Lady Vols Softball

[anecwnrjcns12]

"Battling with them" is all well and good, but I'd rather have a meaningful W against them or, better yet, actually win the SEC championship or SECT over them or Florida. Honestly I'm not sure why head-to-head was even brought up given immense success in the SEC by Bama and Florida on a consistent basis. Outside of a couple of down seasons Bama had few years ago, I can't remember the last time they weren't in the conversation for a SEC championship and/or a NCAA championship. We should be trying to be better than them not giving ourselves moral victories for "battling with them". I'm hoping the new influx of transfers and the new hitting coach plus Megan can get us there again.

100% agree. I have always thought that the reason we never caught up with this new style of softball was because ralph didn’t like it. I have a good feeling this team will be a lot different than previous teams. I think karen knows what wins these days and can communicate that to this group.

 

[Vol67]

Thank you

They played a team that is little better than a high school team

 

[Vol67]

The point is that Tennessee has definitely passed over in-state players in favor of inferior players from, most notably, California, that play on certain travel ball teams. Obviously not every in-state recruit (or maybe even most of them) would want to come to UT, but UT frequently doesn't even try with the best players in the state.

Also there are plenty of schools on that list that consistently beat us, most notably Florida and Bama, both of whom flat out own us.

How many are starters

 

[Hooper22]

Huge get for this staff!

 

[Volfan1017]

Huge get for this staff!

Any info on her? couldn’t find much online.

 

[Hooper22]

Any info on her? couldn’t find much online.

She’s ranked #6 with Extra Innings Softball. Solid shortstop. One of the top players in the nation. This staff making moves.

 

[volfan__18]

She’s ranked #6 with Extra Innings Softball. Solid shortstop. One of the top players in the nation. This staff making moves.

She’s a VERY solid player.

 

[Majors]

Any info on her? couldn’t find much online.

Vipers Tamborra is a solid program. Heavy emphasis on MI right now with the 22/23 classes along with Lair. Lost Delani Sullivan this week to UK also a MI, she was in a few weeks ago.

 

[kregman]

Just watched first game. Has Ashley pitched any this fall?

 

[anecwnrjcns12]

Just watched first game. Has Ashley pitched any this fall?

Thoughts on the game?

 

[Vols4life]

. Best of luck to the young lady and wish her well. But that’s majority of the kids headed off to D2 to pitch.

From ExtraInning
Charli Orsini, who lives right outside of Sydney near some of the most famous landmarks in the world, will soon be going to a university she’s never been to… and playing for college coaches she’s never met in person…
… and they’ve never seen her play in person, either.

That last part is why Tennessee girls feel slighted and choose other schools over staying home. If you can’t win your state in recruiting, you won’t win the SEC.

Bama wins with players NOT from Alabama.....none of their ACE pitchers have been from Bama since maybe Erin Wright....Their best hitter the last 4 years was from Louisiana.....players go where they want to these days.... sure coaches want to close their borders but with the way TV deals are now....staying close to home is not a necessary thing because families can watch from home now.

 

[Majors]

Bama wins with players NOT from Alabama.....none of their ACE pitchers have been from Bama since maybe Erin Wright....Their best hitter the last 4 years was from Louisiana.....players go where they want to these days.... sure coaches want to close their borders but with the way TV deals are now....staying close to home is not a necessary thing because families can watch from home now.

Yes they do, and with a state population under 5 million while we are a state under 7 million. Same could be said for Oklahoma who sits under 4 million in population but continuously wins each year. Bama currently has 7 players on roster from the state out of 22 from Alabama. One of those not from the state of Alabama is the #3 player in the nation from the State of Tennessee in the 2021 Class. I agree that kids want to go elsewhere, that hasn't been my issue in our recruiting. My stance in recruiting state kids has been we are not in the conversations for those choosing to leave. If you go all in on a TN kid and they choose to go to name the school, then that is ok you did your job and wish them well. But when we are not talking to those kids or their travel coaches (elite level travel coaches) then we have deeper issues. The player mentioned that is currently at Alabama, we were on the outside looking in when she verballed to Auburn in 8th grade, decommited after Clint resigned. Even after she opened it back up, we never got back in with her. You can't win them all but in a time when your state is loaded in quality, quantity and position of needs you need to win your state by a majority. And right now we only have 4 players from the state of Tennessee out of 24. So even by your stance, Bama wins with more players from Alabama than we do by losing with less players from ours.

