF Bulls (38-22) made their way out of the 1st loss bracket to make it to the championship game, beating UCONN twice yesterday, but just didn't have enough today as they fell 3 to 7.  

Rush Through the Roster: #99 Tevin Mims

#99 - Tevin Mims - DE - 6-3 250-pounds - Round Rock, Texas (Stony Point High School) (Navarro JC)

Time to begin looking at each player on the 2012 roster as we wait for the the season to begin.  We start at #99, defensive end Tevin Mims.

USF Baseball Sweeps UCONN to Advance to Big East Tournament Title

How sweep it is.  The Bulls, needing to sweep UCONN today to advance to the Big East title got unreal pitching as they advance to play on Sunday for the Big East title.

USF Softball Headed to Softball World Series

Plenty of reasons to smile as the Bulls head to the college world series. 

History has been made.  The USF Bulls, after dropping the game last night, came back to sweep the two games today and punch their tickets to the college world series (USF now 50-12 on the year). 

In the first game, the Bulls were able to win 2 to 1.  Lindsey Richardson went 4 innings, allowing 2 hits, 2 walks, and fanned 5 batters.  Sara Nevins took over after her, working 5 innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, and struck out 8 batters.  Kenshyra Jackson was 1 for 4 with an RBI.  Kourtney Salvarola was 0 for 3 and scored a run for the Bulls as they avoided elimination and forced a final game against Hofstra. 

The Bulls took the field in game two and were able to win 2 to 1.  Lindsey Richardson went 1.1 innings, allowing 2 hits and struck out 1 batter.  Sara Nevins once again replaced her and worked 5.2 innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 run, walking 4 and struck out 6 batters as she continued to show the nation she is one of the best pitchers in the country.  Stephanie Medina was 0 for 2 with an RBI.  Kourtney Salvarola was 2 for 3.  Kenshyra was 1 for 1 with an RBI to put the Bulls ahead for good. 

It's history.  USF is headed to Oklahoma City for the college world series.  Unreal.  This is huge for the team, congratulations to the ladies as they continue their tremendous season.

USF Drops Game to Hofstra in Super Regional Opener

What a game.  In front of a record setting crowd (over 1500), the USF Bulls battled Hofstra to the 11th inning, but fell 1 to 2 in the super regional opener (now 48-12 on the season).  

Sara Nevins got the start for the Bulls, but struggled early in the game, leaving a lot of base runners on against her.  She ended the day working 7.1 innings, allowing 7 hits, 2 runs, 6 walks, and fanned 9 batters.  Lindsey Richardson came in during the middle of the game and worked 3.2 innings of relief, striking out 2 batters.   The offense was quiet however.  The only score came in the third inning with a bunt by Jessica Mouse that scored Courtney Goff.  Ashli Goff was 2 for 3 in the game as well. 

USF faces elimination tomorrow at 2:30 as they take the field for game 2, looking to get something on offense and rebound. 

USF Survives Another Day, Beats Louisville 6 to 2

Facing elimination in the Big East tournament and facing the top seed in Louisville, the Bulls put on a show beating the Cardinals 6 to 2 and improving their record to 35-21 on the year.  The Bulls are still alive in this tournament and now have to face UCONN tomorrow at 1PM for another shot at the Huskies. 

Matt Reed had a huge game.  He worked 7.1 innings, allowing just 4 hits, 2 runs, and walked 2 batters.  Austin Adams took over after that, working the last 2.1 innings and struck out 2 batters, shutting down a powerful Cardinal batting order. 

The USF bats remained hot.  Alex Mendez went 3 for 4 including a 3-run home run that put USF ahead for good.  James Ramsay went 2 for 4 and scored a run.  Daniel Rockhold went 2 for 4 and drove in 3 runs as well. 

USF will face UCONN tomorrow starting at 1PM.  The Bulls have to beat them twice if they want to advance further in the tournament, so prepare for another big day full of drama and excitement. 

USF Softball Takes on Hofstra in the Super Regional NCAA Tournament

The Bulls, now 48-11 on the season and 3-0 out of the Gainesville regional, return home to take on Hostra in the super regional.  Hofstra, 41-13 on the season, started the year at 0-9 on the season and are on a roll right now as they come to Tampa.  Let's see what USF is facing in this round of 16 (this is a best of 3-game series). The game tonight starts at 7PM.

