Pictured: Olivia Danko goes horizontal to make a catch and is excited to keep her defensive skills at home in Florida!

A fairly brief notes column this week as we’re gearing up to attend, stream and cover the biggest college softball preseason tournament of the year—the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic!

If you want to see college softball at its best this weekend and next, you’ll be able to check out ALL the games if you’re a subscriber (and if you’re reading this, must mean you are!).

So we’re quick and to the point today but stay tuned for more great recruiting news including player profiles coming soon.

And, so you know, the next big project on the docket for the club age players will be the FAB 50 14U Rankings in March and, also coming soon, the FAB 50 High School Rankings!


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Kennedy Cowden, a 2018 outfielder for the Team Knoxville 16U squad, committed to Kentucky this week.

Kennedy is a true lefty who is a triple threat hitter at the plate and according to Coach Jimmy Graham of Team Knoxville, “Is a game changer.  There's nothing she can't do.”

Kennedy hits for power and also runs a 2.60 home to first (verified at University of Kentucky and Lee University camps) according to Graham.

She runs home-to-home in 10.89 and in the two falls and one summer she has played for Team Knoxville, Kennedy is 60 for 60 in stolen bases.

“She's goes on the first pitch and it's rarely even close,” continues the coach. “Combine the speed with the fact that she's an aggressive and very smart base runner, it poses a serious issue for the opposing teams.”

The sophomore is also a very high average hitter with an exceptional eye at the plate.  She led the team in RBIs from the lead-off spot and at the 2015 ASA 16U Nationals, Kennedy led a game off with a home run and also hit a walk-off home run!

That despite the fact she could have still been playing as a second year 14U player but instead played up.

Defensively, Kennedy lines up in centerfield and uses her speed and great reads to cover an exceptional amount of ground. She routinely makes diving catches and “leaves you shaking your head at the plays she makes.”

Last year she hit .481 with a 1.201 OPS and had 17 walks, eight doubles, three triples, five homers and went 28-for-28 on steals.

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Coach Graham adds that he has two 2019’s who are being recruited and have Hot 100 potential… here’s a closer look with his comments:

--- OF Ashley Harbison (2019, Team Knowville 14U)

“Ashley hits the ball as hard as any player I've seen. She brings a malicious intent when she swings at the plate. Not only does she hit for power, she also hits for a very high average. Ashley is also a legitimate base stealing threat every time with her speed. She is smart and aggressive on the base paths. Defensively she can play all three outfield positions.”

“Ashley has excellent range and a strong arm to go with it. As far as recruiting this fall was her first real exposure experience. Recently at a University of Tennessee camp, the Vols and Kentucky took notice of her.”

“For the fall, she hit .478 with a 1.354 OPS and had 19 RBI while going 6-for-6 on steals.”

--- P/1B Emalee McCord (2019, Team Knoxville 14U)
Emalee is a tall (5-foot-10) and young (14 years old) power pitcher that touches 64 mph regularly. She has a commanding mound presence and fields her position extremely well. Emallee also works tirelessly to perfect her drop ball, curve, rise, and change up. She throws these pitches on any count and measures on National standards according to Rev Fire results. She is a very competitive player that wants the ball in the circle regardless of situation or opponent.”

“At the plate Emalee has big time power to all fields. As she continues to refine her approach we anticipate Emalee being a legitimate clean up hitter.”

“Emalee already has received interest from several schools.”

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One of the nicest guys in club ball is Donny Dreher of Michigan Finesse and he and 16U coach Dan Bressler have had a nice run of late putting players into colleges.  

And one of our very favorites is current Michigan freshman Alex Sobczak, the third base for the Wolverines who as the MVP of the Louisville Slugger Hit Club last August and has had a great start to the 2016 season (and who had a birthday yesterday… happy birthday Alex!).

Here’s a list of some current players for the Finesse who will be playing at the next level:

• Logan Carter - 2017 - C/1B - Western Michigan
• Sammi Mills - 2018 - C - Central Michigan
• Cheyenne Hindman - 2018 – 3B/OF - Eastern Michigan
• Melina Livingstron - 2018 - OF - La Salle
• Aleah Marra - 2018 - MIF/UT - Toledo
• Sarah Fringer - 2016 - IF/OF- Brown University
• Hannah Bunker - 2017 - IF/OF - UMass

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Olivia Danko, a 2018 outfielder from Lakewood, Florida and a sophomore at Lakewood Ranch High, just committed to Florida Gulf Coast earlier this week.

She plays for the Florida Team Mizuno – Conrad 16U team and last fall hit .494 with a .524 on-base percentage and 30 steals.

