At least two of the 2016 Iowa HS seniors going to out of state D1 programs were either never recruited by Iowa or very lightly recruited. I'm not sure how that shows they are going after Iowa players harder. You can't wait until after their JR year of HS and say hey are you interested in coming to Iowa after they have been recruited hard by better programs for several years.
2016 Softball
- Thread starter LinusPF
- Start date
Hawk,
I agree that with softball you had better be on them quick and hard. No later than their freshman year preferably. Here another question that people aren't considering, how much money do these instate request? You can't give instate kids big offers and still sox the to draw out of state kids.
Whether people want to admit it money is a HUGE bragging point for parents and kids so if they are asking for a full or close to it that's unreasonable so they say Iowa wasn't interested.
It takes more money to snag an out of state player. Every power 5 school plays that game which is why instate kids leave everywhere.
Obviously a stud pitcher is a different story all together.
We made the move my daughters sophomore year and we were a year late. Unfortunately most money is all tied up by kids sophomore year in high school.
Mike Lotief @ Louisiana Lafayette wanted my daughter to wait until her junior year but that's crazy. He's one of the few coaches who wait to recruit kids and it's paid off for him but for parents and players it's a scary proposition.
He's even adjusted and started to recruit kids earlier than he used to.
Seems like everyone has their mind made up on what needs to be done so we will just see what happens.
Where would the program be if Blevins had recruited Chelsea Thomas instead of not going after her? To me the program was changed the day Blevins said Thomas wasn't good enough. She changed 2 programs just in different directions
It only takes one stud pitcher to change the direction of any program
I agree that with softball you had better be on them quick and hard. No later than their freshman year preferably. Here another question that people aren't considering, how much money do these instate request? You can't give instate kids big offers and still sox the to draw out of state kids.
Whether people want to admit it money is a HUGE bragging point for parents and kids so if they are asking for a full or close to it that's unreasonable so they say Iowa wasn't interested.
It takes more money to snag an out of state player. Every power 5 school plays that game which is why instate kids leave everywhere.
Obviously a stud pitcher is a different story all together.
We made the move my daughters sophomore year and we were a year late. Unfortunately most money is all tied up by kids sophomore year in high school.
Mike Lotief @ Louisiana Lafayette wanted my daughter to wait until her junior year but that's crazy. He's one of the few coaches who wait to recruit kids and it's paid off for him but for parents and players it's a scary proposition.
He's even adjusted and started to recruit kids earlier than he used to.
Seems like everyone has their mind made up on what needs to be done so we will just see what happens.
Where would the program be if Blevins had recruited Chelsea Thomas instead of not going after her? To me the program was changed the day Blevins said Thomas wasn't good enough. She changed 2 programs just in different directions
It only takes one stud pitcher to change the direction of any program
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I am aware of the fact that it is complicated for coaches to figure out what to offer a recruit for the non revenue sports that can divide up scholarships. I don't know how much money any girl was offered but I am not sure how Minnesota could offer an Iowa girl more money than Iowa could. Also, I am not sure of the rules but academic scholarships and grants can come into play. I remember there was a Hawkeye softball player that got an almost full ride on an academic scholarship because she had something like a 34 on her ACT score and a 4.0 grade point average. I do know that at least one of the D1 Iowa girls that went out of state was not recruited by Iowa so no money offer was ever made.
Hawk,
The reason why instate schools can offer out of state recruits more money is instate kids take less to keep. If instate kids demand what they get from out of state schools a coach wouldn't have enough scholarships to fill the team.
Out of state tuition is double versus instate tuition so it takes a higher offer to equal out the difference. Schools need instate kids to take less to make up for the big offers to out of state kids.
I don't blame any instate kid for going somewhere out of state because of the offer. Getting out of college with little or no debt is huge and it played a HUGE role for us.
There are many variable parents and players must compare before they make their decision, it's a decision that will affect your daughters life forever.
We weighed many things, opportunity to play for a perennial CWS team,out of school debt, how much are you wanted by the staff, and most importantly how do you fit with the school and what type of education will you receive.
The reason why instate schools can offer out of state recruits more money is instate kids take less to keep. If instate kids demand what they get from out of state schools a coach wouldn't have enough scholarships to fill the team.
