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2016 Class for Hawkeye softball

Thanks for the update, how does this class stack up with the other Big 10 programs? Realizing that they still have their senior years to play I still would have expected more 'all-state' rather then all district mentions or is softball determined more on the club circuit?
 
Softball recruiting is entirely based off of travel ball and going to camps and such. I do agree that you want to see All State awards and such though.

HS ball is different in our area because good hitters get intentionally walked a ton because most HS don't have stacked lineups to protect those hitters so those elite hitters don't put up gaudy numbers like other states. IMO HS stats are very misleading

The recruiting is picking up but it can ALWAYS get better just have to get the kids to Iowa City and let it sell itself. It worked on us
 
Cranker - Are any of these six impact players who will come in and compete for a starting spot right away? Six pitchers next season? What a difference from last season.
 
Honestly the only one I know well is Havyn Monteer. She has a chance to be an impact player with her speed and defense.

You hear people talking about kids running 2.6 home to first and most of the time is complete BS. She's legit 2.6-2.65.

She's really working hard on slapping since switching over to the left side. Defensively she gets a read on the ball and is fearless going after it. Also has a strong arm.

I've heard good things on Cantu through the grapevine but I haven't watched her in person
 
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crankermo said:
Honestly the only one I know well is Havyn Monteer. She has a chance to be an impact player with her speed and defense.

You hear people talking about kids running 2.6 home to first and most of the time is complete BS. She's legit 2.6-2.265.

She's really working hard on slapping since switching over to the left side. Defensively she gets a read on the ball and is fearless going after it. Also has a strong arm.

I've heard good things on Cantu through the grapevine but I haven't watched her in person
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Thanks Cranker. Any thoughts on this season? With a stable of pitchers this year do you envision a better season than last year?
 
We should be able to handle weekend series a lot better than last year with the additional pitching this year. Last year they proved they can play with the best now it's just about being more consistent and grinding out some games.

I think they have more options this year to plug into the starting lineup and move people around that will put more competition into practices and such and that's a very good thing.

Our schedule is a lot softer this year out of conference, I think that's very smart. Need to build some confidence going into B1G play.

My personal opinion is we should end up in the middle of the pack of the B1G and have a chance to make the NCAA tournament field. I thinks that is a reasonable expectation.

Like I've always stated, I believe in Coach Looper and this entire staff now it's time to show why
 
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Not exactly hopeful. Returning players batted .237 last year. Players haven't exactly gotten better year to year in the Looper era.
Never know how much you can tell from fall ball, but against the D1 competition they looked pretty bad.
 
In the past we've had too many recruits come in with good credentials and then bat around .200, and it goes back to coach Blevins last few years (not that hitting college fast pitch is easy, I sure as hell couldn't do it). That has to change for us to contend in the B10.
 
Haven't followed recruiting in past but note two signees from Texas. Had Looper gotten other Texas players? Going back to Texas connections??
 
I might have posted this before, but there was a thread on the Ultimate College Softball board about a current trend in recruiting where coaches allocate proportionately more scholarship money to out-of-state players, in hopes that in-state kids will still come in order to be close to home despite receiving less aid. Might be some of that in Iowa's case.
 
Row55 said:
I might have posted this before, but there was a thread on the Ultimate College Softball board about a current trend in recruiting where coaches allocate proportionately more scholarship money to out-of-state players, in hopes that in-state kids will still come in order to be close to home despite receiving less aid. Might be some of that in Iowa's case.
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While true, I think very few recruits get a 100% scholarship. Therefore out-of-state / in-state kids are probably paying the same out of pocket. I don't think it's a major factor.

I think the kids that went to Minnesota wanted to go to Minnesota -- not that they got a better percentage scholarship.
 
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Linus,

I know for a fact that's not true for a couple of those instate kids.

The amount of scholarship plays a HUGE role in most kids deciding where they want to go.

For the record I''m not bashing anyone for wanting what they want. That's a personal decision
 
crankermo said:
Linus,

I know for a fact that's not true for a couple of those instate kids.

The amount of scholarship plays a HUGE role in most kids deciding where they want to go.

For the record I''m not bashing anyone for wanting what they want. That's a personal decision
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Yes - that's what I trying to say.
A kid may be more inclined to go to an in-state school if it's a lot cheaper.

If a kid gets a good percentage scholarship for an out-of-state school, so much so that it levels the playing field out-of-pocket expense-wise, then they are free to just choose the school they want based on the coach/program etc. I'm guessing that's how Iowa lost those kids to Minnesota.
 
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One of the big advantages schools take advantage of to save athletic money is to offer several easily achieved academic scholarships and to wave out of state tuition for border states.

That was one of the things Arkansas used to try and persuade my daughter. I'm not sure what other B1G schools offer in regards to this.

Oregon waves out of state tuition for an ACT score of 26 plush as several academic scholarships also.

Going through the recruiting process and taking visits to schools is definitely eye opening. A lot of things to digest and sort through. It's not an easy decision.

I will say my daughters mind was made up on her first visit here.

I know fans are rightfully frustrated with the way the last few years have gone. All I'm asking is to try and keep a positive vibe going so maybe some of rhea instate studs will stay home.

We all want the same thing. For Iowa to return to its rightful place in the softball hierarchy.
 
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crankermo said:
We should be able to handle weekend series a lot better than last year with the additional pitching this year. Last year they proved they can play with the best now it's just about being more consistent and grinding out some games.
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19-40 does not prove you can play with the best. It proves that in a long season you might get lucky once in awhile or come up with the rare upset, but by and large it proves the team just wasn't very good.
 