USF Brings Out the Bats, Waits Out Rain to Beat Pitt and Keep Season Alive

The Bulls busted out their bats, taking a 6 to 0 lead in the third inning before a long rain delay forced both sides to sit out for nearly 3 hours.  Once the rain cleared (entire area was drenched yesterday) the Bulls continued to swing the bats, winning the game 12 to 5, keeping the season alive.  USF is now 35-21 on the season. 

USF Faces Pitt in Elimination Game

The Bulls, 34-21 (17-11), are facing elimination today as they take on Pitt, 28-27, hoping to keep the season going.  USF lost 2 to 7 last night after leaving 14 base runners on.  They will try to get back to work today against Pitt, a team the Bulls took 2 out of 3 against in the regular season (game begins at 5PM).

Bulls Drop Opening Game of Big East Tournament to UCONN

Just two weeks after sweeping UCONN in Tampa, the Bulls (34-21, 17-11 in conference play) fell to the same Huskies squad in Clearwater in the opening round of the Big East tournament 2 to 7.  The Bulls allowed 14 hits against them and left 14 batters on the bases as the team struggled early. 

South Florida Bulls 2012 Big East Women's Golf Champions T-Shirt

Be sure to pick up one here online while supplies last!

Take pride in the fact that your USF Bulls gave one of the most dominant performances in Division I women's golf teams this season. Let the world know that they're the conference champs in this 2012 Women's Golf Champions tee. This tee features a USF 2012 Women's Golf Champions graphic printed on the front so you can boast your confidence and tell everyone you're the champions. Congrats once again to our USF Ladies and GO BULLS!

USF Takes on UCONN in the First Game of the Big East Tournament

Game on.

The Bulls finished the season with an impressive record of 34-20 (17-10) and earned the number 4 seed in the Big East tournament in Clearwater, Florida (missed it last season completely).  For the first round, the Bulls will face the 5th seeded UCONN Huskies, the same team they swept just two weeks ago in Tampa.

The Huskies finished the regular season at 29-25-1 (16-11) and ended the year with a win over Notre Dame, so they will have the momentum rolling heading into this game and will look to knock off the Bulls early (game begins at 8PM).

Thoughts on the Big East Meetings

From Greg Auman - The Big East athletic directors, coaches, and the interim commissioner meet for the past few days in Ponte Vedra, Florida to discuss the fate of the Big East conference during their annual meeting.

With John Marinatto gone (resigned) and the the realignment talks resurfacing once again, the group met with several issues to address and came away with some interesting notes after voting on some top issues. 

Three Bulls Named to All Big East Teams

As the Big East tournament gets underway, 3 Bulls were honored for their efforts this season, leading the team back to the Big East tournament and an outside shot at the NCAA tournament (have to win a lot more games to make that happen). 

Outfielder James Ramsay and RHP pitcher Derrick Stultz were named 2nd team All Big East.  Sophomore Ramsay had a break out season, batting .332 (led team) with 8 doubles, 2 home runs, drove in 29 runs, and stole 13 bases while playing great defense.  Senior Stultz returned from shoulder surgery last year to go 8-1 on the season with a 3.76 ERA.  He tossed 76.2 innings, allowing 66 hits, 21 walks, and struck out 55 batters while holding opponents to a .236 batting average against him. 

Senior Andrew Barbosa was named first team All Big East.  The 6-8 RHP returned from Tommy John surgery to go 7-5 this season with a 2.37 ERA.  He worked a staff best 83.2 innings, allowing just 50 hits, 20 walks and struck out 103 batters, showing his powerful fastball (opponents hit just .178 against him). 

USF will take on UCONN tomorrow night at 8PM, but we tip the cap to the great accomplishments of these young men after an outstanding season. 

Top 11 Moments from 2011: Number 2

#2 - Win over Syracuse

The Big East portion of the schedule didn't go quite the way everyone wanted it to.  Let's be honest, at 1-6, it was painful to watch (don't even look at the Pitt game). But the lone win on the schedule was a positive moment from a disappointing season.

Friday Night One of the Biggest Nights in USF Athletic History?

Since I came to USF back in 2005, there have been several shinning moments for all of the athletic programs.  From the men's basketball team upsetting Georgetown and other highly ranked opponents at the old Sun Dome, watching the women's basketball team make it to the NCAA tournament and win a WNIT tournament, to the tennis teams claiming Big East titles, all have been huge, but are they as big as the game this Friday night?