Out of state tuition is double versus instate tuition so it takes a higher offer to equal out the difference. Schools need instate kids to take less to make up for the big offers to out of state kids.
I don't blame any instate kid for going somewhere out of state because of the offer. Getting out of college with little or no debt is huge and it played a HUGE role for us.
There are many variable parents and players must compare before they make their decision, it's a decision that will affect your daughters life forever.
We weighed many things, opportunity to play for a perennial CWS team,out of school debt, how much are you wanted by the staff, and most importantly how do you fit with the school and what type of education will you receive.
I have always told my daughter and the kids I coach that they need to choose a school that they like, not just one that is recruiting them. I say if you like the school and Honestly would be comfortable going there even if you didnt play softball then that is the school you should choose. You could very easily get an injury and if you only went there to play softball then you suffer. College should be some of the best times of their lives.. It should be fun and playing softball a sport they love makes it even better. Money for schollys are important. I tell my kid, focus on Education money.. Get a high ACT, keep GPA up and that will help you earn academic scolly. Then whatever they can give you for softball is just gravy. I would probley be happy with a waiver for out of state tution and maybe some money for books! We are behind the curve as far as recruiting goes, but we are working on it and hopefully things turn out well.
In the "we'll take all the good news we can get" dept., Starkenburg threw a complete game win today. Also, we currently have 4 hitters with 40 or more at-bats hitting .290 or better. led by Fritsch at .340 and Taylor at .339.
We played against Thomas probably 12 times during her high school career. She was a very good pitcher. I am not sure many would have predicted the success she had. I think she is a great example of what hard work can do.
I will admit I never saw Thomas pitch in HS but numerous people, whose opinion I trust, told me she threw hard but had no pitches and wasn't necessarily able to hit spots. Also, she played for a 1A team and didn't face very good competition. As it turns out Earlywine made a good decision and offered. It wasn't like she had offers that would mirror how her career turned out. Blevins definitely missed on this one along with a lot of other people. Paige Lowary from DC-G is a different story. Everyone knew she was a stud prospect including Arizona which came in late. You would have thought all of the Iowa schools would have camped at her doorstep to get her signature. Earlywine was on her as a freshman showing he knows what butters his bread.
I don't know about Arizona wanting Lowary. I heard that she went out for a visit, Arizona would have taken her as a walk on , but they had other higher rated pitchers already coming in on scholorship
I don't know what Arizona offered but I can probably find out. I do know an article about her on the Missouri softball site stated she stayed loyal to the Tigers even though Mike Candrea of Arizona made a late push for her.
Beginning to change my mind about whether Looper keeps her job after this year. I thought she had too many years on her contract, and the general state of the athletic department made it impossible to fire her.
But we're getting to a level of bad where I think it's more likely she's going to lose her job. Sitting at single-digit wins 2/3 through the season and our RPI at 197
She has no excuses -- no transfers / no injuries. This is it. Program has gotten worse each year as Blevin's recruits have filtered out. Pretty clear Megan Blank was the only thing that kept their head above water last year.
A couple keys to her keeping her job I think. If she's swept by the in-state schools, and if we're embarrassed by Minnesota senior weekend, I think she's done-for.
But we're getting to a level of bad where I think it's more likely she's going to lose her job. Sitting at single-digit wins 2/3 through the season and our RPI at 197
She has no excuses -- no transfers / no injuries. This is it. Program has gotten worse each year as Blevin's recruits have filtered out. Pretty clear Megan Blank was the only thing that kept their head above water last year.A couple keys to her keeping her job I think. If she's swept by the in-state schools, and if we're embarrassed by Minnesota senior weekend, I think she's done-for.
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UNI and Drake probably tanked those games on purpose to make sure that Looper sticks around for at least another year.
Some good news - the win over PSU last weekend vaulted us into a tie for 13th place with Maryland. Plus it's now impossible to lose 40 games, as happened last year. If we lose out, we'd finish 13-39.
More seriously, Holly Hoffman is having a nice season, currently 6th in B10 batting with .442 BA/ .846 SLG & 4 HR's. She'll be missed.
More seriously, Holly Hoffman is having a nice season, currently 6th in B10 batting with .442 BA/ .846 SLG & 4 HR's. She'll be missed.
Yes - Holly is really finishing off her career well. Happy for her and her parents.
