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Softball UPDATE- Vann Fired, New Coach Announced
Posted on 4/22/19 at 12:46 pm
Posted on 4/22/19 at 12:46 pm
Last weekend our team lost its 9th consecutive SEC Series. To make it worse it was to Ole Miss, a team that has surpassed State under Vann along with teams like South Carolina and Arkansas. To make it worse we had our worst loss in school history with 21-0 friday loss.
We haven't finished higher than 10th since Vann's first season and we are in sole position of 12th place rn THREE games behind 11th. 13th is Texas A&M and they are behind by 1 game and we do not play them this season. Top 12 teams make the SEC Tournament and Vanderbilt does not field a team.
I see 0 chance MSU makes the NCAAs without a SEC series win. Their RPI has already dipped to the 30's and they do not have a quality nc win. Best case scenario is they somehow win 3 more and get to 7-17 in conference play which yes would tie for the 2nd worst SEC Record under Vann.
I understand the SEC is great and all. But I also understand that the SEC is going forward and we are being left behind.
There are two regular season series left. the last one is at Gainesville vs FL and we probably wont win a game there which leaves Missouri who is somewhat comparable but slightly better than State in Starkville. If State loses the series this weekend that will probably be all she wrote on the Vann train unless we just do not care about softball in the slightest. THis is her 8th season and this is what we have done:
SEC Finish,SEC Tournament Record,NCAA Tournament Record
2012: 8th, 0-1, 0-2
2013: 11th, 0-0, 1-2
2014: 10th, 0-1, 1-2
2015: 10th, 0-1, 1-2
2016: 12th(we won 3 conference games how did we even make the SECT?), 0-1, 0-0
2017: 12th, 0-1, 0-2
2018: 11th, 1-1(oh look an SEC TOurnament win, one every 7 years is great*), 2-2
2019(as of 4/22): 12th, tbc
total: 11th(AVG), 1-6, 5-12(never gotten past the regional, won more than 1 game for the first time in 2018)
Updated to add- Vann has been fired today
Updated to add former Associate Head Coach Samantha Ricketts is now Head Coach
We haven't finished higher than 10th since Vann's first season and we are in sole position of 12th place rn THREE games behind 11th. 13th is Texas A&M and they are behind by 1 game and we do not play them this season. Top 12 teams make the SEC Tournament and Vanderbilt does not field a team.
I see 0 chance MSU makes the NCAAs without a SEC series win. Their RPI has already dipped to the 30's and they do not have a quality nc win. Best case scenario is they somehow win 3 more and get to 7-17 in conference play which yes would tie for the 2nd worst SEC Record under Vann.
I understand the SEC is great and all. But I also understand that the SEC is going forward and we are being left behind.
There are two regular season series left. the last one is at Gainesville vs FL and we probably wont win a game there which leaves Missouri who is somewhat comparable but slightly better than State in Starkville. If State loses the series this weekend that will probably be all she wrote on the Vann train unless we just do not care about softball in the slightest. THis is her 8th season and this is what we have done:
SEC Finish,SEC Tournament Record,NCAA Tournament Record
2012: 8th, 0-1, 0-2
2013: 11th, 0-0, 1-2
2014: 10th, 0-1, 1-2
2015: 10th, 0-1, 1-2
2016: 12th(we won 3 conference games how did we even make the SECT?), 0-1, 0-0
2017: 12th, 0-1, 0-2
2018: 11th, 1-1(oh look an SEC TOurnament win, one every 7 years is great*), 2-2
2019(as of 4/22): 12th, tbc
total: 11th(AVG), 1-6, 5-12(never gotten past the regional, won more than 1 game for the first time in 2018)
Updated to add- Vann has been fired today
Updated to add former Associate Head Coach Samantha Ricketts is now Head Coach
This post was edited on 7/22/19 at 11:40 am
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Posted on 4/23/19 at 12:46 pm to The Winner
Give me “a sport I give 0 fricks about” for 500 dollars, Alex
Posted on 4/24/19 at 4:20 pm to The Winner
frick it, I'll back you on this one Winner. Great post. I care about softball only because my girls watch it when it's on SEC network whoever is playing. So yeah, might as well be good at it since we don't have beach volleyball, gymnastics, or swimming like some other SEC schools.
