OKLAHOMA CITY –– USA Softball, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, is proud to announce that Heather Tarr (Redmond, Washington/Washington Softball Head Coach) has been selected as the Head Coach for the 2022 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT). Selected by members of the USA Softball Women’s National Team Selection Committee (WNTSC), Tarr will lead the Red, White and Blue at the 2022 World Games in addition to various international competitions throughout the year. A historic selection for the USA Softball National Teams program, Tarr will be the sixth female Head Coach at the helm of the WNT following Rosalie Sorenson (1970), Marge Ricker (1982), Carol Spanks (1987), Shirley Topley (1991) and Margie Wright (1998).

Oklahoma City, OK - WPF (Women's Professional Fastpitch) is excited to announce the launch of their new professional softball league, slated to begin play in June of 2022. WPF aims to provide a long-lasting and viable option for softball players post-collegiate play, with the ultimate goal of making the professional dream a real possibility for young girls across the world.

ROSEMONT, Illinois – Athletes Unlimited Softball today named nine players to its inaugural All-Defensive Team prior to the final games of its second season. One of the nine members of the team will also be selected as the GEICO Defensive Player of the Year, as determined by a player and Unlimited Club fan vote, which runs through tonight’s first game that starts at 7 p.m. ET. In addition, the ballot will determine the Rookie of the Year honoree from among the league’s 13 eligible players.

By Bruce Miles

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 softball community is mourning the loss of Sophia Duong, who passed away from spinal cancer at the far-too-young age of 16. Sophia, a former California Cruisers pitcher, passed on Tuesday surrounded by her loved ones.

