Barta hands out extensions like they are candy, and Looper hasn't got her's yet..even though she's in the last year of her contract. I think she has to be pretty close to .500 to make it past this year.
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2018 Softball
- Thread starter LinusPF
- Start date
It's nice to see the team competing well this year. Doocey is great. Whenever she is on the mound we have a shot. Shaw seems to be settling in as well. Hopefully, this will be a formidable 1-2 punch by conference season. Very happy (and surprised) by the upset of #8 Baylor. Looks like we could have gotten #17 ULL as well if the lights had not forced the game to be cancelled.
That's different. I didn't realize that. Firing would never happen due to Jane Meyer, but Barta letting her contract run out...
When asked specifically if this was the last year of Coach Looper's contract, Barta stated "This is the last year of her contract." No elaboration. No emotion from his face. Completely business like.
He left it pretty open ended. I witnessed and didn't know how to take it.
I have heard that there is some rumblings from the staff that they cannot compete with other Big Ten schools because of facilities and they are using this as a bargaining tool.
I would hope it would take a 25 win season for Coach Looper to extend her contract. One winning season in 7 is unacceptable. She is a much better game day coach (she was wretched in the beginning) now than when she started but hasn't had the talent she was left.
Seems to have an upgrade in that this year. I don't want to get my hopes up, though.
I hope they splurged this year and bought sunglasses for the women.
I got my season tickets last week!!!
He left it pretty open ended. I witnessed and didn't know how to take it.
I have heard that there is some rumblings from the staff that they cannot compete with other Big Ten schools because of facilities and they are using this as a bargaining tool.
I would hope it would take a 25 win season for Coach Looper to extend her contract. One winning season in 7 is unacceptable. She is a much better game day coach (she was wretched in the beginning) now than when she started but hasn't had the talent she was left.
Seems to have an upgrade in that this year. I don't want to get my hopes up, though.
I hope they splurged this year and bought sunglasses for the women.
I got my season tickets last week!!!
I imagine softball is way down on the list of facilities improvements. As far as I know, even baseball is having to wait on a lead donor for the next round of improvements to Banks Field. Obviously football is always going to get top priority on resources.
Heller can probably make a similar argument about facilities, but he's had on-field success in spite of it. If Looper/staff have made that complaint to Barta, I'd guess that would be Barta's response. Another might be, if our facilities are so bad, how to we keep getting CA and TX kids here?
Heller can probably make a similar argument about facilities, but he's had on-field success in spite of it. If Looper/staff have made that complaint to Barta, I'd guess that would be Barta's response. Another might be, if our facilities are so bad, how to we keep getting CA and TX kids here?
Softball currently sits above baseball and after wrestling because Pearl Field is a flood zone.
I agree that softball is way down the list. It was at least 2 years ago when it was first mentioned they had plans of moving the field out by the HoF.
I would disagree about the getting California and Texas kids.There are many scholarship offers for these athletes in PAC 12, Big XII and also SEC schools before they would consider Iowa. We are not getting their best of the best. Possibly not the better of the better. We are possibly on the bottom third of Power 5 conference schollies. Choose a power 5 schollie or one from a lower conference school. Not a hard decision if you want to compete.
This does not mean that I am not happy that the California and Texas players have chosen to be Hawkeyes.
I hope they do well and wish them the best of luck.
I have heard nothing but very good things about Coach Looper as a person. I wish her success also.
Sometimes things just don't work out.
I would disagree about the getting California and Texas kids.There are many scholarship offers for these athletes in PAC 12, Big XII and also SEC schools before they would consider Iowa. We are not getting their best of the best. Possibly not the better of the better. We are possibly on the bottom third of Power 5 conference schollies. Choose a power 5 schollie or one from a lower conference school. Not a hard decision if you want to compete.
This does not mean that I am not happy that the California and Texas players have chosen to be Hawkeyes.
I hope they do well and wish them the best of luck.
I have heard nothing but very good things about Coach Looper as a person. I wish her success also.
Sometimes things just don't work out.
That would make sense, and I suspect Pearl could get flooded again any time. However, I was under the impression that Heller has been told that Banks Field improvements would occur as soon as funding could be lined up, and have not heard that anything similar was offered to Looper.
What is wrestling looking for, facilities-wise?
Baseball still needs a lead donor for the project to move forward, meaning a gift of a few million.
I'm no wrestling guru but I believe the plan is for an all-wrestling facility next to or near Carver. The building would include space for the HWC and practice space.
You may be right. I think we'll find out more playing ASU this week.
GCU won something like 36 games last year. They aren't terrible. Georgetown won 11.
