The When
February 10-13, Leesburg, Florida
The What
The first iteration of this tournament, the concept for which was devised by Mark Allister, the Northern Lights tournament is part of THE Spring Games and run by their staff and organizers. Games from the tournament will be broadcast with commentary on FloSoftball (subscription required). Conceptually, the tournament brands itself as an opportunity for teams from the north to get away from early-season weather conditions and play top competition in the Sunshine State.
The Who
- Akron
- Eastern Kentucky
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Liberty
- Michigan State
- Missouri
- Northwestern
- Penn State
- Pitt
- UConn
- Virginia Tech
- Wisconsin
A Blurb
The Big 10, ACC, and SEC are all represented by multiple teams in the tournament field; the group of participating teams includes six teams that participated in last season’s NCAA tournament.
A Hidden Gem
Iowa pitcher Breanna Vasquez — A former UCF pitcher, Vasquez is now playing for former UCF coach Renee Luers-Gillispie at Iowa. The Hawkeyes saw their pitching staff get decimated after last season thanks to both graduation and the transfer portal, and Vasquez is a veteran arm who also brings a new look against opposing offenses. She should see a lot of innings this year, and it’s likely that she’ll start racking them up from day one.
A Breakout Star
Liberty pitcher Emily Kirby — The reigning ASun Pitcher of the Year, Kirby fits into this category because – despite her growing trophy case – she still maintains a low profile on the national scene. She was quite good for the Flames last year, leading the team from the circle and posting a 15-5 record with a 1.92 ERA and 145 strikeouts.
A Team to Watch
UConn— The Huskies are a team on the rise in the Big East, and they have an intriguing slate in front of them in Leesburg. In addition to SEC foe Missouri – featuring a Hofstra reunion, of sorts, with five Pride playing & coaching alums between the two staffs – the Huskies will also play four Big Ten opponents in the season-opening tournament. A solid squad, the Huskies have a chance at walking out with a winning record and will and should be lauded if that possibility becomes reality.
A Storyline
Wisconsin slugger Kayla Konwent only announced her return to the Badger roster a few weeks ago and her comeback immediately cast the Badgers’ fortunes into a whole new atmosphere. She carries a huge bat and was the 2019 B1G Player of the Year; after not playing since the 2020 season abruptly shut down, she may have some rust to shake off, but a lot of eyes will be on Konwent to start the year.
Marquee Matchups
Kentucky vs. Wisconsin, Thursday, 2/10 @ 6 pm ET
Liberty vs. Kentucky, Friday 2/11 @ 3 pm ET
Wisconsin vs. Virginia Tech. Friday 2/11 @ 3:30 pm ET
Virginia Tech vs. Northwestern, Friday 2/11 @ 6 pm ET
Missouri vs. Wisconsin, Saturday 2/12 @ 3:30 pm
Missouri vs. Virginia Tech, Saturday 2/12 @ 6 pm ET
Eastern Kentucky vs. Northwestern, Sunday 2/13 @ 9 am ET
Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech, Sunday 2/13 @ 10:30 am
Liberty vs. Missouri, Sunday 2/13 @ 1 pm ET
Players to Watch
Kayla Kowalik, Kentucky – Inexplicably still underrated at times, Kowalik ended last season with a batting average just five points shy of .500 (.495) and was a first-team All-American after the year. As solid a presence as possible behind the plate, she’s also a fixture on the base paths and has 48 career stolen bases to her credit.
Kara Canetto, Liberty – Already having established herself as a rock in center field for the Flames, Canetto had a stellar 2021 season, leading her team with a .385 batting average with ten doubles, 38 runs scored, 19 stolen bases, and 75 base hits to her credit.
Jenna Laird, Missouri – Laird will look to build on her 2021 rookie campaign that saw her earn SEC Freshman of the Year honors, a year in which she batted .369 with 13 doubles, eight home runs, 38 RBIs, and was a perfect 12-12 on the basepaths.
Danielle Williams, Northwestern – Even during a conference-only year, Williams starred for Northwestern, leading the team with a 2.21 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP, and 191 strikeouts while earning 17 wins on the year.
Kelsey Brown, Virginia Tech – Brown’s electricity in the outfield saw her raise eyebrows with her defensive prowess, and she carried that productivity over to her play at the plate, leading the team with a .384 batting average and collecting five triples and four doubles last season.
Bailey Parshall, Penn State – Wins have been hard to come by at PSU, but Parshall has turned in some solid performances in the circle nevertheless. She posted a 2.83 ERA and 83 strikeouts during the conference-only 2021 season.
Carly Robinson, Eastern Kentucky – Robinson finished seventh in the OVC with nine home runs and will now be one of the offensive cornerstones that the Colonels look to to lead their offense into the program’s ASun era. She carries a big bat.
