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
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: #8
The Pro League Status in Softball… Ongoing Developments of 2021
One of the disappointing aspects in the sport of softball, at least since I’ve been covering it for the last 20 years, is that there hasn’t been a viable pro league that’s taken off where standout athletes could make a viable and sustained income.
Whereas the Women’s College World Series regularly outdraws the college baseball equivalent and draws massive viewing numbers for ESPN, once talented fastpitch players finish college there has been international play, including the Olympics in the past, but not anything to make a living solely on the field.
I have known “pro” softball players in the past who have made just a couple thousand dollars playing for the summer and had to supplement their incomes in other ways, including giving private lessons or running training facilities.
The opportunity to support themselves solely through playing on the fields just hasn’t been there.
In 2021, we had another disappointing end to a pro league as the NPF (National Pro Faspitch) league pulled the plug after starting in 2004 and, at various times, having teams based in the West (California Commotion, Arizona Heat), the Southwest (Scrap Yard Fast Pitch, Texas Charge), the Midwest (Akron Racers, Chicago Bandits, Cleveland Comets), the Southeast (USSSA Pride) and the Northeast (NY/NJ Comets, Washington Glory).
There were even teams trying to represent players out the U.S. including the Beijing Shougang Eagles, the Aussie Spirit and Canadian Wild.
There is some good news, though, on the professional front.
Athletes Unlimited – a player-centric model—where individuals are the focus, not teams–finished its second season of competition and just this week announced a new two-week competition to take place June 13-26, 2022 which will feature 42 athletes playing 19 games in one city (not yet announced).
In year 3, Athletes Unlimited softball will run from July 29 to August 28 involving 60 players and, notably, has offered and signed 15 players to two-year contracts which the league touts as “a long-term commitment by the athletes and league to pro softball.”
In August, the day after the NPF announced it was suspending operations, the organizers of the Florida Gulf Coast League announced it would be running an independent pro team out of Bradenton, Florida called the Florida Vibe which has already announced the involvement of several standout players including Kaija Gibson who will be the head coach (click here to see that announcement) and a half dozen former college standouts such as Mackenzie Boesel (South Carolina), Mandie Perez (Arizona), A.J. Andrews (LSU), Falepolima Aviu (Oklahoma), Kendyl Lindaman (Florida) and Shannon Saile (Oklahoma).
Also, next June and July another league will make its debut as the Women’s Professional Fastpitch (WPF) league kicks off with the goal of providing a “long-lasting and viable option for softball players post-collegiate play, with the ultimate goal of making the professional dream a real possibility for young girls around the world.”
Former Oklahoma Sooner record-setting slugger Lauren Chamberlain, an immensely likeable personality, will serve in the role as Commissioner and will have the backing of two strong forces in the sport: USA Softball and the USSSA.
“We are very excited about the launch of WPF,” said Craig Cress, the USA Softball CEO in a release sent out in October.
“We are looking forward to encouraging athletes to compete both professionally and internationally, and provide women more opportunities to continue their playing careers after college.”
For the short-term, at least, it looks as if there will be several pro organizations to give opportunities to college grads who aspire to continue playing the game they love post-college.
Whether one dominant league will emerge remains to be seen, but for now we see the ongoing efforts to continue the careers of softball greats as a positive sign that the sport continues to grow and thrive.
— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball
To provide comments, insights or thoughts, email: info@extrainningsoftball.com.
*****
Here are some of the articles Extra Inning Softball published in 2021 dealing with pro organizations…
Pro News: Athletes Unlimited Announces Inaugural College Draft, Open Tryouts and Top Additions for 2021 Season
Originally published April 30, 2021, on Extra Inning Softball
On a day when Athletes Unlimited announced major new additions to the roster of signed players for the 2021 season, it also announced today that it will conduct its first College Draft for qualifying NCAA Softball Players.
The Draft will be streamed on Facebook on May 10th at 8 PM ET and feature the participation of some of the biggest names in sports as guest presenters including Miami Marlins General Manager Kim Ng and ESPN Broadcaster Jessica Mendoza.
