UT Softball ranked number one in Pre-Season Poll

[BOP]

Lewis provided no where near the offense your trying to imply.
The loss of Brown and especially Raven, Lauren will be felt more.
This is about the Freshmen and the JUCO who are coming in.
Everyone in the Nation lost 2 to 4 key payers and UT is definitely a Top 10 team

Lewis was a junior. That's why I mentioned her. And no, not everyone in the nation lost 2 of the 5 best players in the nation and 4 All Americans.

 

[Escape Goat]

UT is too high 4th or 5th is more like it. Oklahoma lost Ricketts and they will drop some but are still the class of the Big 12. Florida is probably the best in the SEC East

Don't agree at all, and neither do those that are paid for their opinions.

 

[armchair]

Vols have a good returning corp, even with the heavy losses, plus three freshmen who are supposed to be seriously good, plus a talented JUCO transfer, plus an excellent pitcher in Renfroe, plus it sounds like Gabriel is healthy and ready to make a mark. She was the no. 1 recruit in the country two years ago, no? It is a transition year but a lot of talent.

 

[governmentmule]

the Lady Vols Softball team will field a good team,but i never put any stock in a preseason poll,no matter which sport,but i do hope they will kick some ass and get to the championship game again and it has to help with nexts year recruiting,which is a good thing

 

[Sandvol]

Preseason #1 ranking has nothing to do with the incoming Freshman and the JUCO tranfer ... who havent played an inning of D1 ball... more on the quality of team returning off of last year's finish... Oklahoma was the best team in the country last year... run ruled 6 of 8 teams in last year's NCAA playoff before playing the Lady Vols in the Championship series.... and how many innings did it take them to score?

Lady Vols have the best pitcher in the country with Ellen Renfroe on the mound and with her pitching... she will keep the team in every ball game. The key will be the success of the other pitchers to be able to pitch reliably for enough innings/games so that Ellen will not have to pitch... every pitch of every game.

This will be become increasingly important when the team reaches the post season... Regionals, Supers & the WCWS. The more rested and healthy Ellen feels entering the post season, the better are the Lady Vols chances at making another run at the WCWS and make the finals.

Yes the team lost Raven, Lauren, Dotson, Brown, Ivy & Hammond. Raven and Lauren will be hard to replace and Ivy's leadership and experience on the mound will be sorely missed.... but in addition to the Ellen and Madison.... look for a HUGE year from Davin now that she is finally physically healthy ... and I expect big things from Tarango, Gaffin, Overstreet, Akamine.... Look for big contributions from freshmans Geer, Koenig, Aldrete.... and others will make valuable contributions!

Go Lady Vols!

If they didn't have those three freshmen coming in they would not be ranked number 1. They lost Raven, Lauren, and Ivy. Pretty substantial losses. Plus Ellen is a top 5 pitcher but I don't know if I'd call her number 1. Well I guess you might. I am glad we have her but Oklahoma sure cleaned her clock.

 

[governmentmule]

CalifLadyVolFan has some inside info Sandvol

 

[CalifLadyVolFan]

If they didn't have those three freshmen coming in they would not be ranked number 1. They lost Raven, Lauren, and Ivy. Pretty substantial losses. Plus Ellen is a top 5 pitcher but I don't know if I'd call her number 1. Well I guess you might. I am glad we have her but Oklahoma sure cleaned her clock.

Ellen shut out Oklahoma through 10innings in a 7 inning game and was 1 out and a dropped fly ball from winning game 3 -0... Lost 5-3 in 12 innings. Ivy pitched and lost the second game of the best of 3 Championship serie giving up 3 runs in a litle over 2 innings... Ellen gave up the final run in a 4-0 game...

I have been around competitive travel softball for long time now with connections & friends who are College Coaches, Travel Coaches and a Recruiting Analyst working for ESPN.... its not about the 3 Freshman and or the JUCO transfer coming into UT this year... seriously... you can take my word on it.

PS... I have a daughter on the Lady Vol Softball Team

 

[508mikey]

Ellen shut out Oklahoma through 10innings in a 7 inning game and was 1 out and a dropped fly ball from winning game 3 -0... Lost 5-3 in 12 innings. Ivy pitched and lost the second game of the best of 3 Championship serie giving up 3 runs in a litle over 2 innings... Ellen gave up the final run in a 4-0 game...

I have been around competitive travel softball for long time now with connections & friends who are College Coaches, Travel Coaches and a Recruiting Analyst working for ESPN.... its not about the 3 Freshman and or the JUCO transfer coming into UT this year... seriously... you can take my word on it.

PS... I have a daughter on the Lady Vol Softball Team

Do you got any news on Erin Gabriel - who is the # 2 pitcher if she isnt ready ? -- Tarango did well when she got the chance, maybe she gets the nod vs lower caliber teams early in the year.

