As mentioned on our site last week, the transfer portal in college softball has reached the 1,000 player mark this year alone and the summertime is when we’re seeing some of the more notable moves.
Arkansas has bolstered its roster with the pickup of two players over the last week who have already had success within the SEC—on July 1, the Razorbacks announced that former Tennessee pitcher Callie Turner had been added to the team.
In 2017, I had Kendall Beth (KB) Sides as a 1st Team All-American and a Top 30 player in the rankings when she led her Sumiton Christian (Sumiton, Alabama) team to the Class 1A State title. KB was unstopable that spring, hitting .606 with 13 home runs, 13 triples, scored 109 runs, knocked in 85 RBIs and went a remarkable 99-for-11 in stolen bases!
She earned all times of honors as well: PGF All-American, USA Today 2nd Team All-American and Gatorade State Player of the Year.
Below is the official announcement from Arkansas and below you’ll see Twitter posts from KB herself as she chronicles the process of transferring and ultimately committing to the Hogs…
— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball
*****
KB Sides joins Razorbacks from Alabama
Release issued by Arkansas Sports Information on July 6, 2021
Arkansas Head Coach Courtney Deifel has added a veteran outfielder from Alabama, adding KB Sides to the roster as a graduate transfer.
Sides will be immediately eligible with one year of eligibility remaining and joins pitcher Callie Turner from Tennessee as the newest Razorbacks.
Sides was a staple in the Crimson Tide’s lineup over the last three years, starting 143 games in her career. This past season she started 47 of the 48 games she played in earning NFCA Third-Team All-South Region and a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team.
She hit .314 with 11 doubles while posting a .405 on-base percentage. The Dora, Ala. native also showed off a good eye at the plate walking 24 times and striking out only 18 times in 137 at-bats.
During the pandemic-shortened season in 2020 as a junior, Sides started all 22 games and led the Tide with a .483 average and an incredible 1.128 OPS.
She moved into a starting role as a sophomore, seeing her name in the starting lineup 69 times. She produced in her new role, hitting .304 with 22 stolen bases. Her performance at the SEC Tournament put her on the All-Tournament Team.
As a freshman, she earned time primarily as a pinch hitter seeing time in 44 games with five starts. In limited time she hit .261 with nine runs scored.
Coming out of Sumiton Christian School in Dora, Ala. Sides was the 2017 Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year and a three-time Max Preps All-American. She was a 2017 USA Today second-team All-American and NFCA All-American.
The NFCA along with New Balance also awarded her the Golden Shoe award for stolen bases. Her team won back-to-back Alabama state championships in 2015 and in 2016 when she was named the Alabama 2A Player of the Year.
Deifel and the Razorbacks enjoyed the most successful season in program history this past spring, winning the school’s first-ever Southeastern Conference regular season championship.
The Hogs also hosted a NCAA Regional for just the second time and a NCAA Super Regional for the first time.
Here, through KB’s tweets is a progression of her transfer within the SEC…
If I could tell baby KB in the second photo anything it would simply be this: you are going to face many bumps in the road, heartbreaks, and storms but you will prevail. You will win a SEC championship, a SEC tournament championship, two WCWS appearances, overcome injuries pic.twitter.com/ps8uUl6Q5t
— Kendall Beth Sides (@SidesKendall) June 10, 2021
mentor young girls, graduate from the capstone, meet your best friends, and become the strong woman you are today. You will wear number 8 with so much passion, grace, fire, competitiveness, and joy. That number symbolizes new beginnings, harmony, hope, and a bright future which
— Kendall Beth Sides (@SidesKendall) June 10, 2021
are soon to come for you. Thank you to this amazing University for the best 4 years of my life. Thank you to the fans to my family and everyone else in between. What a honor it was to wear the script “A” and number 8 I have dreamed of since I was a little girl. I gave this “A”
— Kendall Beth Sides (@SidesKendall) June 10, 2021
everything I had and wouldn’t change a single thing. I will forever be indebted to this place. But this next journey is about to be the best one yet. Roll Damn Tide to that!
— Kendall Beth Sides (@SidesKendall) June 10, 2021
Had the best time with @CoachDeifel and staff yesterday! Thank you guys for making me feel so special. I’ve never met a staff quite like this one ❤️🐗 pic.twitter.com/k1ezcUIbHS
— Kendall Beth Sides (@SidesKendall) July 3, 2021
When God closes one door He leaves a crack in a new one. I can’t wait to be a RAZORBACK and wear #8. WOO PIG 🐗❤️ pic.twitter.com/oTHZR4n3rW
— Kendall Beth Sides (@SidesKendall) July 3, 2021
WOO PIG 🐗 I can’t wait to be back in Fayetteville! https://t.co/cKZ0EDwv26
— Kendall Beth Sides (@SidesKendall) July 6, 2021