Athletes Unlimited also announced that it will host Open Tryouts June 25 – 26 for elite softball players to showcase their skills with the hopes of being invited to compete in Athletes Unlimited’s second softball season to be held at Parkway Bank Ballpark in Rosemont, IL, from August 29 – September 27.
College Draft Show
The Athletes Unlimited College Draft Show will feature the announcement of the 12 college seniors with exhausted NCAA eligibility who will be invited to join the league for the upcoming season.
Each player will be announced by either a member of the Athletes Unlimited Softball Player Executive Committee or one of several pathbreakers in professional sports including:
- Miami Marlins General Manager Kim Ng
- softball icon and philanthropist Natasha Watley
- Team USA and Athletes Unlimited inaugural Softball Champion Cat Osterman
- ESPN Analyst and Athletes Advisory Board member Jessica Mendoza, Canadian Olympian Danielle Lawrie
- former University of Oklahoma All-Star first baseman Lauren Chamberlain
- Texas A&M legend Amanda Scarborough
Open Tryouts
In addition to announcing the College Draft, Athletes Unlimited also announced it will host a two-day open tryout in Rosemont on June 25 – 26. Tryouts will be open to the general public for athletes 18 years of age or older and all applicants must complete an entry form prior to attending. Click HERE to access the form.
Athletes Unlimited announced that it has signed 28 new marquee professional players to the roster for the 2021 season bringing the number of signed players to 38. The full roster for the 2021 season will be 60.
New Signings
Signings include these five standouts:
- Sydney Romero, Infielder from the University of Oklahoma who led the Sooners to four consecutive Women’s College World Series appearances, including two National Championships in 2016 and 2017;
- Amanda Lorenz, Utility player form the University of Florida who holds Gator career records for batting average (.407), on-base percentage (.549) and tied for first with 59 doubles;
- Taran Alvelo, pitcher and member of the Puerto Rican National and 2019 Pan American Games Bronze medalist from the University of Washington who is ranked second in career strikeouts (895) and is one of only three pitchers in school history to notch 100 wins and record 300 strikeouts in a single season;
- Britt Vonk, Middle Infielder and former member of the Netherlands National Team who led her team to a European Championship in 2011 and played for Cal-Berkeley;
- Greta Cecchetti, Pitcher and member of Italian National Team since 2006.
In addition to @syd_syd2, we are excited to welcome newcomers @amandalorenz18, @Tarannnn_14, @brittvonk18 and @greta_cecchetti to Athletes Unlimited!
Learn more about our new standouts and returning players from Season 1 ⬇️ https://t.co/KBaROfI8HC #BeUnlimited
— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) April 30, 2021
*****
Pro Softball News: National Pro Fastpitch Suspends Operations… Future in Doubt
Originally published Aug. 1, 2021, on Extra Inning Softball
It’s not a huge surprise, admittedly, but it’s sad nonetheless that it appears fastpitch softball players have lost one major option when it comes to playing softball post-college.
The National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league posted on its webpage today the stark headline saying simply: NPF Suspends League Operations
Here’s the entirety of the text on the league’s site:
National Pro Fastpitch is suspending operations effective immediately. The cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 seasons, necessitated by the combination of the COVID pandemic and preparations for the Tokyo Olympics, has effectively shut off all sources of league revenue and necessitated the termination of league staff and other essential services. At this point, resumption of activity is impossible to predict.
As the league was shutdown over the last two years, Athletes Unlimited has taken over for the NPF as the “pro” alternative and even one of the long-time teams in the NPF, the Chicago Bandits, had acknowledged as much this week:
Good News…
We don’t have to wait to see world class 🥎 players compete at the highest level. THANK YOU @AUProSports for providing the opportunity for the most elite softball players to play, fans to watch & little girls to dream! Looking forward to the pro season in Aug & Sept pic.twitter.com/ullsqEAJd0— Parkway Bank Sports Complex (@pkwybanksports) July 29, 2021
The NPF was a revival in 2004 of the former Women’s Pro Softball League (WBSL) founded in 1997, but it was only able to last four years before it was shut down.
