Today’s Daily Update has the final summer 18U club softball rankings as put out by UsClubRankings.com (and there’s a controversial ranking that will surely have people talking), we look at the nation’s top club team aand the eight new additions, sprinkle in a few more verbals and finish with a trip to the archives!
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NATIONAL CLUB RANKINGS TOP 18U SUMMER RANKINGS
Lists are for discussion and sometimes controversy and the newly released final 18U softball club rankings will surely get tongues wagging.
The most glaring jaw-dropper is that the ranking of Team Mizuno-Stith (TMS) which finished second at the PGF 18U Premier National Championship—and that was losing 3-2 to the No. 1 team the SoCal A’s— is No. 11.
Wow.
A little digging and you can see why. Based on how the rankings are compiled, one of the factors is the CPI, or College Player Index, which factors in players who have gone on to college from 2009 to this year.
Here’s the note included on How the Rankings are Calculated…
The National Softball Rankings are comprised of a combination of three items:
- (1) National Vote
- (2) National Points System and
- (3) College Player Index.
The National Vote was conducted in August of 2013 by the Top-200 teams. The National Points System gives points to a team’s event finishes from the 2013 summer season in both National and Regional events of ANY governing body. The College Player Index is a snapshot at a team’s ability to send players on to the next level from 2009 – 2013 graduation years. Each portion is weighted differently to make up the Overall Rank.
Apparently, because TMS was a young 16U team that rolled into an 18U team it has been penalized with a very, very low ranking of #198.
Having seen the team play at least a dozen times, and with players going to Arizona, ASU, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, LSU, Stanford, UCLA, Washington and others, a nearly #200 ranking is very inaccurate in terms of quality of college-level athletes… so chalk it up to a system or procedural glitch that hurt TMS.
But, polls always have interesting developments like these and this is an interesting one to discuss, to say the least.
Below is the table of the top 50 winners… what was nice was a release was sent out showing the top 5 teams highlighting some of their key tournament accomplishments this summer:
#1 So Cal A’s – Richardson (4x champion of the Premier Girls Fastpitch Nationals)
#2 Firecrackers – Rico (TC/USA Nationals Champions and Fireworks Champions)
#3 Corona Angels – Tyson (3rd at TC/USA Nationals and winner of Champions Cup)
#4 Texas Glory – Shelton (3rd at PGF Nationals, 3rd at Fireworks)
#5 Beverly Bandits – Conroy (5th at PGF Nationals, 3rd at Independence Day)
| Rank | Team | NPS Points | NPS Rank | Ballot Points | Ballot Rank | CPI Points | CPI Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | So Cal Athletics - Richardson (CA) | 151 | 2 | 3117 | 1 | 153 | 10 |
| 2 | Firecrackers - Rico (CA) | 150 | 3 | 2978 | 2 | 156 | 7 |
| 3 | Corona Angels - Tyson (CA) | 127 | 5 | 2820 | 3 | 193 | 1 |
| 4 | Texas Glory - Shelton (TX) | 138 | 4 | 2798 | 4 | 173 | 3 |
| 5 | Beverly Bandits - Conroy (IL) | 126 | 6 | 2798 | 4 | 148 | 16 |
| 6 | Orange County Batbusters - Haning (CA) | 111 | 9 | 2731 | 6 | 124 | 41 |
| 7 | East Cobb Bullets - Schnute (GA) | 111 | 9 | 2442 | 7 | 142 | 20 |
| 8 | Wichita Mustangs - Griggs (KS) | 114 | 8 | 2244 | 10 | 163 | 6 |
| 9 | Sorcerers - Mumma (CA) | 105 | 11 | 2361 | 9 | 172 | 5 |
| 10 | Gold Coast Hurricanes - Cooper (FL) | 75 | 17 | 2370 | 8 | 152 | 13 |
| 11 | Team Mizuno Gold- Stith | 168 | 1 | 2126 | 13 | 44 | 198 |
| 12 | Washington Lady Hawks - Miller (WA) | 78 | 15 | 2078 | 14 | 177 | 2 |
| 13 | Texas Impact Gold - Burke (TX) | 72 | 18 | 2211 | 11 | 133 | 32 |
| 14 | Atlanta Vipers - Giles (GA) | 72 | 18 | 2178 | 12 | 119 | 52 |