Top 11 Moments from 2011: Number 3

(Picture: www.tbo.com)

#3 - Darrell Scott jumps over defender against Ball State

The Bulls got a couple impressive early non-conference wins at the beginning of the season and there were several individual highlights from those games.  One in particular that stood out was DarrellScott jumping over a defender. 

USF Beats Florida, Advancing to the Super Regional

Sara Nevins = BOSS

They did it! USF defeats UF! The USF Bulls completed the Gainesville regional beating host UF 1 to 0 today, advancing to the super regional of the NCAA tournament (strong chance to host it as well).  The Bulls, now 48-11 on the season, fought hard and behind the arm of Sara Nevins were able to get through the bracket with a perfect record.

Nevins was in complete boss mode again.  She worked the entire game, allowing just 5 hits, 3 walks and struck out 12 batters.  The Gators loaded the bases in the bottom of the 6th inning, but Nevins did Nevins things and got out of the trouble.  The offense did just enough.  Gina Kafalas went 2 for 3.  Kenshyra Jackson went 1 for 3 and drove in the lone run of the game.

Awesome win, simply awesome win for the team that now advances to the super regional.  USF will wait to find out their next opponent and if they could be the host for that.  

USF Takes on the Gators Needing One More Win to Advance

The Bulls enter the game with a 47-11 record and are 2-0 in the Gainesville region, meaning they need just one more win to advance to the super regionals (would be for the second time in program history).  The road there won't be easy as the 5th seeded Gators, who batted 6 home runs in their two elimination games yesterday, are the team that stands in the way (48-12 overall this season).  The Bull beat the Gators this season in their home stadium and need to do it one more time to keep the season rolling (if they have to play a second game it would begin at 3:30PM).

Bulls Avoid Wweep, Beat WVU in 12 Innings to Close Out Regular Season

The Bulls needed 12 innings, but were able to close out the regular season with a strong win against WVU 5 to 4, ending the season with a win as they head to Clearwater for the Big East tournament (team ends the year at 34-20  and 17-10 in conference play). 

USF Softball Rolls Again, Beating FGCU 8 to 3

After holding on to beat UCF the other day, USF brought out the bats in their 8 to 3 win over FGCU, running their record to 47-11 on the year and more importantly, 2-0 in the Gainesvill regional.  The Bulls need one more win to advance to the super regional. 

The bats came out in this game.  Gina Kafalas went 2 for 4 with a two RBI triple.  Jessica Mouse was 2 for 4 with a run scored.  Kenshyra Jackson went 4 for 4 with a double and drove in another run as the Bulls put pressure on the the Eagles in each inning, never letting up.

USF Softball Takes on FGCU in the Second Game of the NCAA Regional Tournament

After some clutch defense and timely hitting yesterday, the Bulls 46-11 face Florida Gulf Coast University (38-22) in the second game of the regional tournament.  FGCU surprised everyone yesterday by beating host Florida 2 to 1.  The Bulls beat FGCU earlier this season 4 to 2, but it will be another close game (game begins at 1PM).

Bulls Drop Second Straight to WVU in Offensive Slug Match

The Bulls battled WVU in a huge offensive performance by each team, but failed to get the win in the second game of the series, falling 8 to 10 and dropping their record to 33-20 (16-10) on the season. 

Derrick Stultz was chased early in this game.  He went 1.2 innings, allowing 5 hits, 6 runs, striking out 2.  Joey Lovecchio replaced him, working 3.2 innings, allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, and struck out 2.  Nick Gonzalez went 2 innings, allowing 1 hit, 1 run, 1 walk, and struck out 1.  Steven Leasure got two outs and walked one batter.

USF Beats UCF Behind the Arm of Nevins and Defense of Mouse

The Bulls were able to beat UCF in the first game of the NCAA regional tournament with just 2 hits, but it was the defense of Jessica Mouse and the pitching of Sara Nevins that proved to be the difference in this game (team is now 46-11 after the great win). 

USF Softball Takes on UCF in First Game of NCAA Regional

The Bulls, 45-11, hit the road to Gainesville in the regional round of the NCAA tournament (double elimination style.  This means two losses and you go home).  USF will face UCF in the first game of the regional bracket.

UCF is 39-17 on the season, including a 4-4 record at neutral sites.  The two sides have not faced each other in several years, so it should make for a very exciting opening round (game slated to start at 3:30PM).