By Bruce Miles

By Alexandra Licata

By Bruce Miles

By Bruce Miles

By Bruce Miles

STILLWATER – One of college softball's most decorated two-way athletes is coming to Oklahoma State. Miranda Elish – a two-time NFCA All-American and the 2020 Softball America Shortened Season National Player of the Year who ranks top-10 on Texas' career strikeout, strikeout per innings and ERA lists – has joined head coach Kenny Gajewski and the Cowgirls for her final year of eligibility. "I couldn't be more blessed with the opportunity I have been given by Coach G and his staff to represent Oklahoma State Softball," Elish said. "From the moment I spoke to Coach G, I knew he was who I wanted to finish my playing career for. The love he has for his program, his girls and this city is evident and contagious; I couldn't help but fall in love the moment I arrived. I am humbled to be welcomed into the great family and culture that those on the team now and in years past have created." Elish opted out of the 2021 season because of concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, Elish was among the nation's elite two-way threats. She posted an 11-3 record with a 1.25 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 84.0 innings pitched. As as hitter, she boasted a .370 average with 20 hits – including four homers – and 19 RBI in 54 plate appearances. As a junior at Texas in 2019, she added a handful of notable accolades to her resume: NFCA third-team All-America honors, Softball America Honorable Mention All-America honors, NFCA first-team All-Central Region and All-Big 12 Conference first-team selections. Her work from the circle during the 2019 season was highlighted by an 18-10 record with a 1.81 ERA in 37 appearances – including 29 starts, 20 complete games, 11 solo shutouts and 226 strikeouts over a team-high 185.1 innings pitched. She batted .315 with 10 doubles, six home runs, 27 RBI and a .928 OPS, while managing 11 multi-hit and eight multi-RBI performances. "Any time you can add a player of this caliber to a team and a program that's moving forward with a lot of talented players already on the roster, it's an exciting addition," Gajewski said. "There's a lot of work for everyone here to get done in order for her to have the success that she expects, on our end and on her end. That being said, we're excited about this addition but know there's a long road to go." More on Miranda Elish: Pitcher | 5-8 | Senior | Crown Point, Ind. | Crown Point HS | Oregon/Texas Honors and Awards2017 Pac-12 Conference All-Freshman2017 NCAA Eugene Regional All-Tournament Team2018 Top 50 Preseason Watch List for USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year2018 First Team All-Pac-12 Conference2018 NFCA Second Team All-American2018 Top 25 Finalist for USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year2019 Top 50 Preseason Watch List for USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year2019 NFCA National Pitcher of the Week (March 26)2019 Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week (March 26)2019 Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week (April 9)2019 First Team All-Big 12 Conference2019 Softball America Honorable Mention All-American2019 NFCA Third Team All-American2020 Top 50 Preseason Watch List for USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year2020 NFCA National Player of the Week (Feb. 11)2020 Big 12 Conference Player of the Week (Feb. 11)2020 Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 18)2020 Softball America Shortened Season National Player of the Year2020 Softball America Shortened Season First Team All-American 2019 (Junior at Texas)Earned NFCA third-team All-America, Softball America Honorable Mention All-America, NFCA first team All-Central Region and All-Big 12 First Team selections after going 18-10 with a 1.81 ERA over 37 appearances with 29 starts, 20 complete games, 11 solo shutouts and 226 strikeouts over a team-high 185.1 innings pitched... Was also a double threat at the plate, batting .315 with 10 doubles, six home runs, 27 RBI and a .928 OPS, while managing 11 multi-hit and eight multi-RBI efforts... Went 7-4 with a 1.56 ERA and 80 strikeouts over 72.0 frames in Big 12 contests... Tossed her second career no-hitter (vs. Iowa State on March 22), four one-hitters and posted at least 10 strikeouts in 10 starts with a high of 14 during a win at No. 15 Arizona State on March 1... Registered pitching wins over NCAA teams Boise State, California, Tulsa, Ole Miss, No. 15 Arizona State, Lipscomb, No. 21 Oklahoma State, No. 15 Texas Tech (two wins), Texas A&M, Sam Houston State and Houston (two wins)... Fired a remarkable 440 pitches over three days, including 429 over the final two days, while going 4-0 with a 0.47 ERA over five appearances to help Texas climb from the loser's bracket to win the NCAA Austin Regional... Blasted a key solo homer in the fourth inning of an eventual 4-3 win at No. 21 Oklahoma State... Tossed her second career no-hitter and also went 2-for-4 with the game-ending grand slam and five RBI to down Iowa State on March 22 on the way to being named the NFCA National and Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week... Reached base safely in 11 straight games from March 13 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to March 29 at Oklahoma State... Blasted her first career Texas home run as part of a 2-for-3, double, home run, three-RBI effort in a 5-1 victory over Florida Atlantic at the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational... Tossed a one-hit shutout in her first Longhorns pitching action to down Boise State. 2018 (Sophomore at Oregon)A 2018 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) second team All-American Elish posted a pitching record of 37-2 overall to go along with a 1.42 ERA, 17 solo shutouts, 29 complete games and 347 strikeouts over 280.2 innings of work while limiting opponents to a miniscule .189 batting average during her two years at Oregon... The 2018 All-Pac-12 first team and NFCA All-Pacific Region first team selection helped lead the Ducks to the Pac-12 regular season title and a berth in the Women's College World Series as a sophomore by posting a 25-2 mark with a 1.20 ERA, 12 shutouts and 249 strikeouts in 175.0 frames... Along the way, Elish tossed Oregon's first ever seven-inning perfect game and struck out a career-high 16 during an April 3 win over Portland State, hit double-digits in strikeouts 11 times during UO's 53-10 campaign in 2018 and registered high-profile wins over a list of teams including LSU, Texas, Florida State, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State, Washington and Kentucky. 2017 (Freshman at Oregon)Elish went undefeated in her rookie campaign at 12-0... In 105.2 innings pitched, she posted a 1.79 ERA, good for third on the team and fifth in the Pac-12... She also saw time at the plate, hitting .276 in 58 at-bats with 10 runs scored, 16 RBI and a homer... Helped the Ducks open the season with 35 straight wins, matching the NCAA record... Ranked sixth in the Pac-12 by averaging 6.5 strikeouts per seven innings... Was part of the Oregon pitching staff that ranked fifth in the NCAA with a 1.41 team ERA... Tossed five shutouts on the season, including a one-hit shutout in a five-inning run-rule win against Wisconsin on May 21 in regionals... Had a season-high nine strikeouts in a five-inning win against Pacific on March 11... Hit her first collegiate home run on March 10 against Hofstra... Drove in three runs in her collegiate debut against Virginia on Feb. 9, going 2-for-3. High SchoolComing out of high school, Elish was listed as the No. 1 recruit in the nation by FloSoftball... A 2016 MaxPreps first team All-American, she was also a three-time Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year as well as the 2014 MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year (went 24-1, 0.31 ERA, 223 strikeouts, 18 walks, 137 innings as a sophomore)... As a high school senior, Elish registered a 15-2 record with a 0.41 ERA and 196 strikeouts over 103 innings while batting .505 with seven homers and 26 RBI.

The Division I Competition Oversight Committee approved expanding the Women's College World Series to a nine-day event, beginning with the 2022 championship (June 2-10).

The softball community is mourning after the loss of Coach Bill Hicks.

By Bruce Miles