As of noon Sunday with the 2nd GCU game about to begin we are 8-7. First time we have been above .500 this late in the season I believe.
Edit: Well, in checking we went 18-8 in 2013, then we started the B10 season by getting swept by Minnesota which at the time was surprising.
Edit: Well, in checking we went 18-8 in 2013, then we started the B10 season by getting swept by Minnesota which at the time was surprising.
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8-8 now...1 hitter for GCU as we lose 1-0. Need to get the offense rolling. Shaw and Docy throwing well. Doocy with 15 strikeouts in game one.
If only we could have an average hitting team....pitching staff would have us talking NCAA.
Instead batting .229
But actually could be worse considering we're not getting anything from our three best returning hitters...Pratt, Thompson & Schmiederer - last two due to injury I assume. Or the high-average transfer batting o-fer.
Why does Rozier have only 17 ABs, when she has the 2nd highest batting average and one of the few with power?
And another thing...with all the social media the team utilizes, why not actually share some information we might actually care about, like why Thompson / Schmiederer aren't playing. Can assume it's injury, but we don't know if/when they be 100% this season. Instead they post mostly silly GIFs/Memes. Makes it hard to be a fan and follow the team.
Instead batting .229
But actually could be worse considering we're not getting anything from our three best returning hitters...Pratt, Thompson & Schmiederer - last two due to injury I assume. Or the high-average transfer batting o-fer.Why does Rozier have only 17 ABs, when she has the 2nd highest batting average and one of the few with power?
And another thing...with all the social media the team utilizes, why not actually share some information we might actually care about, like why Thompson / Schmiederer aren't playing. Can assume it's injury, but we don't know if/when they be 100% this season. Instead they post mostly silly GIFs/Memes. Makes it hard to be a fan and follow the team.
Kilian and Kurtz have been pleasant surprises however. Kilian showed sparks the past couple years and it's nice she's putting it together. Kurtz hitting .280 is terrific! They were the only two who really hit the ball hard in yesterday's second game.
And the team has a freaking 1.67 ERA!!
And is third in the B1G in fielding!
And the team has a freaking 1.67 ERA!!
And is third in the B1G in fielding!
LinusPF, I liked your comment above, but wanted to hit the "like" key a dozen times more! I have never seen a sport make as little use of social media as the Hawkeye softball team. Even when a team is struggling, the coaches or media people need to give fans something to "hang on to" to maintain interest... in fact, it is probably even more important than when the team is winning!
Two of the players who have not been playing are my favorite players from last year! (a catcher and an infielder). I can not make a "connection with" these two or the team generally, if I have no information about their situation or when they might return to play.
When a story pops up, most of the time it is about a volunteer activity or social event. Great, but I would rather hear an analysis about competition for a position, why someone's battling average has improved significantly from last year (Killian) or a discussion as to the logic behind a pitching rotation for a past weekend.
Following this softball team is like cheering for a CIA cell working in Cuba!
Two of the players who have not been playing are my favorite players from last year! (a catcher and an infielder). I can not make a "connection with" these two or the team generally, if I have no information about their situation or when they might return to play.
When a story pops up, most of the time it is about a volunteer activity or social event. Great, but I would rather hear an analysis about competition for a position, why someone's battling average has improved significantly from last year (Killian) or a discussion as to the logic behind a pitching rotation for a past weekend.
Following this softball team is like cheering for a CIA cell working in Cuba!
Messy game last night, but Hawks win in extra innings. Hawks scored 2 in the first and then the bats went silent until the 7th. An error, a hit by pitch, a base running error that resulted in a double steal, and a questionable call at home all benefited the Hawks with solid hits from Kurtz and Wood. Hawks score on a fielding error in the 8th.
Riding, Yoways, and Ihle all pitched and GCU had success verses them, but Doocey came in and shut them down in the 7th and 8th.
Whenever Doocey pitches it feels like we have a shot. Hoping we can give #14 ASU a game on Wednesday.
Go Hawks.
Riding, Yoways, and Ihle all pitched and GCU had success verses them, but Doocey came in and shut them down in the 7th and 8th.
Whenever Doocey pitches it feels like we have a shot. Hoping we can give #14 ASU a game on Wednesday.
Go Hawks.
On one of the Iowa Facebook pages they were live at the Iowa Meet the Fans Night or whatever it is called these days. They interviewed Schmiederer and she had a cast on her right hand. Guessing it happened in Lafayette or in practice the week after.
Hawks upset #13 ASU 3-1. Another gem by Doocey. A couple key hits. Wow!!