Bulls Drop Bad Game to WVU

Not exactly the team wanted to start this final regular season series.  The Bulls dropped the first game to WVU 3 to 6, dropping their overall record to 33-19 (16-9), dropping them 2 games back for the regular season title. 

Andrew Barbosa was not as sharp as he has been all season.  He worked just 5 innings, allowing 9 hits, 4 runs, 1 walk and struck out 5 batters.  Adrian Puig went 1.2 innings, allowing 3 hits 1 run, and struck out 1 batter.  Janick Serrallonga got one out and allowed one hit.  Andrew Loynaz went 1 inning, allowing a walk and struck out 1 batter. 

The offense was quiet for the most part.  Alex Mendez went 2 for 5 with a double and scored a run.  Luis Llerena went 1 for 3 with an RBI and scored 2 runs.  James Ramsay went 2 for 4 with an RBI as well. 

The team will try to rebound tomorrow night when they take the field at 7:05.

USF Takes on WVU in the Final Regular Season Series

The USF Bulls, 33-18 (16-8), were rained out of their Thursday game against UNF and now finish the regular season on the road at Morgantown as the team looks to end the season on a high note heading into the Big East tournament.  The Bulls still have a chance at the regular season title, but have to take it one game at a time and WVU stands in the way.

WVU is 21-31 (7-17) on the season, including 13-10 at home.  They have a solid batting order and can look to derail the Bulls in the final series (game begins tonight at 7:05, the Friday game begins at 7:05, and the Saturday game begins at 1PM).

Top 11 Moments from 2011: Number 4

#4 - Jerrell Young's Forced Fumble on Notre Dame's Opening Drive

The hype surrounding this opening game of the season was huge and Notre Dame came out swinging on their opening drive.  The Irish drove the length of the field behind the skill of running back Cierre Wood.  Wood gashed the USF for big runs, working his way down to the USF 2-yard line and it appeared as if it would be an easy score for the Irish and a complete momentum swing to their side; senior safety Jerrell Young had other ideas.

Top 11 Moments from 2011: Number 5

#5 - New uniforms

Before the start of the season, a few images were leaked about possible uniform changes for the Bulls.  Quarterback B.J. Daniels even tweeted a few images of a gold helmet and a possible green helmet before he deleted his account.  Message boards and twitter were alive with talk and then finally, Under Armour and USF released the new uniforms.

Rain and Bad Weather Cancels USF vs. UNF Game; Won't Be Made Up

USF and UNF pushed their game originally scheduled for last week to today due to the threat of weather in the area.  It seems mother nature has a sense of humor as thunderstorms came through the Jacksonville area this afternoon, forcing the two teams to cancel the game.  It will not be made up.

The Bulls were down 0 to 1 in the bottom of the second with 2 runners on and 2 out against Joey Lovecchio.  Lovecchio had allowed 4 hits through 1.2 innings of work, striking out 1 and walking 1.  Blake Sydeski and Kyle Teaf both had singles for the Bulls.

The Bulls, 33-18 (16-8) will travel to WVU for the final regular season series of the year.  Bulls are just one game back for first place in the conference and will look to end the year on a high note heading into the Big East tournament.

USF Hits the Road to Take on UNF

The USF Bulls, 33-18 (16-8), are on the road the final week of the regular season.  They will first head to Jacksonville to take on UNF (game that was pushed back a week due to weather concerns). 

UNF, who beat USF 9 to 1 in Tampa, is 29-23 (10-14) on the year but are 15-8 at home, posing a huge challenge to the Bulls who are hot coming off of a 3-game sweep of UCONN over the weekend.  This will be a very interesting game to watch (game starts at 2PM).

Top 11 Moments from 2011: Number 6

#6 - Wounded Warrior Uniforms

New uniforms always seem to get the fans and players excited and when Under Armour unveiled the Wounded Warrior, everyone got excited.  The uniforms were unique, completely different, but most importantly, represented a greater cause than football, the wounded veterans of the armed forces.

The Wounded Warrior foundation represents the injured veterans that return home from service, providing them with aid when they need it the most.  The uniforms and merchandise sold during the game and after went right to the great foundation and to those who have served the nation.

The uniforms were very unique and only a handful of teams were selected for the uniforms, giving the Bulls a unique honor during the game.  While the team couldn't get the win while wearing these one-of-a-kind uniforms, the memory of seeing them take the field and the cause they represent, was a highlight from the season.