We have one outstanding hitter and other than that, we need find some girls that can compete. It boggles my mind though that A&M is bad as they are because Texas is a hotbed of fastpitch. A&M is a young team though.
Needless to say, it's time to figure it out. Bring in somebody willing to fix the issue. I think if the program will start winning, State fans will notice. That's the only way we can get the girls to come to play. Fan support.
We have one outstanding hitter and other than that, we need find some girls that can compete. It boggles my mind though that A&M is bad as they are because Texas is a hotbed of fastpitch. A&M is a young team though.
Needless to say, it's time to figure it out. Bring in somebody willing to fix the issue. I think if the program will start winning, State fans will notice. That's the only way we can get the girls to come to play. Fan support.
Posted on 4/24/19 at 6:53 pm to The Winner
Is softball a big sport in MS? Meaning are we just losing the SEC players to other schools?
Posted on 5/5/19 at 4:43 pm to The Winner
quote:
I understand the SEC is great and all. But I also understand that the SEC is going forward and we are being left behind.
SEC really does eat their own. Things can be cyclical but also hard to dominate in multiple sports. I would like to see softball better but right now women basketball is the focus of success.
Posted on 5/9/19 at 5:06 pm to The Winner
Do we make the NCAA's this year? I know our conference record is bad, but the SEC is really strong overall. I'm not much of a softball follower, but this seems like a sport for which we have a limited ceiling.
But, then again, I remember a time in the early to mid 90's when our women's basketball team was by far the worst in the SEC, but now we have a top 10 program. And, we've had the best team in the SEC for the last two seasons.
But, then again, I remember a time in the early to mid 90's when our women's basketball team was by far the worst in the SEC, but now we have a top 10 program. And, we've had the best team in the SEC for the last two seasons.
Posted on 7/16/19 at 8:00 pm to The Winner
Bumped because Vann is fired
Posted on 7/22/19 at 11:40 am to The Winner
STARKVILLE -- Samantha Ricketts, one of the rising coaching stars in college softball who has directed the most explosive offenses in Mississippi State history, has been named the Bulldogs' sixth head softball coach, Director of Athletics John Cohen announced Monday.
"It became clear during our search that Samantha Ricketts was the right fit to lead Mississippi State softball," Cohen said. "Samantha's vision, national recruiting experience and her ability to teach the game were the biggest factors in our decision. She has been one of the most sought-after rising stars in the nation. Coach Ricketts has the utmost respect from our student-athletes and her peers around the country. With her SEC experience and her time at Oklahoma, she knows what it takes to develop our student-athletes into strong people both on and off the field."
Ricketts served as MSU's assistant coach from 2015-18 focusing on hitting and recruiting before being promoted to associate head coach on July 30, 2018. The San Jose, California, native has been a part of one Women's College World Series appearance, six NCAA Regional berths and two NCAA Super Regional appearances during her coaching career.
"I am honored and thrilled for the opportunity to lead Mississippi State softball," Ricketts said. "I am thankful to (Director of Athletics) John Cohen and (President) Dr. Mark Keenum for believing in me. I take so much pride in this program, and we will work extremely hard and efficiently in elevating Mississippi State softball to our ultimate goals. I am eager to continue to mentor our team, not just as Bulldog student-athletes but as first-class leaders in this community."
"It became clear during our search that Samantha Ricketts was the right fit to lead Mississippi State softball," Cohen said. "Samantha's vision, national recruiting experience and her ability to teach the game were the biggest factors in our decision. She has been one of the most sought-after rising stars in the nation. Coach Ricketts has the utmost respect from our student-athletes and her peers around the country. With her SEC experience and her time at Oklahoma, she knows what it takes to develop our student-athletes into strong people both on and off the field."
Ricketts served as MSU's assistant coach from 2015-18 focusing on hitting and recruiting before being promoted to associate head coach on July 30, 2018. The San Jose, California, native has been a part of one Women's College World Series appearance, six NCAA Regional berths and two NCAA Super Regional appearances during her coaching career.
"I am honored and thrilled for the opportunity to lead Mississippi State softball," Ricketts said. "I am thankful to (Director of Athletics) John Cohen and (President) Dr. Mark Keenum for believing in me. I take so much pride in this program, and we will work extremely hard and efficiently in elevating Mississippi State softball to our ultimate goals. I am eager to continue to mentor our team, not just as Bulldog student-athletes but as first-class leaders in this community."
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