Florida Gulf Coast League Announces Opening Day and Team Rosters
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The Florida Gulf Coast League will open its inaugural season on Thursday, June 18, at Palma Sola Park in Bradenton, Florida. Two-time Olympic gold medallist Michele Smith will throw out the first pitch alongside USF Softball Hall of Famer, Shelley Riker. Riker was a four-year starter at South Florida and still holds the school record for stolen bases. The emcee will be Gray Robertson. Robertson is an SEC Network+ broadcaster, Crimson Tide Sports Network softball analyst and co-host of the Out of the Box Podcast.
The players reported Sunday, June 14 and will participate in a three day mini-camp. Due to COVID-19 health and safety precautions, all players and training staff will have daily temperature checks and a full-time athletic training staff is on hand. Spectators will be allowed in certain areas but are not allowed to have contact with players or staff. There are no gate fees but spectators must follow safety guidelines which will be posted at both field locations.
Streaming is held by GameVision ($249.00) and Stream Live Tampa will produce some games for free viewing.
“These athletes are trailblazer,” said Lesley Ginder, FGCL public relations official, “It’s time softball players have the same experience as baseball players.”
The league consists of seven teams – FastpitchU, Impact Softball, Lynx, Pioneers, Rivermocs, Bradenton Slice, and Manatee Squeeze – competing over five weeks. Players represent more than 56 schools and all divisions of collegiate softball. All seven teams have individual owners and players were selected through applications and recruiting.
For more information on the FGCL visit their website
FastpitchU
Lauren King went 7-2 for Rhodes College leading the team in wins, innings pitched (66.0), WHIP (1.29), saves (1), strikeouts (54). (Rhodes College Athletics Photo)
| Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|
| Raegan Conley | C | Florida Atlantic (signed) |
| Dainelle Diaz | IF | Stetson |
| Samantha Guile | P | Northwestern St |
| Savannah Henley | P | Purdue (signed) |
| Lauren King | P | Rhodes College |
| Madison Lewis | OF | FL International |
| Sarah Longley | IF | Florida |
| Alyssa Perez | C/IF | St Leo (signed) |
| Emma Peterson | IF | Chestnut Hills College |
| Molly Rainey | OF | Central Florida |
| Breanna Robine | IF | Florida Atlantic (signed) |
| Jade Soto | IF | Coastal Carolina |
| Jaime Tino | P | Stetson |
| Marissa Trezza | IF | UT-Tyler |
| Head Coach: Pete Berrios | Furman University Assistant Coach | |
| Asst. Coach: Melissa Martinez | ||
| Asst. Coach: Dave Sechler |
Impact Softball
Kelsey Bennett hit .368 this season for the Hokies (VT Athletics Photo)
| Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|
| Maya Amm | IF | Florida Atlantic |
| Megan Ackermann | P | Chattanooga St. |
| Kelsey Bennett | IF | Virginia Tech |
| Taryn Freshwater | C/1B | South Florida |
| Emma Hawthorne | C/1B | Northwestern St. (signed) |
| Jensen Howell | P/1B | Northwestern St. |
| Kaitlyn King | P | Elon |
| Madeline Lindsley | P | St Leo (signed) |
| Leanne Matthews | IF | Penn State |
| Hannah Perez | 3B/C | Warner |
| Avery Perkins | 2B | Tampa |
| Logan Robinson | P/UT | Charleton College |
| McKenzie Tyan | OF | North Dakota |
| Head Coach: Ashton Hinds |
Lynx
Morgan Overaitis batted .277 this season for Michigan and has since transferred to Virginia Tech (Michigan Athletics Photo)
| Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|
| Abigail Morgan | P | Florida Atlantic |
| Gaby Ruiz | IF | Liberty |
| Sajarie Jones | UT | Pensacola St |