| 15 | Cal Cruisers - Sievers (CA) | 78 | 15 | 1703 | 17 | 127 | 39 |
| 16 | TC Stars - Klaviter (CO) | 119 | 7 | 1546 | 23 | 115 | 57 |
| 17 | Texas Bombers Gold - Smith (TX) | 88 | 12 | 1589 | 20 | 112 | 67 |
| 18 | KC Peppers - Eakin (KS) | 68 | 20 | 1724 | 16 | 119 | 52 |
| 19 | Miami Stingrays - Rebhan (FL) | 68 | 20 | 1687 | 18 | 121 | 46 |
| 20 | So Cal Choppers - Fausett (CA) | 60 | 33 | 1903 | 15 | 148 | 16 |
| 21 | New Jersey Intensity - ODonnell (NJ) | 62 | 31 | 1601 | 19 | 173 | 3 |
| 22 | New Lenox Lightning - (IL) | 67 | 22 | 1134 | 29 | 141 | 21 |
| 23 | California Grapettes - Gomes (CA) | 63 | 30 | 1373 | 25 | 141 | 21 |
| 24 | The Next Level - Delameter (CA) | 62 | 31 | 1437 | 24 | 129 | 38 |
| 25 | Arizona Storm - Brun (AZ) | 60 | 33 | 1552 | 22 | 110 | 72 |
| 26 | Texas Sudden Impact Gold - Dutton (TX) | 66 | 24 | 1298 | 28 | 90 | 104 |
| 27 | Nebraska Gold (NE) | 88 | 12 | 829 | 32 | 24 | 239 |
| 28 | Bownet - Creamer | 66 | 24 | 840 | 31 | 79 | 131 |
| 29 | Team North Florida - Whitt/Fagan (FL) | 55 | 39 | 1558 | 21 | 75 | 142 |
| 30 | Texas Storm - Wymer (TX) | 60 | 33 | 986 | 30 | 156 | 7 |
| 31 | So Cal Explosion - Denio (CA) | 53 | 41 | 1316 | 27 | 130 | 36 |
| 32 | Rock Gold - Waye (PA) | 48 | 46 | 1323 | 26 | 152 | 13 |
| 33 | Aces Express - McCorkle (TX) | 67 | 22 | 493 | 41 | 105 | 77 |
| 34 | East Coast Firecrackers | 66 | 24 | 570 | 39 | 94 | 98 |
| 35 | USA Athletics - Rogers (CA) | 49 | 45 | 581 | 38 | 144 | 18 |
| 36 | Wagners Gold - Dunn | 64 | 28 | 474 | 42 | 0 | 265 |
| 37 | CA San Jose Sting | 51 | 43 | 753 | 35 | 49 | 188 |
| 38 | Colorado Styxx - Lembeck (CO) | 48 | 46 | 656 | 36 | 89 | 107 |
| 39 | Minors Gold - Lovelace (CA) | 42 | 56 | 757 | 34 | 139 | 25 |
| 40 | San Diego Batbusters - Fox (CA) | 66 | 24 | 232 | 57 | 139 | 25 |
| 41 | Lady Magic - Saulter (CA) | 41 | 59 | 823 | 33 | 123 | 42 |
| 42 | Team Smith - Smith (CA) | 45 | 52 | 629 | 37 | 99 | 90 |
| 43 | Lakewood Firecrackers - Rodriguez(CA) | 50 | 44 | 555 | 40 | 47 | 194 |
| 44 | Virginia Legends (VA) | 55 | 39 | 330 | 49 | 70 | 149 |
| 45 | Beverly Bandits A | 64 | 28 | 281 | 53 | 0 | 265 |
| 46 | Firecrackers (AZ) | 60 | 33 | 305 | 51 | 0 | 265 |
| 47 | Corona Angels - Howard (CA) | 42 | 56 | 393 | 45 | 131 | 33 |
| 48 | Didi Rockers - MO | 60 | 33 | 242 | 56 | 0 | 265 |
| 49 | AL Birmingham Thunderbolts | 56 | 38 | 270 | 54 | 0 | 265 |
| 50 | Wagners Sport55 - Kiple (VA) | 41 | 59 | 365 | 48 | 122 | 45 |
*** To see the complete list, click here
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NATION’S NO. 1 TEAM SETS ROSTER
*** What isn’t up for debate is who is the top team in club softball right now—without a doubt it’s the So Cal A’s as coached by Bruce Richardson.
When you win an unheard of four National Championships in a row at the highest level of competition then you are the top dog until someone knocks you off the hill.
click here to see a recap of the 2013 team that won the PGF 18U National Championship
With five players moving on due to graduation, there were obviously holes to fill… I spoke to Bruce today and he said there are eight new players coming onto the squad for the fall and beyond.
Here’s a list of the new So Cal A’s:
— P Kaitlin Buff (2016, uncommitted)
was on OC Batbusters-McNee 14U
— C Montana Dixon (2016, uncommitted)
was on OC Batbusters-McNee14U
— CF Jenna Holcolm (2016, uncommitted)
was on OC Batbusters-McNee 14U
— P Katya Duvall (2015, Ohio State)
was on So Cal A’s-Smith 16U
— 1B Taylor Rowland (2015, Tennessee)
was on OC Batbusters-Myers 16U
— SS Nikki Fry (2015, uncommitted)
was on OC Batbusters-Myers 16U
— 3B Melissa Rochford (2015, Notre Dame)
was on OC Batbusters-Myers 16U
— OF Kennedy Clark (2015, South Carolina)
was on OC Batbusters-Myers 16U
*** Remember that Doug Myers is coming over to the SoCal A’s to help coach a 16U team, so that explains why so many of his former players are now with the A’s.