With this looking to be the final blow to the league’s continuation, it will likely close out with five official teams:
- Aussie Peppers, based out of North Mankato, Minnesota
- California Commotion, a new franchise announced but not able to take the field due to COVID
- Canadian Wild, out of Marion, Illinois
- Chicago Bandits, headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois
- Cleveland Comets, a traveling team that was primarily filled with players from China
Previously there had been teams that competed as the Dallas Charge, USSSA Pride (Florida), Scrap Yard Dawgs (Texas), the Pennsylvania Rebellion, the NY/NJ Comets and several others.
Many of the biggest names in softball history played in the league including such stars as Monica Abbott, Jennie Finch, Cat Osterman, Sarah Pauly, Natasha Watley, Kelly Kretschman, Crystl Bustos, Jessica Mendoza, Andrea Duran, Megan Wiggins, Shelby Pendley, Keilani Ricketts, Sierra Romero and dozens more.
*****
Breaking News: New Pro Softball Team, the Florida Vibe, Announced
Originally published Aug. 23, 2021, on Extra Inning Softball
Bradenton, Fl. – The nation’s newest professional level fastpitch organization, the Florida Vibe, is moving forward with the announcement of organizational leadership in advance of upcoming player and coaching updates, per a release that was issued on Monday.
The program’s staff is as follows:
- President – Ryan Moore
- General Manager/VP of Player Personnel – Mike Scott
- Director of Player Operations/Affairs – Lynn Hotchkiss
- Sports Information Director – Lesly Ginder
- Executive Assistant – Robin Miller
- Team Physician – Arthur Valadie M.D. (Coastal Orthopedics)
- Team Chaplain – Shelly Riker
The new team is run by many of the same leads who oversee the successful Florida Gulf Coast League, which completed its second season in 2021.
“I feel confident that the staff will be exceedingly professional as the Florida Vibe looks to its first season,” said Ryan Moore, Florida Vibe President.
“We are looking forward to growing the game and providing additional opportunities for top-level players from throughout the country.”
*****
Breaking News: Pitcher Aleshia Ocasio Wins 2021 Athletes Unlimited Softball Championship with Anissa Urtez Defensive POY and Carrie Eberle Rookie of the Year
Originally published Sept. 27, 2021, on Extra Inning Softball
ROSEMONT, Illinois – Pitcher Aleshia Ocasio (St. Cloud, Fla./Univ. of Florida) was announced Monday night as the 2021 Athletes Unlimited Softball champion by topping the leaderboard with 2,096 points following a five-week season competing against 60 of the world’s best players at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois.
Corner infielders Amanda Chidester (1,714 points; Allen Park, Mich./Univ. of Michigan); Kelsey Stewart (1,612 points; Wichita, Kan./Univ. of Florida), and pitcher Carrie Eberle (1,592 points; Charlotte, N.C./Oklahoma State Univ.) rounded out the top four, while middle infielder Anissa Urtez (Long Beach, Calif./Univ. of Utah) was named GEICO Defensive Player of the Year and Eberle was named the inaugural Rookie of the Year.
Ocasio, who resides in the Philadelphia area, is in her second season with Athletes Unlimited and served as a captain for three of the five weeks. She was on winning teams for nine of 15 games, leading the league with a 6-5 record on the mound, 66 innings pitched and 55 strikeouts and tied for the lead with 13 appearances.
She also threw four complete games and compiled a 2.32 ERA, earning MVP honors on eight occasions, one behind the record set in 2020 by champion Cat Osterman, who wrapped up her illustrious playing career tonight. Ocasio’s 66 innings eclipsed Osterman’s single-season mark of 64 set last year.
“While this is a solo accolade, I wouldn’t be here without my teammates – a wonderful group of women who are the top talent in our sport. It’s an honor to play alongside them and they’ve made this journey unforgettable,” said Ocasio.