I'm not naive to think that Tennessee made is the only way to go, but I'm also not naive to believe that our state has to take a backseat when the talent has caught up enough to have more than 4 players on the roster.

 

[volman128]

Bama also wins without the California pipeline. They rarely have any California kids on their roster -- the only one this year is Ally Shipman -- and in 2012, when they won it all, they didn't have any. They do have a couple of notable exceptions, like Charlotte Morgan and Lexi Osorio, who were both from California and both AAs at Bama. They typically recruit Florida, Georgia and Texas the best. Kelsi Dunne, Jackie Traina and Kelly Kretchman were all from Florida. Haylie McCleney, BTW, was from Alabama.

The point about Alabama is that they arguably the state of Tennessee better than we do. And it's not like Alabama doesn't get players from their own state, which, for whatever reason, was implied here. The state of Alabama doesn't have the depth of players in high school like the state of Tennessee does, anyway.

 

[SEC FAN 1111]

Bama wins with players NOT from Alabama.....none of their ACE pitchers have been from Bama since maybe Erin Wright....Their best hitter the last 4 years was from Louisiana.....players go where they want to these days.... sure coaches want to close their borders but with the way TV deals are now....staying close to home is not a necessary thing because families can watch from home now.

Don’t underestimate Bama’s coaching, Murphy is one of the best, kids want to go there and play for him.

 

[Vols4life]

Yes they do, and with a state population under 5 million while we are a state under 7 million. Same could be said for Oklahoma who sits under 4 million in population but continuously wins each year. Bama currently has 7 players on roster from the state out of 22 from Alabama. One of those not from the state of Alabama is the #3 player in the nation from the State of Tennessee in the 2021 Class. I agree that kids want to go elsewhere, that hasn't been my issue in our recruiting. My stance in recruiting state kids has been we are not in the conversations for those choosing to leave. If you go all in on a TN kid and they choose to go to name the school, then that is ok you did your job and wish them well. But when we are not talking to those kids or their travel coaches (elite level travel coaches) then we have deeper issues. The player mentioned that is currently at Alabama, we were on the outside looking in when she verballed to Auburn in 8th grade, decommited after Clint resigned. Even after she opened it back up, we never got back in with her. You can't win them all but in a time when your state is loaded in quality, quantity and position of needs you need to win your state by a majority. And right now we only have 4 players from the state of Tennessee out of 24. So even by your stance, Bama wins with more players from Alabama than we do by losing with less players from ours.

I'm not naive to think that Tennessee made is the only way to go, but I'm also not naive to believe that our state has to take a backseat when the talent has caught up enough to have more than 4 players on the roster.

Are we talking impact players or just players from the state? There is a big difference

 

[Vols4life]

Bama also wins without the California pipeline. They rarely have any California kids on their roster -- the only one this year is Ally Shipman -- and in 2012, when they won it all, they didn't have any. They do have a couple of notable exceptions, like Charlotte Morgan and Lexi Osorio, who were both from California and both AAs at Bama. They typically recruit Florida, Georgia and Texas the best. Kelsi Dunne, Jackie Traina and Kelly Kretchman were all from Florida. Haylie McCleney, BTW, was from Alabama.

The point about Alabama is that they arguably the state of Tennessee better than we do. And it's not like Alabama doesn't get players from their own state, which, for whatever reason, was implied here. The state of Alabama doesn't have the depth of players in high school like the state of Tennessee does, anyway.

I would put a Alabama high school all star softball team against Tennessee any day....Haylie would have been good anywhere kid was a beast in high school you could see it....she played right up the road from me.....Tennessee recruited the #1 player in the state of Alabama from the '23 class she ultimately chose Bama

 

[gule]

shebesorry

 

[volman128]

I would put a Alabama high school all star softball team against Tennessee any day....

I doubt many people that live outside of both states that follow HS softball would agree on that point, but okay.