| Hannah Faraimo | OF | Eckerd |
| Jaylnn Ford | IF | Florida Atlantic |
| Devyn Flaherty | IF | Florida State |
| Dani Bauer | P | Charleston |
| Kasey Fava | OF | UCF |
| Kaylea Evans | OF | USC Upstate (signed) |
| Mackenzie Woods | C | North Florida (signed) |
| Lauren Hobbs | P | Stetson (signed) |
| Morgan Overaitis | UT | Virginia Tech |
| Ashlee Lykins | OF | Furman (signed) |
| Mekayla Frazier | IF | Elon (signed) |
| Haley Lee | C | Texas A&M |
| Head Coach: Lindsay Fico | Santa Fe College |
Pioneers
Colorado State’s Taylor Gilmore went 4-4 with a 2.74 ERA and 43 strikeouts (Colorado State Photo)
| Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|
| Kayla Posten | IF | Barry |
| Kayla Howard | P | Campbell |
| Skylar Ball | OF | Southern Utah |
| Kennedy Krull | IF | Huntington |
| Neely Peterson | C | Colorado State |
| Taylor Gilmore | P | Colorado State |
| Grace Prom | IF | Santa Fe |
| Makenzie Ball | C | Southern Utah |
| Cammeo Presutti | OF | Florida Atlantic |
| Alivia Doyle | C | Indiana Tech |
| Sophie Hannabas | P | Southeastern LA |
| Paris Woods | OF | Syracuse |
| Megan Pierro | IF | South Florida |
| Kara Saylor | IF | Stetson |
| Jordyn Petty | IF | Barry |
| Brooklyn Lucero | P | NC State (signed) |
| Head Coach: Erica Beach | ||
| Asst. Coach: Karlie Milburn |
Rivermocs
Ari Quiñones played in 10 games for the Huskies hitting .400 (UW Athletics Photo)
| Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|
| Ari Quinones | UT | Washington |
| Gabby Benson | UT | Georgia St |
| Emilee Erickson | IF | BYU |
| Claire Ginder | IF | Furman (signed) |
| Madi Davis | P | UCF |
| Kaylee Erickson | C | BYU |
| Karley Hobbs | P | Truett McConnell |
| Maggie Trgo | OF | Western Kentucky |
| Megan Wright | OF | UCF (signed) |
| Lizzie Shubert | IF | Stetson |
| Megan Hargraves | IF | USF |
| Jenny Jansen | OF | Southern Illinois |
| Mack Leonard | P | Illinois St |
| Sarah Handrahan | P | Nebraska -Kearney |
| Alyssah Mullis | C | Georgia Southern |
| Head Coach: Michaela Transue | Missouri Volunteer Asst. Coach | |
| Assistant Coach: Camille Morgan | ||
| Asst. Coach: Karlie Milburn |
Bradenton Slice
USF’s Meghan Sheehan hit .345 on the season, second on the team (USF Athletics Photo)
| Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|
| Madison McPherson | P/UT | Georgia Tech |
| Hayley Bejarano | OF | Central Florida |
| Jazmine Dodd | OF | Alabama St |
| Meghan Sheehan | OF | South Florida |
| Adi Reese | IF | Wichita St |
| Brittany Crowson | P | Newberry |
| Isabel Kelly | P | James Madison |
| Kinsey Goetz | IF | Florida |
| Neleigh Herring | IF | Wichita St |
| Breanna Roper | IF | Georgia Tech |
| Kelsey Brown | OF | Virginia Tech |
| Riley Ludlam | C | Furman |
| Maddi Banks | IF | Virginia Tech |
| Katelin Davis | OF | North Florida |
| Lindsey Toneygay | C | Towson |
| Head Coach: Gina Snyder | ||
| Asst Coach: Gary Kifer |
Manatee Squeeze
Alexis Johns led FIU at the plate with a .375 average (FIU Athletics Photo)
| Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|
| Stormy Kotzelnick | IF | Washington (signed) |
| Sommer Baker | IF | Florida Atlantic |
| Paige Schindler | P | Louisville |
| Megan Ricks | IF | FGCU (signed) |
| Sara Bethiaume | OF | Florida Atlantic |
| Jenna Green | P | Presbyterian |
| Abi Stuart | C | Clemson |
| Taylor Johnson | C | Wisconsin |
| Alexis Johns | OF | Florida International |
| Jordyn Wolfe | OF | Louisville |
| Nikki Cuchran | 1B | Northwestern |
| Kenna Wilkey | P | Northwestern |
| Jordyn Kalub | UT | South Florida |
| Head Coach: Mario Hernandez | Jacksonville University | |
| Assistant Coach: Carysn Cordon | Palm Beach Atlantic |