 

[armchair]

It doesn't matter. UT will have a good team--and there will be other good teams. It's hard to see how UT will be as good or better than last year's team, which was UT's best ever team, but we will be in the hunt.

 

[l3rewski]

Do you got any news on Erin Gabriel - who is the # 2 pitcher if she isnt ready ? -- Tarango did well when she got the chance, maybe she gets the nod vs lower caliber teams early in the year.

Pretty sure she's expected to be 100%, if she isn't already. She threw some for us during a photoshoot, and she didn't appear to be letting off. I'd definitely expect her to be #2, with Tarrango and Gaffin seeing action as well.

 

[Sandvol]

Ellen shut out Oklahoma through 10innings in a 7 inning game and was 1 out and a dropped fly ball from winning game 3 -0... Lost 5-3 in 12 innings. Ivy pitched and lost the second game of the best of 3 Championship serie giving up 3 runs in a litle over 2 innings... Ellen gave up the final run in a 4-0 game...

I have been around competitive travel softball for long time now with connections & friends who are College Coaches, Travel Coaches and a Recruiting Analyst working for ESPN.... its not about the 3 Freshman and or the JUCO transfer coming into UT this year... seriously... you can take my word on it.

PS... I have a daughter on the Lady Vol Softball Team

That's wonderful. I really do appreciate all the softball moms. I appreciate all the Lady VOLS and go to many of their games and played baseball and been around sports all my life and follow softball pretty closely. They lost their top two and possibly three hitters and another very good hitter to graduation. Their hitting lineup after losing Raven, Lauren and Kat (not to mention Brown) is not that scary. If those three freshmen(Aldrete, Geer, and Koenig) were not coming in my opinion they would not be ranked number 1.

P.S.-I don't want to take anything away from your daughter because all the players are great but those three freshmen are the real deal. Also, if it were all about pitching we would have won when Abbott was here. Anyway I guess we'll see won't we.

 

[Sandvol]

CalifLadyVolFan has some inside info Sandvol

I already knew her daughter played for the team. If my son goes to medical school does that make me a medical expert?

 

[508mikey]

I already knew her daughter played for the team. If my son goes to medical school does that make me a medical expert?

No - you didnt

 

[larjoranj]

I already knew her daughter played for the team. If my son goes to medical school does that make me a medical expert?

No, but it probably means you'll pick up a little more medical knowledge than the mom who has a son studying history

 

[Sandvol]

No - you didnt

Yes I did.

 

[Sandvol]

No, but it probably means you'll pick up a little more medical knowledge than the mom who has a son studying history

Maybe a little more. But that doesn't mean another parent who doesn't have a kid going to medical school could have a lot more knowledge than I do. But parents have been coming on these boards for years, not long after these internet boards started, and many expect everyone to defer to their "inside knowledge" because their kid played a sport. The moms are the ones who especially think their knowledge is sacrosanct.

 

[l3rewski]

Maybe a little more. But that doesn't mean another parent who doesn't have a kid going to medical school could have a lot more knowledge than I do. But parents have been coming on these boards for years, not long after these internet boards started, and many expect everyone to defer to their "inside knowledge" because their kid played a sport. The moms are the ones who especially think their knowledge is sacrosanct.

CalifLadyVolFan is a softball dad, and when it comes to matters involving Lady Vol Softball, I would certainly put more stock into his remarks than anyone else's on the board (except Deerpark, maybe).

 

[Sandvol]

CalifLadyVolFan is a softball dad, and when it comes to matters involving Lady Vol Softball, I would certainly put more stock into his remarks than anyone else's on the board (except Deerpark, maybe).

That's fine and you and he have that right. That is what a message board is for.....opinions. If you want to weigh his opinion more than mine I have no problem with that.

 

[508mikey]

CalifLadyVolFan is a softball dad, and when it comes to matters involving Lady Vol Softball, I would certainly put more stock into his remarks than anyone else's on the board (except Deerpark, maybe).

True ---

 

[Sandvol]

It doesn't matter. UT will have a good team--and there will be other good teams. It's hard to see how UT will be as good or better than last year's team, which was UT's best ever team, but we will be in the hunt.

I agree, Gabriel and the newcomers will have to come through.

 

[CalifLadyVolFan]

Maybe a little more. But that doesn't mean another parent who doesn't have a kid going to medical school could have a lot more knowledge than I do. But parents have been coming on these boards for years, not long after these internet boards started, and many expect everyone to defer to their "inside knowledge" because their kid played a sport. The moms are the ones who especially think their knowledge is sacrosanct.

You probably missed this part in my response....

I have been around competitive travel softball for long time now with connections & friends who are College Coaches, Travel Coaches and a Recruiting Analyst working for ESPN....

What I guess I failed to mention that I was also once a very competitive travel ball softball coach... played some men's fastpitch in my 20s and know a litle something about the game... how to play and how to coach.... and I have put a lot of time.... dollars.... and effort into my daughter's softball skills...