Haylie would have been good anywhere kid was a beast in high school you could see it.

I never said she wouldn't? My point was Bama got her to come there instead of letting her go out of state. If Haylie had been a Tennessee HS player it's doubtful she would've come to Tennessee, hence my and others' point.

Tennessee recruited the #1 player in the state of Alabama from the '23 class she ultimately chose Bama

Okay? And the #1 players from the state of Tennessee aren't coming here. They're going to places like Bama and Florida.

I'm not sure why it's so controversial to point out that our staff has passed over elite in-state players and not even attempted to recruit them. That's not an opinion, it's a fact. You seem to be missing the point that I and others are making.

 

[Rickster]

Yes they do, and with a state population under 5 million while we are a state under 7 million. Same could be said for Oklahoma who sits under 4 million in population but continuously wins each year. Bama currently has 7 players on roster from the state out of 22 from Alabama. One of those not from the state of Alabama is the #3 player in the nation from the State of Tennessee in the 2021 Class. I agree that kids want to go elsewhere, that hasn't been my issue in our recruiting. My stance in recruiting state kids has been we are not in the conversations for those choosing to leave. If you go all in on a TN kid and they choose to go to name the school, then that is ok you did your job and wish them well. But when we are not talking to those kids or their travel coaches (elite level travel coaches) then we have deeper issues. The player mentioned that is currently at Alabama, we were on the outside looking in when she verballed to Auburn in 8th grade, decommited after Clint resigned. Even after she opened it back up, we never got back in with her. You can't win them all but in a time when your state is loaded in quality, quantity and position of needs you need to win your state by a majority. And right now we only have 4 players from the state of Tennessee out of 24. So even by your stance, Bama wins with more players from Alabama than we do by losing with less players from ours.

I'm not naive to think that Tennessee made is the only way to go, but I'm also not naive to believe that our state has to take a backseat when the talent has caught up enough to have more than 4 players on the roster.

All good valid points. Ultimately it will be the coaches who win or lose by whom they elect to recruit. If I were a coach, I would go after those players that I could win with no matter where they reside. I know that might rattle the cages of those who want more local and regional players but I have to go with my instinct because if I don't win, I lose my job.

 

[Majors]

All good valid points. Ultimately it will be the coaches who win or lose by whom they elect to recruit. If I were a coach, I would go after those players that I could win with no matter where they reside. I know that might rattle the cages of those who want more local and regional players but I have to go with my instinct because if I don't win, I lose my job.

Not disputing the end result of coaching is winning, so no cage rattling. But in recruiting, take care of your own yard before you venture a out especially when you know certain classes are cycled up better than what they have been in years past. The next 2-3 years will be telling if those that left or will be leaving come back to hurt. Like Makayla Parker at Auburn or Cheyenne Lindsey at Florida have already.

 

[Majors]

Are we talking impact players or just players from the state? There is a big difference

Any player recruited at this level should be considered impact. It’s those that are at other Power 5 schools we are talking about.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

We will disagree on this one in regards to talent, especially in the last 3 years. If you're looking at quantity you can say those states based on size and year round playing produce more that's not disputed. If you want to say quality, then this is where we don't see it the same way. I'm not going to go into head to head breakdowns, but a few of those teams resume is a little more updated with WCWS than ours.

I guess we will disagree.

 

[Vols4life]

I doubt many people that live outside of both states that follow HS softball would agree on that point, but okay.



I never said she wouldn't? My point was Bama got her to come there instead of letting her go out of state. If Haylie had been a Tennessee HS player it's doubtful she would've come to Tennessee, hence my and others' point.



Okay? And the #1 players from the state of Tennessee aren't coming here. They're going to places like Bama and Florida.

I'm not sure why it's so controversial to point out that our staff has passed over elite in-state players and not even attempted to recruit them. That's not an opinion, it's a fact. You seem to be missing the point that I and others are making.

I hope Alabama and Tennessee will play high school all star game one day

So Ashley Rogers isn't a top player from the state of Tennessee?

