As the 2021 summer travel softball season winds down, the best 16U teams from across the nation will converge on Southern California to compete in the Premier Girls Fastpitch National Championship tournament. A quick look at some of the top teams competing is below.

Written by Georgia Softball

During a one-week span beginning at the end of June and finishing up on the 4th of July, over 800 softball teams will arrive in the greater Denver area. This year the Colorado 4th of July tournament is celebrating its 52nd anniversary, and as always, will feature some of the top club softball teams from across the country.

ATHENS, Ga. – J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks has announced Tony Baldwin as the next head coach of the University of Georgia softball program.  Baldwin becomes the third head coach in the 25-year history of Georgia softball. This is Baldwin's first head coaching job. He has served on the Georgia coaching staff under Lu Harris-Champer for nine seasons. During Baldwin's tenure on staff, Georgia has appeared in eight NCAA Tournaments (no tournament in 2020). The Bulldogs have advanced to six Super Regionals and three appearances in the Women's College World Series (2016, 2018, 2021). The Bulldogs are one of eight teams to make three or more appearances in Oklahoma City in the last five World Series.  "When you lose an incredible leader like Coach Lu (Harris-Champer), it is vital that your replacement has the ability build on established success and continue to elevate the program," Brooks said. "After a competitive search, I am confident we found the right person, leader and coach in Tony Baldwin. The outpouring of support for Tony from alumni and the nation's most respected coaches was impressive, but it was the strength of his internal and external relationships, his recruiting prowess, particularly in the state of Georgia, and his coaching reputation that set him apart. Tony has the combination of skill and leadership to ensure we are winning championships and making regular appearances in the Women's College World Series."   "I am extremely honored and thankful for the opportunity to lead the University of Georgia softball program," Baldwin said. "I am deeply appreciative that President Morehead, Athletic Director Josh Brooks, Senior Deputy Athletic Director Darrice Griffin, and Deputy Athletic Director Stephanie Ransom have entrusted me with this opportunity. I have so much pride for this program, all that it stands for, and the women that have built it. Today truly is a dream come true. I am humbled and so very honored to represent them as their head coach. "This is an exciting time for Georgia Softball," Baldwin continued. "Team 25 was a special group that achieved some exciting accomplishments. I am looking forward to getting Team 26 on campus and getting to work!" Baldwin's tenure in Athens includes a stint as the volunteer coach from 2011-12 before rejoining the staff in June 2014 as an assistant coach. He was promoted to associate head coach following the 2016 season. He has served as the Bulldogs' offensive coach and recruiting coordinator. Georgia has prided itself on keeping the state's best talent at home as every roster since 2017 has featured at least 50 percent in-state student-athletes. Two members of the 2021 signing class were ranked as top 20 recruits, both from Georgia.  Under Baldwin's tutelage, four Bulldogs have earned All-America honors including Alex Hugo, Cortni Emanual, Tino Iosefa, and Alyssa DiCarlo. His players have garnered 25 All-Region awards and 22 All-SEC honors from 2015-21.  Georgia hitters have thrived under Baldwin's guidance in Athens. The Bulldogs have hit over .300 and slugged over .500 in five of the last seven seasons, having hit 415 home runs in that span including 83 in 2021.   In 2019, Baldwin had the privilege of serving as an assistant coach of the USA Softball U-19 team. The U-19 women's national team brought home the bronze at the USA Softball International Cup. USA concluded the summer winning the 2019 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-19 Women's Softball World Cup, becoming the first team to win three consecutive U-19 World Cup titles.  Before returning to Athens, Baldwin was an assistant coach at North Carolina. Under Baldwin's guidance, three Tar Heels were named to the 2014 All-ACC Team.  Prior to his first stint at Georgia as volunteer coach, Baldwin spent 14 years coaching Division I baseball. Baldwin was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Michigan State from 2006-08. Before Michigan State, Baldwin was the assistant head baseball coach at Dartmouth College from 2003-05 after serving as the assistant coach from 1999-2003. Baldwin was the assistant coach at Butler University, his alma mater, from 1994-99, and was the head coach of the Decatur Blues, of the Central Illinois Collegiate League, in 1999. A native of Bloomington, Indiana, Baldwin graduated from Butler in 1995 with a degree in finance. He was a four-year starter at catcher for the Bulldogs. In 1994, he served as a team captain for the Bulldogs and earned All-MCC honors. Baldwin and his wife Suzanne have four children: Ella, Abby, Brady, and Katie.

With a 5-1 win over Florida State in Wednesday afternoon’s winner-take-all game three of the 2021 NCAA Softball Women’s College World Series, the Oklahoma Sooners captured their third Nationa Championship in five years. The national title is OU coach Patty Gasso’s fifth while in Norman.

ATHENS, Ga. – After 25 seasons as a collegiate head softball coach, including 21 at the University of Georgia, head softball coach Lu Harris-Champer has announced her retirement.

We now know the final eight teams headed to the 2021 Women’s College World Series. The 64-team field has been taken down to those worthy of a trip to Oklahoma City next weekend, now that this past weekend’s Super Regionals have come to a conclusion.

During a recent staff meeting, Oklahoma State Director of Athletics Mike Holder was discussing the school’s spring season and the uncertainty that’s expected to come with it. At one point, he said something that particularly resonated with head softball coach Kenny Gajewski and his assistant coaches.

Every once in a while, a coach’s dream comes true. For Atlanta Premier Gold coach Steven Locke, it happened in a remarkable way.

Living life to the fullest is more than a catchphrase for EC Bullets-Schnute 18U infielder Avery Fantucci. In a year filled with uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, having fun has become a necessary coping mechanism.

EC Bullets Coach Todd Mayfield takes great pride in the culture and the development of his team. As a top tournament finisher, his players are highly recruited with the potential to be superstars at the college level. Coach Mayfield reflects on the success of his current team and shares details about all of his players.

If life lessons are taught through challenges, Taylor Tinsley has gotten a crash course the past few months both on and off the field.

Georgia Impact Premier Lewis photos taken at 2020 Top Club National 18U by Alonzo Adams from USA TODAY Sports.

The 2020 Atlanta Legacy Showcase will be celebrating its 13th year run July 8-12. The event will host teams from approximately 38 states. With 320+ teams participating from so many states, The Atlanta Legacy Showcase annually draws 450+ College Coaches from various NCAA DI, II, III, JUCO & NAIA every with the exception of 2020. Atlanta is only one of four cities in the country that boast the four necessary components to host an event of its type :

Atlanta Vipers Holbrook photos taken at 2020 Top Club National by Rob Ferguson from USA TODAY Sports.