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Wheels kinda came off this weekend. Not good timing if you're Looper. Though good timing for fans ready for a change I suppose.
Between hitting, defense and pitching, pitching is the least of our problems. However, I have no idea why Shayla is getting two starts a weekend when Wiegand has been the better pitcher for the past couple months.
Between hitting, defense and pitching, pitching is the least of our problems. However, I have no idea why Shayla is getting two starts a weekend when Wiegand has been the better pitcher for the past couple months.
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Was thinking the same thing. Last time I looked at the stats Starkenburg's ERA is about half a run higher than last year, and that only would have gotten worse after last weekend..
Ironically, we'll be going for the state championship Tuesday evening, after somehow beating both Drake and UNI previously. I had seen ISU on TV vs Drake earlier in the season and they were not impressive, though I think they won the return game.
Ironically, we'll be going for the state championship Tuesday evening, after somehow beating both Drake and UNI previously. I had seen ISU on TV vs Drake earlier in the season and they were not impressive, though I think they won the return game.
Ouch.
May be coincidence, but several years ago a couple of VB Hawks did the same thing late in the season before Fredrick got the pink slip.
ETA - may not be the same thing after all. This is Gyerman's 4th year of competition as a redshirt junior, so she may be looking at a grad transfer ala Rudock. The VB situation was in 2007 when Catherine Smale quit the team with two weeks left, and Kiley Fister followed immediately after the end of the season. Both were non-redshirt junior starters at the time. I'm pretty sure Fredrick was dismissed shortly after that. (hawkeyesports.com shows Dingman as the coach for 2007, but I think that's incorrect).
BTW, Fredrick became head coach at UNLV in 2010 and is still there. Went 16-13 last season.
May be coincidence, but several years ago a couple of VB Hawks did the same thing late in the season before Fredrick got the pink slip.
ETA - may not be the same thing after all. This is Gyerman's 4th year of competition as a redshirt junior, so she may be looking at a grad transfer ala Rudock. The VB situation was in 2007 when Catherine Smale quit the team with two weeks left, and Kiley Fister followed immediately after the end of the season. Both were non-redshirt junior starters at the time. I'm pretty sure Fredrick was dismissed shortly after that. (hawkeyesports.com shows Dingman as the coach for 2007, but I think that's incorrect).
BTW, Fredrick became head coach at UNLV in 2010 and is still there. Went 16-13 last season.
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Interesting read.
https://www.revealnews.org/article/...nequality-that-plagues-womens-college-sports/
As sad as it is, at this point I don't blame Barta for hoping for the best with Looper rather than go through the scrutiny of firing / hiring a coach.
https://www.revealnews.org/article/...nequality-that-plagues-womens-college-sports/
As sad as it is, at this point I don't blame Barta for hoping for the best with Looper rather than go through the scrutiny of firing / hiring a coach.
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So Iowa finishes in dead freaking last.
3-20, one game behind 4-19 Maryland.
Impressive accomplishment, really. Thanks Gary.
3-20, one game behind 4-19 Maryland.
Impressive accomplishment, really. Thanks Gary.
I'll bet if they fire her, they'll bring someone in that will turn the program into a national power...........guaranteed.
I had thought another 40 loss season would be the end for Looper regardless (OK, it's only 39). But after reading more about the field hockey/Jane Meyer mess, I would not be surprised if the UI general counsel has advised Barta to take no further action against any female coaches until that's all been resolved. Which could take years.
Holy crap! That is completely outrageous.
Federal investigation or not, she has to go.
There were a couple winning seasons with Gayle's recruits but it's been a steady decline. It's time for a change.
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This is likely what will happen. I would imagine she will be given the terms of her contract, which will make it really difficult to turn things around in that environment.
Iowa’s Big Ten mark this year by far is the program’s worst. In fact, since the league started keeping regular-season standings in 1983, the Hawkeyes have notched double-digit wins in softball all but six times. Five of those seasons have taken place under sixth-year coach Marla Looper, who has compiled a 145-189-1 record. In Big Ten play, she’s 56-100.
There likely won’t be changes at Iowa, despite the lack of success. When asked if Looper will return next year, Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta said, “I anticipate she will.”
Wow, and wow.
F you, Gary.
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