We continue our list of the Top 15 Softball Stories of 2021, which will run through December 31st when we’ll present our No. 1 story of the year.
Here are the previous stories (clink on link to read):
- #15… Ty’Liyah Hardeman Foregoes Playing for Bethune Cookman to Support Family after Mom Dies, Now at Kennesaw State
- #14… Dakota Wagner Promotes Tourette Syndrome Awareness Through Her Successes On & Off the Field
- #13… Sara Goodrum, the Trailblazing Former Oregon Duck Softball Player, Makes History in the MLB Ranks
- #12… USA U-18 Team Goes Undefeated in International Play This Fall (& Valerie Cagle Leads the Way!)
- #11… Women’s College World Series Expands & Explodes in TV Rankings Thanks to Great Teams, Games & Storylines
- #10… James Madison’s Cinderella Run & Odicci Alexander Wears the Slipper
- #9… Avery Flatford Signs with Tennessee Tech… While Dealing with Cystic Fibrosis
- #8… The Pro League Status in Softball, Ongoing Developments Both Good & Bad
- #7… College Coaching Legends Retire
- #6… Oklahoma Sooner Domination, Team-Wise & Individually
Also, on New Year’s Day 2022, we’ll list all 15 of the top stories of the year as well as run 15 more that were considered.
We’ve surveyed the softball community and talked internally as well to come up with what were the most impactful and relevant stories of the year pertaining to the world of fastpitch softball.
Where applicable, we are providing the text to the original articles and/or references when the story first happened.
- Click Here to see the Top 15 Stories of 2020
- Click Here to see the Top 15 Stories of 2019
- Click Here to see the Top 15 Stories of 2018
To provide comments, insights or thoughts, email: info@extrainningsoftball.com.
*****
Today’s Story of the Year: #5
The Transfer Portal… Like Other College Sports, Softball Has Felt Its Impact
Since the NCAA Transfer Portal arrived on the scene in 2018, the “free agent” player market has not slowed down one iota.
The portal has its advantages and disadvantages, its positives and negatives. There’s no disputing the portals impact on college sports as a whole and on college softball directly.
This year, almost 1,000 softball players alone have entered the portal since May 1st!
The offseason has been a busy one: players have traded schools within the same conference, have found new destinations in the midst of the holiday season, and some schools can boast transfer classes six or seven players deep, totally transforming their programs.
As has been the case annually since the portal was created, some top-level talent changed uniforms via transfer this off-season:
- Former Florida starting catcher Julia Cottrill is now an Oklahoma State Cowgirl
- Former Tennessee catcher Ally Shipman is now part of the Alabama Crimson Tide
- In perhaps the biggest surprise of the summer, former Oregon and Texas pitcher Miranda Elish –who many thought had finished her playing career after bowing out ahead of the 2021 season – entered the portal and chose Oklahoma State as the place to finish her career in her final season of eligibility
No school or program has been untouched by the transfer portal, some positively, some negatively, and some feeling both a sting and elation thanks to transfers in and out.
The effects of the portal are not new or unique to this year, but the aftershocks of player changes remain a major storyline on the college softball scene.
— Justin McLeod, Extra Inning Softball
To provide comments, insights or thoughts, email: info@extrainningsoftball.com.
*****
There were so many transfer stories done on Extra Inning Softball this year, we can’t run the text to all of them! Instead, we’re presenting links to some of the most notable ones.
Click on the headlines below to go to the actual stories…
Breaking News: All-Region Outfielder Lou Gilbert Transferring to Texas
Breaking News: Arizona Outfielder Isabella Dayton Enters Transfer Portal
Breaking News: Baylor’s Lou Gilbert Enters Transfer Portal
Breaking News: Florida Catcher Julia Cottrill Enters Transfer Portal
Breaking News: North Carolina Adds Former JMU Star Sara Jubas via Transfer
College News: Two-Time All-American Miranda Elish Officially Signs with Oklahoma State
College News: Tennessee Softball Signs Transfer Pitcher Ryleigh White from Texas
College News: Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Add Four Transfers This Week to 2022 Softball Roster
College News: Michigan Adds All-ACC Outfielder Kristina Burkhardt from North Carolina
College News: Tennessee Picks Up Texas Tech Transfer Pitcher Erin Edmoundson
College News: Arkansas Gets Second SEC Transfer in a Week in Former Alabama Outfielder KB Sides
Breaking News: Pac-12 All-Conference Player Alyssa Brito Transfers to Oklahoma
College News: A Look at Five Impactful Transfers for the 2021-2022 Season
College News: Three Power 5 Pitchers Find New Homes Via Transfer Route
Inside Pitch: It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World… in the Transfer Portal!