Hawks come from behind to defeat Wichita State at the Creighton tournament 3-2 despite 11 strike outs courtesy of ex-UNI pitcher Bailey Lange. Big news is that for game 2 vs. Creighton, Thompson is starting at SS with Bogar moving to 2B, and Rozier at DP in place of DeShields. Perhaps we have people getting healthy?
Edit: unless I misread the game tracker, the Hawks have pulled out another one run come-back win over the Jays 4-3. Grand slam from Schnieder in the top of the 7th. A nice day's work!
Edit: unless I misread the game tracker, the Hawks have pulled out another one run come-back win over the Jays 4-3. Grand slam from Schnieder in the top of the 7th. A nice day's work!
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Quite an impressive run. 8 out of 10 games won, with wins over ranked Baylor and Arizona State in there.
I'm happy with the two wins and it felt like we "stole" both games. First off, these are games past Iowa softball teams would not have won so you have to give the team props for finding a way late in each game. Great pitching from all four pitchers today. I think only one of the five runs were earned as the defense had some lulls here and there.
Okay...here is my rant... we're down 3-0 in the top of the 7th. We get the first two hitters on off of hits. Finally starting to find success against their pitcher and then we bunt with two on and no one out. Down three runs in the last inning those two runners are irrelevant. It's the third run we need. We consistently swung away all game. Why bunt there. 1 out is way more important than 60 feet at that point in the game. However, it all worked out. Props to Schneider. That was a shot over the right field fence.
Go Hawks
Okay...here is my rant... we're down 3-0 in the top of the 7th. We get the first two hitters on off of hits. Finally starting to find success against their pitcher and then we bunt with two on and no one out. Down three runs in the last inning those two runners are irrelevant. It's the third run we need. We consistently swung away all game. Why bunt there. 1 out is way more important than 60 feet at that point in the game. However, it all worked out. Props to Schneider. That was a shot over the right field fence.
Go Hawks
And Wood only had one at bat in game 2 Saturday. Looks like maybe the injury bug has revisited the team, sure would be nice to hear some news about that. Maybe if Crankermo is lurking he might drop in and update us.
OTOH 2 of 3 isn't a bad weekend, Usually in the Looper era we'd have gone 0-fer against WSU and Creighton.
Starting to look like the ISU game on Apr 25 might be interesting, they are currently 17-16 after many years of being the conference doormat in SB.
OTOH 2 of 3 isn't a bad weekend, Usually in the Looper era we'd have gone 0-fer against WSU and Creighton.
Starting to look like the ISU game on Apr 25 might be interesting, they are currently 17-16 after many years of being the conference doormat in SB.
The first RPI of the season has been released.
Iowa is #41 which would be bubble territory if this was the end of the season. Big Ten looking tough (OSu 15, Neb 19, Mich 22, MN 31, NW 38, Wis 43, Ill 50) and the Iowa schools looking good too (ISU 60, Drake 67, UNI 73).
Iowa with three top 25 wins - ASU #7, Baylor #13 and Wichita State #25.
Iowa is #41 which would be bubble territory if this was the end of the season. Big Ten looking tough (OSu 15, Neb 19, Mich 22, MN 31, NW 38, Wis 43, Ill 50) and the Iowa schools looking good too (ISU 60, Drake 67, UNI 73).
Iowa with three top 25 wins - ASU #7, Baylor #13 and Wichita State #25.
Interesting, at least we're in the B10 conversation. We can hold our own as long as Doocy is pitching and we can get her some runs. OTOH, Michigan is a tough way to start out the conference schedule.
Drake got their power pitcher back from 2 years ago, last years starter returns plus they added a 3rd. IMHO that makes them the MVC favorite. I watched UNI for a bit over the weekend. Their pitching is inconsistent and their returning HR hitters aren't hitting like they used to.
Drake got their power pitcher back from 2 years ago, last years starter returns plus they added a 3rd. IMHO that makes them the MVC favorite. I watched UNI for a bit over the weekend. Their pitching is inconsistent and their returning HR hitters aren't hitting like they used to.
Injuries are still wreaking havoc on us but we have depth unlike years past.
Conference should be interesting
Conference should be interesting
The west division is certainly the tougher of the two divisions. Purdue is the only west team not in the top 50 of the RPI. If we're able to finish 5 or so games above .500 we may be in the conversation for the NCAA tournament. Michigan is tough draw opening weekend.
Hopefully one of the injuries is not to Doocy. It was odd she left in the middle of the Wichita State game. At the time it seemed like it may because she had just given up a HBP and a double, but was odd she did not throw on Sunday.
Hopefully one of the injuries is not to Doocy. It was odd she left in the middle of the Wichita State game. At the time it seemed like it may because she had just given up a HBP and a double, but was odd she did not throw on Sunday.