Top 11 Moments from 2011: Number 7

#7 - Sterling Griffin's TD reception vs. WVU

Another moment from that WVU game came in the 2nd quarter. The Bulls were down 0 to 10 at that point and needed something to turn the momentum in their favor before halftime.  The Bulls began the drive at their own 24 yard line and were able march down the field against a talented WVU defense.

USF Softball Headed to NCAA Tournament, Faces UCF in Gainesville Region

It's been 3-years since the softball team went to the NCAA tournament, but last night, the wait was ended.  The Bulls, after an impressive 45-11 campaign, heard their name called for the NCAA tournament and got a great draw for their regional.

Bulls Complete Their Sweep of UCONN with 8 to 3 Victory

The Bulls capped off a great weekend with a sweep of Big East foe 8 to 3 in the final home stand of the regular season.  The Bulls are now 33-18 (16-8) on the year and are ending the year on a very high note. 

Matt Reed got the start for the Bulls and went 7 innings, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs, and 1 walk.  Andrew Loynaz took over the 8th, allowing 1 hit, 1 walk, and struck out 1.  Steven Leasure worked the 9th, allowing 1 walk and struck out the side to end the game. 

The offense struck hard and fast to start to the game to put the Bulls up 5 to 0 in the 1st inning (thanks to 4 errors by the Huskies as well).  Alex Mendez went 1 for 5 with a run scored.  James Ramsay went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.  Daniel Rockhold went 1 for 4 with an RBI and scored 2 runs.  Todd Brazeal went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs.  Alex Diaz went 2 for 4 with an RBI as well. 

The Bulls will hit the road to take on UNF on Tuesday afternoon (game starts at 2PM, was pushed back due to weather last week) and will end the regular season at WVU over the weekend.  Hopefully the team can take this great momentum from the weekend and end the regular season on a high note heading into the Big East tournament in Clearwater.

Behind the Arm of Stultz, Bulls Beat UCONN Again

The Bulls got the second win of the series, beating UCONN 3 to 0 behind a strong performance by Derrick Stultz who earned his 8th win over the year (8-1).  USF is now 32-18 (15-8) and finds themselves tied for 2nd place in the Big East.

Stultz went 6 innings, allowing just 4 hits, 1 walk, and fanned 3 batters, keeping a solid Huskies batting order all evening.  Nick Gonzalez earned the save (2) by working the last 3 innings, allowing just 2 hits over the stretch. 

The offense did just enough to get the Bulls the win.  Andrew Longley went 2 for 3 with a run scored.  Kyle Teaf (who went 3 for 3 last night) went 1 for 3 and scored a run.  Zac Gilcrease went 2 for 3 with an RBI and scored a run as well. 

The Bulls will try to get the sweep tomorrow when they take the field at 1PM.

USF Rallies to Beat UCONN in Opening Game

Andrew Barbosa pitched a gem and the offense got just enough as the Bulls took game one of the series.

The Bulls were down 0 to 2 early, but came back and won 3 to 2 over UCONN to take the opening game in the 3-game series.  USF is now 31-18 (14-8) on the season after the strong win. 

Final Home Series for USF Seniors

It's the final regular season home series for the Bulls as they look to close out the season strong.  For the seniors, it will be the last time they take the field as a Bull.  Let's take a moment to honor the seniors that will be taking the diamond for the last time at home.

USF Baseball Takes on UCONN for Pivotal Series

After their Wednesday game against UNF was delayed until next Tuesday night, the Bulls host Big East foe UCONN for the weekend.  USF is 30-18 (13-8) on the year and looking to close out the remainder of the regular season with some strong, confidence boosting wins before heading into the Big East tournament.

UCONN is 27-21 (14-7) on the year, but are 13-11 on the road this year (first game tonight begins at 7PM, the Saturday game begins at 6PM, the series concludes Sunday at 1PM).

Top 11 Moments from 2011: Number 8

After taking a look at the huge offensive performance the Bulls put on against FAMU, the number 8 moment took place off the field and before the season even began.  It was an opportunity to meet the team and coaching staff despite the insane weather in the area that day. 

Bulls Fall in First Round of Big East Tournament

The Bulls couldn't get anything going on offense and DePaul struck with one big inning to beat the Bulls 6 to 0.  USF ends the season with a 45-11 (17-6) record after this defeat in the first round of the Big East tournament.