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Legend,

The point is they're capable of playing with the best. The difference is the best are more consistent and have more options to change things up.

Sure upsets happen in every sport and I do agree that your record tells the story of who you are. Last year they were extremely inconsistent and hampered greatly by the pitching situation.

There HAS to be steps taken this year. Everyone can pretty much agree on that. I'm not expecting them to win the B1G but I am expect them to be competitive every game and win a lot more gms this yr.

My expectations are to finish middle of the pack in the B1G and to be on the bubble to make Regionals. Anything less than that I feel is a disappointment.
 
To be fair, we had a converted infielder as our #2 pitcher last year; that won't be an issue this coming season. We had a spark at the B10 tournament, hope to keep that going.
 
Row55 said:
To be fair, we had a converted infielder as our #2 pitcher last year; that won't be an issue this coming season. We had a spark at the B10 tournament, hope to keep that going.
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I am sure there were a lot of reasons this occurred but that is pretty unacceptable at a program like Iowa.
 
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IIRC an incoming freshman pitcher de-committed at the last minute. But yeah, shouldn't happen.
 
Here's the thing, the days of there being absolutely dominating pitching is going by the wayside. This past summer I didn't see the level of pitching that I did 2/3 yrs ago. The"highly" regarded prospects aren't as impressive as years past.

With the infusion of offense into the college game most young players focused on hitting because colleges were looking for the next big power hitter. Mike White HC @ Oregon told my daughter that he didn't care if you can catch/throw but if you can hit me 15 HRs you're gonna play for me.

I honestly look for the college to suffer from a severe lack of pitching in the 3/4 yrs and that's why you see shools stockpiling young prospects at such a young age. They see what's coming down the pipe and they don't want to miss out. The numbers just aren't there anymore.

Looper is stockpiling a lot of pitching for that very reason. You get a couple to pan out and you are right back in the thick of things.

The biggest thing I'm anxious to see is Coach Schumanns impact on the offensive side. He comes with the credentials. My daughter likes him because he's hard on them and pushes them to be better. If the offense improves the way I think it will coupled with the better pitching situation I think it's reasonable to have a good yr.

The schedule this year is A LOT weaker than years past and that's a huge piece. There's no doubt the psyche of the team is damaged from last year but if they can get off to a good start they can change that.

A lot of ifs in the post but that's all we have right now. 53 days and the season start.
 
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Fun fact, Mike White pitched in Cedar Rapids' Major Open mens fastpitch in the 80's (I want to say CR Kirby but don't remember for sure), and got his BA degree from Mt Mercy. Several of those teams would import players from New Zealand and find day jobs for them, then they would return to NZ for the winter.
 
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Row,

Back in the 90's men's fast pitch was still very popular. My baseball coach had a big fastpitch team back in the 80's and I got the opportunity to hit against Greg Newton, another New Zealand pitcher who threw absolute gas.
 
I was mostly slow-pitch, but I played a season in a medium-fast league (sling-shot pitching motion instead of windmill). Once I went to catch our pitcher for warm ups and the ball was to the backstop before I got my glove up :D. But mens fast pitch is fun to watch, Too bad it's died out in Cedar Rapids, at least at the Major Open level.
 
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Ya Row it's pretty much dead everywhere. I transitioned into slow pitch and got to travel the country myself. I had a blast but when my daughter got old enough to do her thing I quit and started coaching her teams
 
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Row55 said:
Fun fact, Mike White pitched in Cedar Rapids' Major Open mens fastpitch in the 80's (I want to say CR Kirby but don't remember for sure), and got his BA degree from Mt Mercy. Several of those teams would import players from New Zealand and find day jobs for them, then they would return to NZ for the winter.
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Mike White pitched for Teleconnect out of Cedar Rapids when they won several ISC World and ASA National championships in the late 80's. Cedar Rapids was the fast-pitch softball capital of the world during the 80's when the major open had 8 teams and almost all of them had at least one New Zealand, Australian or Canadian pitcher. Al Rebling originally from Fairfield and now an assistant softball coach at Washington High School was also a pitcher on those Teleconnect teams.

The New Zealand winter was during our summer season and vice versa so the New Zealand pitchers could play year round. Many of those pitchers ended up staying in the USA after their pitching days were over like White who is now a US citizen. There was no baseball in New Zealand so boys grew up playing fast pitch softball which is why they produced so many pitchers.
 
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LinusPF said:
While true, I think very few recruits get a 100% scholarship. Therefore out-of-state / in-state kids are probably paying the same out of pocket. I don't think it's a major factor.

I think the kids that went to Minnesota wanted to go to Minnesota -- not that they got a better percentage scholarship.
Click to expand...

I know at least one of the players that is going to Minnesota was not recruited by Iowa and the other, if she was recruited by Iowa, it was way too late.
 
Saw yesterday that the Hawks got a verbal from an instate 2017 kid Ashley Hamilton. Thoughts on her as a player?
 
Hamilton is a great athlete. Plays Basketball along with softball. Plays shortstop and has a great arm. Hits the heck out of the ball. Was all-state as a sophomore. Good kid who we are excited to see what she can do at the next level.
 
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Ashley is a great Ball player. Like was said she has a very strong arm and good range! she has played with good Club teams and faced top competition so she should be ready by the time she Graduates. Comes from a good Family and her Dad is truely a Nut! If you know them you know what I mean.. haha He is a really great guy! Kennedy should be very tough this year with the team they have and the addition of 8th Grader Kinney. She is a beast hitter and terrific pitcher. No doubt D1 talent. Remember that Name.. Kaylin Kinney she will be a star.. I know it is pretty early being that she is just an 8th grader but she is truely a talent.
 
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