She played in southern California for the Orange County Batbusters for 3 years where I drove her almost every weekend 4 hours each way from our home in Fresno so she could play on one of the best Travel Teams in the Country.

Here is the USA Today poll which is a better poll anyways... Top 25 Polls

Rank Team 2013 Record Points Final 2013 Ranking

1. Tennessee (6) 52-12 459 2
2. Oklahoma (5) 57-4 456 1
3. Florida (6) 58-9 448 5
4. Michigan 51-13 411 6
5. Washington (2) 45-17 409 4
6. Alabama 45-15 398 10
7. Arizona State (1) 50-12 387 7
8. Oregon 50-11 326 9
9. Nebraska 45-16 297 8
10. Texas 51-10 273 3
11. Texas A&M 42-18 262 13
12. Florida State 44-19 246 14
13. UCLA 40-20 226 19
14. Kentucky 41-21 218 12
15. Louisiana 47-15 216 15
16. Baylor 42-17 202 20
17. Missouri 38-14 177 11
18. Louisville 48-13 162 23
19. LSU 42-16 150 16
20. Stanford 39-21 124 21
21. Georgia 40-21 118 22
22. South Alabama 48-9 95 18
23. South Florida 45-16 81 RV
24. California 38-19 67 24
25. UAB 40-19 66 17

Parenthesis denotes first place votes.

Dropped Out: None

New to Poll: None


Others receiving votes: Arizona (59), North Carolina State (34), Hawaii (25), Arkansas (21), Wisconsin (17), Tulsa (14), Virginia Tech (12), Auburn (10), Western Kentucky (8), Oregon State (8), Notre Dame (4), Houston (4), Syracuse (3), North Carolina (2), Hofstra (2), Minnesota (2), Iowa (1)

 

[governmentmule]

Ellen shut out Oklahoma through 10innings in a 7 inning game and was 1 out and a dropped fly ball from winning game 3 -0... Lost 5-3 in 12 innings. Ivy pitched and lost the second game of the best of 3 Championship serie giving up 3 runs in a litle over 2 innings... Ellen gave up the final run in a 4-0 game...

I have been around competitive travel softball for long time now with connections & friends who are College Coaches, Travel Coaches and a Recruiting Analyst working for ESPN.... its not about the 3 Freshman and or the JUCO transfer coming into UT this year... seriously... you can take my word on it.

PS... I have a daughter on the Lady Vol Softball Team

is she doing well after the surgery ?
I think you have told me before,but my memory is shot to hell these days
I see where they will be playing on Feb 7th,hopefully she is over it and ready to go

tell her for all the fans on volnation.com

Go Vols :clapping: kick some ass against Northern Colorado in the Georgia Southern Tournament

 

[DeerPark12]

CalifLadyVolFan is a softball dad, and when it comes to matters involving Lady Vol Softball, I would certainly put more stock into his remarks than anyone else's on the board (except Deerpark, maybe).

I put his knowledge over mine, for what it's worth!

 

[DeerPark12]

I like the #1 ranking, but I do believe 3-5 would be a better accounting of the team at this point. The SEC coaches were nearly unanimous in picking Florida to win the league, and it's hard to argue with that, either. Florida will be very, very good.

Erin Gabriel is full-go in practice so far and is well on pace to be a solid #2 for the team. Her ability to pitch well and keep Ellen off the field early in the year will be a key to UT's success. If she can consistently win the Saturday games all season, UT will be in good shape.

Cheyanne Tarango will also be very important to UT in the circle, although probably more as a reliever than a starter. She is wicked effective one time through a lineup. I forsee her splitting a lot of midweek games with Ellen/Erin and then being the primary reliever if needed on weekend games.

 

[CalifLadyVolFan]

is she doing well after the surgery ?
I think you have told me before,but my memory is shot to hell these days
I see where they will be playing on Feb 4th,hopefully she is over it and ready to go

tell her for all the fans on volnation.com

Go Vols :clapping: kick some ass against Northern Colorado in the Georgia Southern Tournament

Melissa is doing very well and should have an awesome year.... she is pretty much 100% healthy... physically, mentally and emotionally for the first time while being at Tennessee... She is really enjoying her time and relishing her senior year... bitter sweet! I know I am her Dad but We expect her playing in BEAST MODE and having a huge, career year!

Team plays Feb 7th -9th at Georgia Southern... followed by the USF tournament in Tampa,Fl. We will be at Palm Springs and the San Diego Tournaments and I will post pictures of the Team playing... if I wasn't a tax cpa, I will be doing as many games as possible this year...trying to sneak into Tampa... Look us up at Senior day weekend... we will be tailgating all weekend at Lee Stadium... should be the last weekend of the regular season... May 2nd-4th vs ole Miss.