“Big thanks to Athletes Unlimited for allowing us to be ourselves, for giving us a platform and a space to be free, to be supported, to be heard and to be valued. It’s been an incredible season, and it was so good to be back with our fans.”
A member of the Puerto Rico National Team and University of Florida alum, Ocasio set the Gator program record for combined shutouts over her career with 25, while also leading the team to the 2015 NCAA Championship.
As the Athletes Unlimited Softball champion, Ocasio received a gold medal designed by Max Lang, will be the subject for a portrait painted by Chicago-based artist Laura Collins and will have the honor of being entered into the Book of Unlimited, a 500-page chronicle of the history of the property. As part of Athletes Unlimited’s Athletes Causes program, Ocasio elected to support the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, which will receive funding equal to 50 percent of her season bonus.
Other top performers:
* Chidester led the league in multiple categories, including hits (19), home runs (7), batting average (.413) and slugging percentage (.891) during 46 at bats.
* Stewart tied for a league-topping 5 doubles, while boasting 18 hits, 8 RBI and a .375 batting average in 48 at bats.
* Eberle owned a 3-2 record and tied for the league lead with 13 appearances, tossed two complete games and earned MVP honors four times, and recorded a 3.16 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 51 innings of work.
* Urtez, who was named to the Athletes Unlimited All-Defensive Team earlier today, was selected as the GEICO Defensive Player of the Year by a combined vote of all 61 players and members of the Unlimited Club. A University of Utah alum and member of the Mexico Olympic Team, Urtez tallied 30 putouts, 33 assists, 7 double plays and a .969 fielding percentage this season, earning MVP honors four times.
* Eberle was named the inaugural Rookie of the Year, also determined by a vote of the players and members of the Unlimited Club. She is a 2021 Athletes Unlimited College Draft selection out of Virginia Tech University and Oklahoma State University.
“A massive congratulations to Aleshia Ocasio on a truly outstanding season and decisively becoming our 2021 Athletes Unlimited Softball champion,” said Jon Patricof, CEO and co-founder of Athletes Unlimited.
“She displayed exemplary leadership week after week, positively representing this league and what we stand for on and off the field. We are incredibly proud of the 61 athletes who competed this season and appreciate the tremendous support from our fans, who attended our games in person for the first time and followed our live broadcasts around the world.”
*****
Breaking News: New Pro Softball League to Begin June 2022… the WPF (Women’s Professional League) with Lauren Chamberlain as Commissioner
Originally published Sept. 30, 2021, on Extra Inning Softball
A new professional softball league, the WPF (for “Women’s Professional League), will begin next summer based on the collaboration of three companies—USA Softball, USSSA Pride and Smash It Sports, it was announced Thursday morning.
Former Oklahoma All-American Lauren Chamberlain will serve in the role of commissioner and the new league will be headquartered in Oklahoma City. Additional information about the WPF can be found at the league’s website:wprofastpitch.com.
The following news release was sent out Thursday morning with more details and quotes from the key parties…
Also, this video was released via various social meda outlets:
It's time to #ProtectHerDream @wprofastpitch
🔗 https://t.co/H8uO7tLUdh pic.twitter.com/BQQhuI2FY1
— USA Softball (@USASoftball) September 30, 2021
*****
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – WPF (Women’s Professional Fastpitch) is excited to announce the launch of their new professional softball league, slated to begin play in June of 2022. WPF aims to provide a long-lasting and viable option for softball players post-collegiate play, with the ultimate goal of making the professional dream a real possibility for young girls across the world.
Lauren Chamberlain, a former professional softball player and popular face in the sport, has been named Commissioner of the league.
“I am deeply humbled and incredibly excited for my role as Commissioner of WPF,” Chamberlain said. “I have worked hard to build good standing with existing softball athletes, people of influence in our sport, and those outside of our sport. I am confident that I can bridge the gap between all parties and create an exceptional professional level of softball, one that our sport and its athletes deserve.”