Olivia is a triple-threat, natural lefty outfielder with speed (in the 2.8 seconds home-to-first range).  She's originally from Ohio, and just moved to Florida in the summer of 2014.  (She previously played for the Ohio Stingrays 99's with players Mikayla Newland and Abby Ehrenborg, and previously Christina Clark, who are all now committed to D1 schools in Ohio now).  

Olivia first tried out for TJ Goelz's Tampa Mustangs team when the family arrived in Florida, but being a 2018 (younger than his 2016/2017's), there wasn’t a spot on the team.  

However, according to her mother, Wendy Soli, “TJ was extremely helpful by talking about Olivia to some other top level travel coaches, and referred us to some other opportunities where she could be a starting outfielder where she could get the most exposure, and play at the highest level.”

“She then earned a spot playing travel ball for FL Team Mizuno, and became teammates with many talented girls, including Devyn Flaherty, who is a top 2019 recruit that is now verbally committed to FSU.  This team was a great fit.”

Olivia, who also goves by “Liv,” quickly learned “how much earlier girls seem to be recruited in the south, and how competitive it is,” according to her mother.

“She immediately set up a player profile on Captain U that included photos, video, coach referrals, and stats, while also reaching out to every D1 and D2 college in Florida via email, hoping to attract some of their attention at the showcases where she would be playing.  She also attended some college skills camps at FL schools, knowing she wanted to go to college locally.”

A university soon moved to the forefront.

“Liv immediately fell in love with the Florida Gulf Coast campus and softball facilities after she attended her first camp there in the fall of 2014.  She attended other camps as well at other great D1 schools such as UCF, Florida Atlantic, and North Florida where she really liked the coaches, campuses, and facilities too.  However, she felt a strong connection to FGCU and Head Softball Coach David Deiros.  Liv liked how he ran his camps, his positive energy, and how she always left there learning something new.”

Coach Deiros attended several games to watch Olivia play during the past year.  

“She was nervous at first calling on the phone, but quickly grew more comfortable, and in a short period of time had a great rapport with Coach Deiros.  She also remained in contact with other college coaches, but felt the strongest connection to FGCU,” according to the athlete’s mother.

A key part of the recruiting journey was continually reaching out to coaches to update them on where the outfielder would be next.

“Liv was very proactive in keeping every college coach up to date with her upcoming schedules, then would email them how she played after every tournament,” explains Wendy Soli. “Her travel coaches and hitting coach (Mike Morgan, Mizuno 18's) were also very much involved with advocating for Liv to the college coaches.”

In the end, after attending three Florida Gulf Coast camps in a year and a half and sending out many emails and phone calls, Olivia decided that FGC was her "dream school."  

She attended her first unofficial visit there on January 25th, and was thrilled when Coach Deiros offered her a spot on his roster for 2018.  

So what was the deciding factor or factors?

“She chose FGCU because of its proximity of where she sees herself living and having a career,” says her mother.  “She wants to be an elementary education major and she can play outdoors year round, which is impossible in Ohio! Plus, the school has a fantastic curriculum and reputation for creating successful graduates, it has a beautiful campus near the beach, it's not too far from home, and she absolutely loves Coach Deiros and his staff.”

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Congratulations to the Atlanta Vipers – Jiles team which has a trio of eighth graders (2020’s) that have committed—all to Kennesaw State!

Here, with insights from Team Manager Todd Chambley, is a closer look at the trio:

--- 1B Anslee Day (2020, Atlanta Vipers-Jiles)—Kennesaw State
“Anslee is an imposing player at the plate at 5'10".  She hits with incredible power and has the ability to drive the ball deep to all fields.  She has
a sure glove at 1B and makes a stretch or picking a ball in the dirt  look like a routine play. Anslee is a vocal leader on the field with apassion for competing.”

--- CF Hope Jiles (2020, Atlanta Vipers-Jiles)—Kennesaw State
“Hope bats at the top of the Atlanta Vipers' line-up and has excellent bat control and quickness.  She is an aggressive base runner, who can easily turn a single into a triple.  She plays the outfield like a college player with great range and early jumps on the ball.  Hope is a multi-sport athlete who also plays competitive basketball.  While she loves the outfield, she also has a sure glove in the middle infield.”

--- SS Gracie Mixson (2020, Atlanta Vipers-Jiles)—Kennesaw State
“Gracie plays SS and 3B for the Vipers.  She consistently wows coaches with her range, diving plays and a strong arm.  She has a very consistent bat and rarely strikes out, showing power and ability to drive the ball to all fields.  Gracie is a multi-sport athlete who could just as easily go to college for basketball, but softball is her passion.”