Pictured: Hot 100 pitcher Alyssa Loza, who learned this week she'll have a new head coach at Arizona State.

The big news this week was the sudden stepping down of the head coach at one of the premier college programs in the country and how this may—or may not—have a ripple effect in recruiting.

We have more verbals and info on two big events starting Friday so let’s go!

*** One thing about softball is that almost every day there’s something big going on.

The stunner this week came out of the college ranks as Arizona State Head Coach Craig Nicholson resigned on Monday citing personal medical reasons.

According to Vice President for Athletics Ray Anderson, assistant coaches Robert Wanger and Letty Olivarez will be the co-interim head coaches for this upcoming season. The Pac-12 school will also do a search to find a permanent head coach.

Nicholson was heading into his third year leading the Sun Devils and had compiled an 82-34-1 mark with both of his two previous ASU teams making the NCAA Tournament after taking over for Clint Myers who is currently at Auburn.

Wagner coached under Clint Myers from 2006-2011 and then went to Scottsdale Community College as head coach from 2012 to 2014 when he returned to ASU to serve as the hitting and outfield coach.

Olivarez was just hired at ASU in the role of pitching coaching. She played at Wisconsin and was an assistant at Cal State Northridge and Stanford.

So how does this impact the recruiting situation, particularly the seven standout players in the 2016 class who tripped to ASU a few weeks ago?

Before we cover that, here’s the list of the seven seniors who are expected to sign with the Pac-12 school in a few weeks:

• C Sierra Blair (KG Hitters)
• SS Randi Farricker (Corona Angels)
• OF Hannah Howell (Explosion-Denio/Wilson)
• P/1B Alyssa Loza (Explosion-Denio/Wilson)
• SS Emma Ramelot (Explosion-Denio/Wilson)
• OF Allison Tatnall (Explosion-Denio/Wilson)
• OF Briana Wise (So Cal A’s-Datan)

We contacted the parent of one of the seven who explained Monday what had happened (keeping the identity anonymous):

“(My daughter) and the other six recruits received phone calls yesterday from Coach Letty Olivarez. We were surprised of the news because we had just visited three weeks ago. She explained the situation and asked if (my daughter) was still on board in spite of the changes.”

“As of today, I know that she and three other recruits remain committed. Coach Robert Wagner also called (our club coach) and made it clear that all offers still stand. (My daughter) texted Craig Nicholson and he replied that he is doing well and will be OK."

The parent then added the perfect punch line to describe recruiting in general:

“Isn't this softball recruiting thing interesting and scary?”

*** FloSoftball be in Conroe, Texas Friday through Sunday for the Texas Bombers Exposure Weekend and we’ll be streaming live games of many of the top teams in the Lone Star State.

You can click here to Join Now and here’s something important: not only will you get to see this weekend’s games in Texas, you’ll be able to watch select games at Rising Stars and Diamond9 too.

Why? Because the month subscription (or year, if you’re a REALLY big fan of the sport!) gets you access for the entire month and that includes all the games and events this month!

A lot of great softball this month that we’re streaming.

*** Speaking of great softball, the PGF Shootout and Surf City October Showcase are taking place this weekend simultaneously and there will be over 200 top teams in Orange Co. including 32 of the best in the country battling in the 18U division and 32 more at 16U.

Action kicks off Friday at 8 am…. here are the teams in each age group:

18U (32 teams)

• AASA Merrida
• American Freedom Gold
• Arizona Mizuno Storm Gold
• AZ Hotshots Elite - Gatti
• Beverly Bandits Conroy/Tyrell
• Birmingham Thunderbolts 18 Premier
• Ca Grapettes Gold
• Cal Cruisers
• Corona Angels Gold - Tyson
• Corona Angels - Howard
• Diamond Sports Hotshots
• Dirt Dogs-Team Mizuno
• Explosion Denio/Wilson
• Firecrackers Brashear
• Firecrackers Rico
• Jersey Intensity KOD Premier
• KG Hitters 18G
• Lil' Rebels Gordie
• NW Bullets 18 Gold Campos
• OC Batbusters Lastrapes
• Ohana Tigers - Quarles
• Orange County Batbusters Stith
• So Cal Athletics - Richardson
• So Cal Choppers-Fausett 18U
• SoCal Athletics
• SoCal Breakers
• SoCal Diamonds 18 GOLD Ashley/Creamer
• Sorcerer 18U
• The Next Level
• USA Athletics Gold
• Washington Ladyhawks Gold Miller
• West Coast Intensity Gomes

16U (32 teams)

• AASA 16U Garcia
• American Freedom Futures
• AZ Killer Bees 16u
• AZ Suncats 99
• Beverly Bandits Conroy
• CA Grapettes - Renfro
• CA Suncats-Jimenez 16U
• CAL NUGGETS WOODS 16U
• California Cruisers 16U
• California Cruisers-AE
• Corona Angels Slye
• Diamond Sports Hotshots
• Dirt Dogs - Team Mizuno Davila
• Explosion-Greg
• Firecrackers Ensey/Redmond Elite
• Firecrackers-Brashear 16U
• Illinois Chill Gold 16U
• Jersey Intensity KOD 16U
• KG Hitters - Stone
• Lil Rebels RC
• LTG Carda
• Mizuno Storm - Beach
• NW Bullets Evenson
• OC Batbusters Smith 16U
• So Cal Athletics TO-Mercado
• So Cal Choppers Ziese
• SoCal Breakers 16 Beddow
• SoCal Diamonds - Parr 16U
• Sorcerer 16U - Williams
• Texas Blaze White
• USA Athletics-Porter
• WA Ladyhawks-Nelons

FloSoftball will be at the Shootout and will cover the Championship Games which will be at Bill Barber Stadium in Irvine, California and see the 18U finalists play at 11 am PST while the 16U kicks off at 1:30 pm PST.