The Tennessee roster of 2021 had 9 girls out of 22 from the state of Tennessee with only 2 of them starters but majors is saying they're all considered impact? I like you man but come on that is why I say impact players girls you will see on the field day in and day out. Off the top of my head I cannot think of one team that has impact girls from the home state starting all 9 positions. Softball is now nationwide

What yall seem to be missing is the fact that yes the state of Tennessee has made strides in softball but the coaching business is about connections and relationships. If a coach has a girls on a board that they think are on par with others they're going to go with connections first because they have an in there. Why would a coach spend time potential contacting some and get told "no thanks" when they no of a potential "yes" elsewhere.....yes I get it yall are saying but they're not even reaching out again why go there and get rejected when I can go somewhere and get a yes if the player on my board is similar

 

[Majors]

I hope Alabama and Tennessee will play high school all star game one day

So Ashley Rogers isn't a top player from the state of Tennessee?

The Tennessee roster of 2021 had 9 girls out of 22 from the state of Tennessee with only 2 of them starters but majors is saying they're all considered impact? I like you man but come on that is why I say impact players girls you will see on the field day in and day out. Off the top of my head I cannot think of one team that has impact girls from the home state starting all 9 positions. Softball is now nationwide

What yall seem to be missing is the fact that yes the state of Tennessee has made strides in softball but the coaching business is about connections and relationships. If a coach has a girls on a board that they think are on par with others they're going to go with connections first because they have an in there. Why would a coach spend time potential contacting some and get told "no thanks" when they no of a potential "yes" elsewhere.....yes I get it yall are saying but they're not even reaching out again why go there and get rejected when I can go somewhere and get a yes if the player on my board is similar

Where did anyone say the team had to have all 9 from the state? Don’t believe a number was put out as a quota either. Only discussion happening was recognizing the landscape of the state has changed for the better with talent and the staff hasn’t capitalized on it. You said relationships, there’s no better relationship than the kid who is from Tn but also plays travel ball for those relationship programs. Three National programs are based in Tennessee, Mojo, Fury and Fury Platinum. Many of the other program EC Bullets, GA Impact, Vipers, Bandits the list goes on are or have been represented by TN players. So yes it’s national, even my own played for a team based out West a few years ago. So I understand the dynamic, but don’t buy into old school logic of past recruiting especially with the results. Ashley Rogers is a top tier kid, don’t think anyone has ever questioned that. You keep your #1 kids home like Rogers, unlike other states like Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi we are a one school university in regards to Power 5. Go get the best players out there, but don’t miss out on your in-state kids especially if LSU, Ole Miss, Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Texas AM, JMU, Kentucky, South Carolina come calling.

One of the first things Megan was to address was relationships with travel programs.

 

[Vols4life]

Where did anyone say the team had to have all 9 from the state? Don’t believe a number was put out as a quota either. Only discussion happening was recognizing the landscape of the state has changed for the better with talent and the staff hasn’t capitalized on it. You said relationships, there’s no better relationship than the kid who is from Tn but also plays travel ball for those relationship programs. Three National programs are based in Tennessee, Mojo, Fury and Fury Platinum. Many of the other program EC Bullets, GA Impact, Vipers, Bandits the list goes on are or have been represented by TN players. So yes it’s national, even my own played for a team based out West a few years ago. So I understand the dynamic, but don’t buy into old school logic of past recruiting especially with the results. Ashley Rogers is a top tier kid, don’t think anyone has ever questioned that. You keep your #1 kids home like Rogers, unlike other states like Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi we are a one school university in regards to Power 5. Go get the best players out there, but don’t miss out on your in-state kids especially if LSU, Ole Miss, Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Texas AM, JMU, Kentucky, South Carolina come calling.

One of the first things Megan was to address was relationships with travel programs.

You gave me a number of girls from Alabama on the Alabama roster that is where the numbers came from. Alabama girls outside of woodard won't make an impact for them. Yes, Tennessee has made strides in softball but again I say when a staff sits down and evaluates kids and they're all pretty close they will pick the ones where they have a connection to. Karen has connects to the West coast, the Malveaux's Texas and midwest, Megan Tennessee and the southeast....You sit down as a staff and figure out where you can get a "Yes" from so you can allocate money and build your roster