Courtesy of Evan Jones/Utah Athletics
D1 Coaching Staff of the Year: Utah
Top StoriesFollowing Oklahoma’s NCAA record-run to a third straight national title at the Women’s College World Series, it’s time to sit back and celebrate the best and the brightest of the 2023 season. D1Softball will be handing out its postseason awards over the next few days.
Coaching Staff of the Year: Utah
Amy Hogue brought her alma mater back to the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 1994. It was quite the coaching job as her team was picked to finish eighth in the Pac-12 preseason poll and finished just 3-21 in conference play two seasons ago.
The most impressive thing Hogue does is allow her assistant coaches to be the ‘head’ coaches of their groups. That’s a big reason why both DJ Gasso and Paige Parker also excelled and helped the Utes accomplish their goal of making it to Oklahoma City.
Gasso led the offense that ranked 15th-best in run production, scoring over six runs per game. Ellessa Bonstrom, Julia Jimenez, Aliya Belarde and Sophie Jacquez all had a OPS over .900. Freshmen Abby Dayton and Karlie Davison also progressed very well during the season. Parker was vital in the success of Mariah Lopez, who became the Utah ace and was a workhorse during the postseason.