*** FloSoftball spoke to a very reliable source today who said that the So Cal Choppers teams –which are playing in the PGF Shootout—signed a deal today with Bownet which will make the organization the “Bownet Choppers” from now on.

This strong group of teams—which won the 18U and 14U divisions at the PGF Ultimate Challenge a week and a half ago and finished as runners-up at 16U—is lead by Gary and Dean Fausett.

*** We got a nice note from 2019 outfielder/shortstop Leea Hanks who is playing with the Jersey Intensity 14U National team updating us on her recruiting situation:

“ After a busy summer schedule with Intensity, I've been blessed with the opportunity to visit some really great schools,” she said.

“Among those were Notre Dame, Tennessee, and North Carolina - Chapel Hill. I've been humbled by the interest and consider it a true blessing from God.”

I'm currently a freshman at Eustis High School in Eustis, Florida, a town 30 miles northwest of Orlando. My high school coach is Brittany Scott-Beall, a former Auburn softball player. She's helping me in so many ways.”

“I will continue to work hard on my game and continue to work hard in the classroom. My next showcase will be D9 Sun Classic in Orlando.”

*** FloSoftball also heard from Sharon Perkins, who’s spearheading the Atlanta Premier-Perkins team and is getting some excellent young talent (one of those being her daughter who just committed).

Here’s what Coach Perkins wrote:

“Just wanted to pass along two verbal commitments from Atlanta Premier-Perkins so far this fall…

--- C Jessica Morgan (Georgia)… attends White County High School
--- 2B/1B Katie Perkins (North Carolina)… attends Buford High School

They join SS/C Kelsey Bennett ( 2018, Virginia Tech), also at Buford High School, who committed to Virginia Tech last year.

“We will have more before the end of 2015. Our team finished National Runner Up at 14U ASA Nationals this summer.”

The former Georgia Tech head coach and three-time ACC Coach of the Year had a great line too when we said we’d like to do a nice profile on her team.

She quipped, “After coaching collegiately for 17 years, I was always used to an SID doing it. Fortunately, my husband is a former SID, so I will put him to good use for once!”

*** Hannah Davis, a 2018 middle infielder/outfielder who plays for the Louisville Lady Sluggers-Davis team, committed to Marshall last Sunday according to her father and coach Greg Davis.

Hannah was on the Next 100 In of the 2018 Hot 100 and has the talent to ultimately make the top list.

She helped lead the Sluggers to a 7th place finish out of 127 teams at ASA Nationals as she hit over .500 and had offers from schools in conferences like Conference USA, Ohio Valley and the MAC and interest from Big Ten, ACC and SEC schools.

As a freshman last spring she was the starting shortstop on her Scott County High (Georgetown, Kentucky) varsity team where she led the team with a .400 average and 53 hits on the way to the state tournament.


Pictured: Presley Leebrick is being recruited by SEC schools.

*** Finally, an update on a top 2019 player, slapper Presley Leebrick from Murfreesboro, Tennessee who we profiled in a Rising Star article in March.

One of the fun things we touched upon regarding the middle infielder/outfielder was how she “grew up around baseball as her father’s cousin, Steve Liddle, was a bench coach for the Minnesota Twins and the Leebrick family would go to spring training in Ft. Myers, Floirda.

“Presley would get to be in the dugout for batting practice and rub shoulders with the likes of Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Tori Hunter. She wears the No. 7 because of Joe Mauer.”

She played for the Tennessee Fury Platinum team in power pools at top events like Scenic City, Atlanta Legacy, and Colorado Sparklers and they also in the ASA Nationals in Virginia.

Overall, Presley hit .400 (56-140) finishing 3rd on the team in hits and near the top in batting average.

She flew from Virginia to California to play with the Birmingham Thunderbolts-Dorsett 01 team like she did last year in the PGF Nationals and hit .400 in five bracket games (6-for-14).

Moving forward, the freshman will continue to play with the Bolts. According to her father, Tony, “The Fury Platinum Team split the team with half of them moving up to 16u and with Presley still having a year left to play 14u, we decided it was in her best interest to stay in that age group with the Bolts.”

The versatile athlete attended the Georgia and Alabama camps this summer and went to the Florida camp last weekend. Those schools, along with local programs like Lipscomb and Middle Tennessee State, have shown interest.

Here is a video of her from ASA and PGF Nationals including a double and bunt single: