National College Softball Editor Justin McLeod is on the road for the 2023 college softball season. He compiles stories and happenings along the way; these are the Road Trip Diaries.
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When a school announces plans to create a softball program, the immediate reaction is one of jubilation in the softball world. The aftermath of the initial fervor, though, can go one of two very specific ways.
Either the expectations will be set at a certain level, one considered more “reasonable” for a program just beginning, or the school will prioritize doing things right and not just to say they did them.
After a recent visit to Spartanburg, I’m happy to report that Wofford falls into the latter category.
The signs were there early on. When the Terriers announced that a softball program was on the horizon, the department wasted little time in naming Mark Line as the program’s head coach. Line practically is Mr. Wofford, at least when it comes to diamond sports. He spent decades as the school’s baseball coach before moving into an administration position.
Line got the program started, a steady hand at the helm. And Wofford invested in facilities from the outset.
Oh, those facilities.
The Terriers have an absolutely gorgeous stadium to call home. Chairback seating. Expansive dugouts that honestly made me think of those used by a Major League Baseball team. A sleek press box. Wofford clearly decided that having a softball team necessitated setting them up right with quality facilities.
