LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The 2021 Easton/NFCA Assistant Coach of the Year recipients were announced on Tuesday afternoon. Garnering honors this year are Jennifer Herzig (James Madison University / DI), Matt Jackson (William Jewell College / DII), Mary Karen Wheat (University of Rochester / DIII), Becky Martinez (Siena Heights University / NAIA), TJ Webb (Seminole State College / NJCAA DI), Stacey Birdsong (Parkland College / NJCAA DII), Vivi Marquez (Rock Valley College / NJCAA DIII), Morgan McGee (Santiago Canyon College / Cal JC), Clint Hoelscher (Papillion-LaVista High School) and Frank D. Iovine (New Jersey Ruthless 14U-Lensch / TB).

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Thursday approved implementing video review and allowing coaches to have two video review challenges beginning in the 2021-22 academic year.There is no requirement to use the video review rule. It is optional for all schools, conferences and tournaments to implement.Over the past few years, conferences have experimented with video review in conference tournament games, including the Atlantic Coast, Southeastern and Sun Belt conferences during the 2021 season. Softball Rules Committee members have received positive feedback about the experimental rule and recommended that video review become a permanent aspect of the game.Under the new rule, each head coach will have two challenges to initiate a review for the entirety of the game. A coach must verbally or visually indicate a challenge request before the next pitch, before the pitcher and all infielders have clearly vacated their normal fielding position and left fair territory, or before the umpires have left the field of play.

Upper Iowa University's Vice President for Athletics Rick Hartzell announced that Kiki Stokes is the new Head Peacock Softball Coach. Stokes comes to Upper Iowa after three seasons with the NCAA Division I Jackrabbit softball program at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota.

NCAA college athletes will have the opportunity to benefit from their name, image and likeness beginning Thursday. Governance bodies in all three divisions today adopted a uniform interim policy suspending NCAA name, image and likeness rules for all incoming and current student-athletes in all sports.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Coming off the program’s second national title, West Texas A&M University head coach Michael Mook and his staff have been voted by their peers as the 2021 NFCA Division II National Coaching Staff of the Year, the Association announced Tuesday afternoon.

DENVER, Colo. – Gabriella Valforte's sixth inning go-ahead grand slam lifted the Lady Buffs to a 4-1 victory over No. 24 Biola on Tuesday afternoon to win the 2021 NCAA Division II Softball Championship. Kyra Lair went the distance in the circle as the Lady Buffs won their second national title in program history and first since 2014.Sydney Greeson registered the Lady Buffs first hit of the contest on BU's Paige Austin with a leadoff single to right field in the bottom of the third inning. Pinch runner Malaya Delfin would reach second on a single to center but a double play would end the threat for WT.The Lady Buffs would get runners in scoring position in the bottom of the fourth when Ruby Salzman was hit by a pitch. The redshirt sophomore would reach second on a wild pitch but would be called out at third on a fielder's choice.For the third straight inning, WT put the leadoff runner on in the bottom of the fifth via a single up the middle from Madison Johnson. The freshman would advance to second on a sac bunt from Greeson and move to third on a wild pitch. She was stranded their as BU's Austin recorded two straight outs to keep the game scoreless after five complete.The Eagles would break the deadlock in the top of the sixth inning on Kayla Neff's solo shot that just cleared the fence in left field. WT would rally in the bottom half of the inning with Shanna McBroom reaching on a leadoff single up the middle. Following a pop up to left field from Salzman, Erica Vessels would get hit by a pitch followed by a walk from Alyx Cordell to load the bases for Valforte. The freshman wasted no time to give the Lady Buffs a lead with a grand slam to centerfield on the first pitch of the at-bat.Lair allowed a two out double in the top of the seventh before getting Haley Martinez to ground out to Cordell and secure the Lady Buffs second national title.The Lady Buffs finish the season at 43-12 including wins 21 of their last 23 games after being picked to finish seventh in the LSC Preseason Poll.

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Eight finalists, one from each of the NCAA’s eight regions, have been selected by the Association’s Division II All-America Committee for the 2021 Schutt Sports / NFCA Division II National Freshman of the Year award.

IN-REGION RECORD

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Thirty student-athletes have been selected as finalists for the 2021 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Year awards. The winners will be announced following the conclusion of the 2021 season.

While colleges and universities around the nation prepare for winter and spring sports, the team down in Florida prepares for what it expects to be the “best year ever.”

By Gabrielle Forbes “It’s not the end of the world if you don’t get a scholarship straight from high school. Don’t get down on yourself & don’t give up on the game. You’ve come this far, just keep going. If you think you are working hard, work harder. You’re able to put in the extra work to develop yourself for the next level. So whatever you have to do to make sure you will succeed, DO IT.” 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Executive Director Carol Bruggeman and the NFCA Board of Directors announced today that the NFCA National Convention is going virtual in 2020. 

The Division II Administrative Committee on Friday decided the division’s quiet recruiting period will end Aug. 31. Division II sports will resume their normal recruiting calendars Sept. 1.

As THE Spring Games prepares for the 2021 season, the group of softball leadership out of Florida once again raises the bar on another key element of the World’s largest collegiate softball event by announcing the appointment of Anthony Small as it’s umpire assignor and coordinator.