WPF founders are formed by three strong forces in softball: USA Softball, USSSA and Smash It Sports. The partnership between USA Softball and USSSA is to be highlighted, as both are approaching this venture hand in hand. This show of unity and progression will help shape the future of professional softball and the sport as a whole.
“The opportunity to venture back into a women’s professional league has been at the forefront of our mission within USSSA, and more specifically the USSSA Pride,” said Donny DeDonatis III, CEO of USSSA. “We are both ecstatic and humbled to be a major role player in WPF’s development and creation.”
“We are very excited about the launch of WPF,” said Craig Cress, USA Softball CEO. “We are looking forward to encouraging athletes to compete both professionally and internationally, and provide women more opportunities to continue their playing careers after college. With softball not being in the 2024 Paris Olympics, USA Softball recognizes the importance of keeping our athletes involved in high-level competition in order to be prepared for future Olympic appearances.”
Rick Schiffhauer, the President of Smash It Sports, has been a longtime supporter of softball. Smash It Sports has found success in the slow-pitch world, and looks forward to venturing into fastpitch.
“When I founded Smash It Sports, one of our core values was to look for avenues to advance women in diamond sports,” said Schiffhauer. “I want my daughters and other girls to have the same dreams and aspirations as the boys. We need to close the disparity between baseball and softball.”
The inaugural season will range from June 15, 2022, through Aug. 15, 2022. This scheduling decision was heavily based on giving professional athletes more opportunities to play. WPF will work hand in hand with other platforms to ensure the athletes have every opportunity to make a living playing the sport they love.
WPF will be headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with teams playing nationwide.
OKC is widely referred to as the “Softball Capital of the World,” and is home to the NCAA Women’s College World Series.
“Oklahoma City is unquestionably the world capital of softball, so of course it makes sense that this would be the headquarters of the WPF,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. “We value being the host of this new endeavor, we’re excited for what that will mean in the years ahead, and we’re grateful to Commissioner Lauren Chamberlain and the WPF for choosing us. We look forward to watching the story of the league unfold.”
“It is time for the show to continue past the WCWS,” said Chamberlain. “Ya’ll are going to need more popcorn.”
*****
Pro News: Athletes Unlimited Announces First Signings for 2022 Season, Expands with AUX Softball Competition
Originally published Dec. 21, 2021, on Extra Inning Softball
Athletes Unlimited on Tuesday made several announcements, including adding Rachel Garcia and Sierra Romero among their first crop of 2022 league signees and also forming a new softball competition that will take place surrounding the 50th anniversary of Title IX.
The new competition – branded as AUX Softball – will be a two-week, standalone competition that will include 42 players and a total of 18 games. The two-week competition will take place from June 13-26 and will be played in a not-yet-announced location.
The AU regular season – the league’s third since forming in 2020 – will run from July 29-August 28. The regular season will continue to be held in Rosemont, Illinois. The regular season will include 60 players.
Fifteen players have signed multi-year contracts with Athletes Unlimited for the first time, including reigning league points champion Aleshia Ocasio as well as Amanda Chidester and Kelsey Stewart, who finished 2nd and 3rd in the AU point standings last season.
A total of 35 players have been signed for the 2022 Athletes Unlimited season. 31 of those players are returners from the 2021 season. League rookies include Garcia and Romero, as well as Italian Olympian Greta Cecchetti and former Oklahoma pitcher Shannon Saile.
Other league standouts signed to multi-year contracts include Morgan Zerkle, Gwen Svekis, Amanda Lorenz, and Haylie McCleney. Lorenz was a rookie during the league’s 2021 season, while Zerkle, Svekis, and McCleney have participated in Athletes Unlimited since the league’s inception.
Reigning league Rookie of the Year Carrie Eberle, as well as fellow 2021 rookie standouts Aliyah Andrews and Sis Bates, have all signed to return for the 2022 season. All three will participate in the AUX Softball competition, as well as the Athletes Unlimited regular season.