Sara Nevins was in control of the game until the 5th inning where the Blue Demons took advantage of a double and then poured it on.  Nevins went just 4.2 innings, allowing 5 hits, 6 runs, 3 walks and struck out 5.  Lindsey Richardson came in for relief and worked 2.1 innings, allowing 1 walk and struck out 2. 

The offense couldn't get anything going as they managed just two singles in the game (Ashli Goff and Kenshyra Jackson had the only two hits).  This marks the 4th time in the last 8 Big East games that the Bulls have been kept off the boards, something they will need to work on.

The Bulls now return home and await their next opponent in the NCAA tournament.  Regional match-ups will be announced on Sunday at 10PM, so the team will have to wait the weekend to see who they will face next

Four Bulls Named to All Big East Teams

Before the Bulls play their first round game in the Big East tournament, 4 players were honored by the conference for their incredible regular seasons (full list of winners and teams can be found here).

Senior short stop Kourtney Salvarola was named 1st team All Big East.  Salvarola led the Bulls in batting average, hitting .349 with 11 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs, 30 RBIs, and stole 30 bases while playing incredible defense up the middle.

The 2nd team All Big East included 3 Bulls.  Junior 1st baseman Stephanie Medina made the team after batting .311 with 7 home runs and drove in 30 runs.  Senior outfielder Janine Richardson joined her after batting .307 with 8 doubles, 7 home runs, 27 RBIs, and 11 steals.  The third player on the team is sophomore ace pitcher Sara Nevins.  Nevins is 26-4 (1.06 ERA) after pitching 205.2 innings, allowing 132 hits, 41 walks and has 268 strike outs on the year (.179 batting average against her).  While being named 2nd team is a great honor, it is a bit curious why she was not named 1st team. 

Congrats ladies on the tremendous honors.

USF Softball Takes on DePaul in the First Round of the Big East Tournament

The Bulls take the field for an early contest in the first round of the Big East tournament.   The ladies finished the regular season with a mark of 45-10 (17-5) and are ranked 16th in the nation and enter the BE tournament as the 4 seed.   They will face DePaul this morning at 10AM in the first game of the tournament in South Bend, Indiana.

DePaul enters the game at 39-14 (14-8) on the year.  The two teams have not faced each other this season, but will do battle for the right to face the winner of the Louisville v. UCONN game on Friday at 4PM.

Bull Bits

While the summer is typically a quiet time for USF football (coaches out recruiting, players out of school for the semester), there was a lot to talk about today. Coach Holtz sat down this afternoon for a "hangout" on Googe+ chat with the fans.  Fans could log-in on the social media site and interact with Holtz, asking him questions in this very unique and great feature by athletics and football (first coach to sit down and do a live chat with fans).  Check out the video below for the full chat.  Some of the highlights include Holtz joking he would like to recruit players from overseas, as long as he could head to the Bahamas first, classic material.

Bulls Baseball on the Bubble

Though they have had a bit of trouble staying consistent in non-conference play this year, USF baseball is preparing to head into the postseason. Beginning in about two weeks, the Big East tournament will decide who gets the league's automatic bid for the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Spoiler alert: I don't expect USF to win the Big East. They're up in to top of the standings, but I'm not sure this team is built for tournament play. In the event that the Bulls don't end up getting the automatic spot, it's time to look at how they can make it into the tournament with an at-large bid.

Top 11 Moments from 2011: Number 9

At the number 10 moment, we saw a trick play from the USF offense that worked out quite well.  For the number 9 moment, we will stay on the offensive side of the ball and look at a record breaking night at Raymond James Stadium. 

Top 11 Moments from 2011: Number 10

In the first part of the series countdown, we saw JaQuez Jenkins and his key interception make the top 11 moments from 2011.  At number 10, we look at the offensive side of the ball and a trick play that helped the Bulls score a memorable touchdown late in the season.

USF Softball to Face DePaul on Thursday in 1st round of Big East Tournament

From USF Athletics - The Bulls, 45-10 (17-5) will play against DePaul on Thursday morning in the opening round of the Big East tournament in South Bend, Indiana (Notre Dame, the 2nd seed, is the host of the tournament).

The Bulls will take on DePaul, 34-19 (14-8), at 10AM.  The two teams did not face each other in the regular season.