*** A final note: several of the top Southern Calif. teams will be getting together on Sept 28-29 as the A’s will host a friendly at Los Alamitos High School.
Among the teams expected to participate are the A’s, Corona Angels (who we’ll preview tomorrow) and the two new Mizuno teams, the Batbusters-Haning and Batbusters-Stith teams.
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MORE VERBALS
*** Here are a few more verbals—some old, some new— we’re adding to our Verbal Master List, which will be updated Friday (thanks to Bret Denio of the Explosion for leads on many of these!)
— IF/OF Angie Vasquez, Explosion (2014, Loyola Marymount)
— MIF Madison Smith, Texas Glory-Naudin (2014, Dartmouth)
— P Michal Hylton, Oklahoma Ultimate (2015, Virginia Tech)
— IF Riley Tejcek, Indiana Magic (2015, George Washington)
— UT Brooke Lee, Louisiana Voodoo (2014, Memphis)
— IF Kyler Trosclair, Louisiana Voodoo (2014, Memphis)
— P Katie Brignac, Louisiana Voodoo (2014, Memphis)
— P Kylee Jo Trahan, Louisiana Voodoo (2014, Texas-San Antonio)
— UT Haley Perkins Louisiana Voodoo (2014, McNeese State)
— P/SS Kailey Mellen, Arizona Hotshots-Householder (2014, Coastal Carolina)
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FROM THE ARCHIVES: VALERIE ARIOTO
*** We’re digging into the archival vaults to pull out a profile we did way back on March 6, 2006 on a current USA National Team member… as it says below, Valerie Arioto was gearing up for her junior year so this was when she was REALLY young, but still fun to look at!
Spotlight on… Cal-bound Valerie Arioto
She’s only halfway through her high school softball career, yet Northern Calif. pitcher Valerie Arioto (pictured, right) already has reason to celebrate. The talented pitcher has her college future mapped out as she has committed to Cal-Berkeley. Go inside to learn about the junior, why she verballed so early and what she’s like off the field…
Player in the spotlight: Valerie Arioto
Position(s): pitcher only (h.s. team)/pitcher & outfielder (club)
High school: Foothill (Pleasanton, Calif.)
Club: Sorcerer
Key stats & honors: as a sophomore, Arioto was a 1st team all-state honoree by CalHiSports.com… 0.29 ERA and .522 batting average.
Team honors: In preseason polls, Foothill H.S. is ranked No. 34 nationally in the StudentSportsSoftball.com FAB 50 and No. 9 in Calif. by CalHiSports.com.
StudentSportsSoftball.com: You committed so early, why did you pull the trigger so soon on Cal?
Valerie Arioto: It was a combination of everything—I liked the school, the coaches and when I went to the campus for an unofficial visit, I really liked the girls I met. I just felt there was no option better, it’s close to home—about 45 minutes away—and my parents, grandparents and friends can watch me pitch.
SSS.com: So how did the actual process go of your telling Cal you’d be a Bear?
VA: When I went on my unofficial trip, I had a nice feeling and kind of decided then I would commit early. The coaches told me I could call them if I wanted to make it official so I decided on the first day of school last year (Aug. 29, 2005) to call them and say I would be coming.
SSS.com: You excel on the mound and in the batter’s box… what position will you play in the Pac 10?
VA: Cal picked me up as an all-around pitcher, but if I had my preference, I’d like to pitch.
SSS.com: Which do you enjoy most, pitching or hitting?
VA: It depends on what I’m doing best! If I had to pick one, it’d probably be pitching when I get the ball to do what I want it to do.
SSS.com: Your high school team, Pleasanton, appears to be loaded and is a preseason FAB 50 team. How do you foresee this squad doing?
VA: We’ve only lost one player so we’re mostly the same team and should be even better as we’ve been practicing and working out a lot harder already.
SSS.com: You’ve already gained national attention and you haven’t even thrown a pitch of your junior season. When did you realize you’d made it “the Big Leagues?”
VA: Probably my freshman year, when I started seeing my name more and more in the newspaper.
SSS.com: So what’s been the highlight of your young career so far?
VA: It’s hard to say, but for my high school it’d be playing in the North Coast Section finals and making it that far, even though we lost.
SSS.com: What’s one thing people on the outside don’t know about you?
VA: I’m a lot more outgoing than I look on the field; off the field I’m really goofy!
SSS.com: To finish, here’s a series of quick questions… give us your quick answers!
Favorite food: broccoli
Favorite TV show: Laguna Beach
Favorite movie: Blue Crush
Favorite artist/musician: Mariah Carey
Most embarrassing moment: at our crabfeed fundraiser, my name was announced and I wasn’t there yet. When I came in, everyone was staring at me.
Proudest moment: not a certain moment… just all the accomplishments so far.
Person(s) you most admire: my parents
Career plans: not sure, possibly communications as I like working with people
Summer plans: a lot of softball. My club team (Sorcerer) will play in tournaments in Colorado (Fireworks) and in Las Vegas.
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