The winner of the game will play the winner of the Louisville (1 seed) vs. UCONN (8 seed) on Friday at 4PM.  The championship game is scheduled for Saturday at 6PM and will be on national television on ESPN 2 at 6PM.  Cheer for the ladies as they look to keep this historic season going.

Top 11 Moments from 2011: Number 11

(Picture: www.247sports.com)

The 2011 season was a disappointing one, but there were some great moments as well (despite the 5-7 record).  Like we did last year with our top 10 moments, we will count down the top 11 moments from 2011 from the year.  Here is moment number 11. 

Bulls Fall to St. John's in Walk-off in the 9th

The Bulls came up short in the bottom of the 9th inning as St. John's walked-off with the win and the series win, beating USF 5 to 4.  The Bulls are now 30-18 (13-8) after dropping the last two games to the 1st place Red Storm in the Big East conference. 

Derrick Stultz went 6 innings, allowing 6 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk and struck out 3 as he kept the Bulls in the game.  Austin Adams struggled in 2.1 innings, of relief, allowing 4 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, and struck out 2, allowing the Red Storm to walk-off in the 9th inning. 

Alex Mendez went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored as he continues his hot season down the stretch.  James Ramsay, batting second, went 1 for 3 with an RBI and walked twice.  Zac Gilcrease went 2 for 3 with a run scored.  Luis Llerena went 2 for 4 with an RBI and scored a run as well. 

The Bulls will take on North Florida on Wednesday for the last non-conference match-up of the year.  After that they will host UCONN for a 3-game series over the weekend before hitting the road to end the regular season with WVU.

USF Softball No-Hit in Season Finale at Syracuse

The regular season didn't end the way the ladies would have liked it as they fell to Syracuse 0 to 7 and were no hit by Cuse ace pitcher Jenna Caira who went a perfect 7 innings and struck out 8 along the way.  The lose drops the Bulls to 45-10 (17-5) to end the regular season and puts them in the 4th seed for the Big East tournament. 

Lindsey Richardson got the start for the Bulls, going 5.1 innings, allowing 4 hits, 5 runs, walked 4 and struck out 7.  Sam Greiner got two outs but allowed 2 hits, 2 runs, and struck out 1 batter.  There was nothing going on for the Bulls on offense as Caira dominated the strike zone and kept all the Bulls off the bases. 

The Bulls now head to the Big East tournament which starts on Thursday in South Bend, Indiana.  Stay tuned to the Bull Rush for full coverage of the tournament as the Bulls look to continue their great season.

Top 5 Defensive Players from 2011: Number 1

Here we are, the top defensive player from the 2011 season. The Bulls had plenty of outstanding players.  Names like Michael Lanaris, Quenton Washington, and Mark Joyce came up big for the unit all season, but there is one player that takes the top spot in this countdown.

USF Softball Splits Double Header with Syracuse

The Bulls were on the road for the final regular season series of the year against the Syracuse Orange as they try to get momentum rolling as they head to the postseason. 

The Bulls dropped the first game of the double header 0 to 2.  Lindsey Richardson went 4.1 innings, allowing 3 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and struck out 7 batters.  Sam Greiner worked 1.2 innings in relief, allowing 3 hits, 1 walk, and struck out 3 batters.  Ashli Goff went 1 for 3 with a steal and Kourtney Salvarola went 1 for 3 and stole 2 bases. 

The ladies responded in game 2, winning 4 to 3.  Sara Nevins worked 7.1 innings, allowing 8 hits, 3 runs, striking out 14 batters along the way.  Lindsey Richardson got the last two outs via strike out.  Stephanie Medina went 1 for 3 with an RBI.  Kenshyra Jackson went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs.  Kourtney Salvarola went 2 for 4 with 2 home runs in the game and Jessica Mouse went 2 for 4 as well.  The Bulls are now 45-9 (17-4) on the season.

The Bulls will look to take the series tomorrow at noon.

USF Baseball Falls in the Second Game to SJU

The Bulls dropped the second game of the series against St. John's, 2 to 6, dropping them to 30-17 (13-7) on the year. 

Joey Lovecchio struggled again in his start, working 5.2 innings, allowing 7 hits, 6 runs, 1 walk and struck out 4 batters.  Adrian Puig went 1.1 innings, allowing 2 hits and struck out a batter.  Andrew Loynaz followed him working 1 inning, allowing a hit and struck out one batter. 

The offense had a hard time getting going in this one.  Alex Mendez went 2 for 5 as he continues his strong play in this series.  Todd Brazeal went 0 for 4 again, but drove in a run.  Kyle Copack, getting the start at third again, went 1 for 4 and scored a run. 

The Bulls will try to take the series tomorrow at noon as they look to improve their standings in the Big East conference. 

USF Softball Heads to Syracuse for the End of the Regular Season

Sara Nevins and company will look to end the regular season on a high note.

The USF Bulls, 44-8 (16-3), and ranked 16th in the nation, hit the road for the final series of the regular season as they take on the Orange of Syracuse for three games.  The Bulls are coming off of a strong sweep against Villanova last weekend and will look to head to the Big East tournament with momentum, but the Orange won't make it easy.

Syracuse is 38-12 (15-4) on the year and are 11-1 at home this season and are in the midst of a 4-game winning streak of their own, so something has to give between the two sides (double header scheduled for today begins at 12PM, the second game is scheduled for 2PM.  The series wraps up on Sunday at 11AM).

USF Beats St. John's in Dominating Performance by Andrew Barbosa

The Bulls hit the road for a huge series against St. John's and struck first with a 3 to 0 win against the Red Storm thanks to a huge effort by Andrew Barbosa as the Bulls improve to 30-16 (13-6). 

Barbosa was the man again tonight.  He went all 9 innings (longest outing of the year) allowing just 2 hits and struck out 9 batters as the defense turned key double plays and he pounded the strike zone on the way to a big win. 

Alex Mendez went 2 for 3 with a double and scored 2 runs to lead the offense.  Luis Llerena went 1 for 2 with a run scored.  James Ramsay went 1 for 3 with 2 RBIs and Todd Brazeal went 0 for 4 but drove in the third run of the night. 

The Bulls will take the field tomorrow at 1PM as they look to take the second game in this series. 

USF Baseball Takes on St. Johns

USF baseball, 29-16 (12-6), currently sit in third place as they travel to New York to take on Big East leading St. John's for a 3-game series.

SJU, 29-16 (14-4) is 13-4 at home this year and sits atop the conference.  They are looking to defend their position as the Bulls look to take a few games away on the road late in the year and try to take their first ever Big East title (first pitch tonight is scheduled for 6PM, the game on Saturday begins at 1PM, and the final game on Sunday begins at noon).

Looking for Perfect Signs and Banners?

USF fans, looking for a way to promote your club, company, fraternity/sorority, or any other organization around campus?  Using chalk on the sidewalks is not the way and hanging up little flyers on crowded message boards around campus doesn't work either (no one ever reads those), what you need is a vinyl banner to catch everyone's eye.

SignsOnTheCheap.com and BannersOnTheCheap.com are the premier leaders in banners and signs for any function or event.  They allow you to create custom signs with graphics, vibrant colors, and come in any size to fit your function's need.  The Bull Rush uses Banners on the Cheap to create custom sizes for our tailgating events that grab everyone's attention.  So make sure to check them out and start promoting the right way.

The links for these two great sites can also be found on our "Links" tab at the top of the page.

Top 5 Defensive Players from 2011: Number 2

At number two on the countdown, is freshman defensive tackle Elkino Watson.  The surprise 4-star recruit out of Miami stepped up big for the Bulls in his first season and became a force in the middle of the defense.

Watson totaled 33 tackles last season (made his first career tackle at Notre Dame) had 8 tackles for loss and had one sack. Watson did well rotating in on the defensive line, getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks and dragging down running backs in the backfield.  He is a big, strong young man that with a year under his belt, is ready for even bigger things in 2012.  With Patrick Hampton going down in spring, he has even more opportunity to grab a starting role on the defense.

So there is number two, Elkino Watson?  Agree he should be ranked at this position or should another player be ranked ahead of him?

Top 5 Defensive Players from 2011: Number 3

So far we have had Ryne Giddins and Jerrell Young make the countdown list as the top defensive players from 2011.  As we get closer to the number one player from 2011, the list gets tighter as we try to  determine who will get the number one spot.  Let's take a look at the number three player.

Top 5 Defensive Players from 2011: Number 4

At number 5, defensive end Ryne Giddins made the countdown of the top defensive players from 2011.  Now we turn out attention to the number 4 player on the countdown for the Bulls.  Let's see who made the list.