Softball 2023-24 Offseason & Recruiting Thread

[TD1 231]

[TD1 231]

1 minute ago, Tiger1992 said:

Bri posted a fairly lengthy response to this guy Tim's tweet about Carlee.

I really hope that AD Cohen looks into this. 

[Gowebb11 9,381]

Why does this keep happening at Auburn? Golloway in baseball, Harsin in football, now Dean in softball. Alienating players and having bad cultures. All 3 of these coaches had not had these types of issues at their previous stops. It’s something that seriously needs to be looked into. Is it bad vetting and hiring or is there something culturally behind it? To have this type of coaching drama in 3 different sports is crazy. 

[slot canyon 1,344]

Carlee was one of my favorites.  Loved her play at 2nd base.  She always seemed to have great knowledge of the game.  Appreciate what she gave to softball at Auburn.  

[Jad0003 414]

Lenti was investigated by DePaul for verbal and physical abuse prior to his hiring, which made many people raise questions when he was joined the staff following his abrupt “retirement.”  His sister was the AD at the time of the investigation. 

The players specifically mention hitting, so I wonder if he is the issue. Dean or the university need to investigate, especially with the team’s performance at the plate. 

Link: https://depauliaonline.com/47841/news/university-accused-of-ignoring-allegations-of-abuse-by-former-softball-coach/

Edited July 3, 2023 by Jad0003

[TD1 231]

We have a new assistant coach 

Edited July 3, 2023 by TD1

[saminbama 740]

Well, this is good news.  She definitely has the background we need. I'm confused.  We list 3 assistant coaches on our website.  Who is the volunteer?  Carosone?  Is someone leaving?

[Big Fat Barner 150]

Drop everyone but Carosone this program needs a fresh start

[aubiefifty 16,911]

8 hours ago, Gowebb11 said:

Why does this keep happening at Auburn? Golloway in baseball, Harsin in football, now Dean in softball. Alienating players and having bad cultures. All 3 of these coaches had not had these types of issues at their previous stops. It’s something that seriously needs to be looked into. Is it bad vetting and hiring or is there something culturally behind it? To have this type of coaching drama in 3 different sports is crazy. 

i do not like the softball coach. he is an ass. we are much better than we have shown. but hey lets get dean another season or two of lackluster coaching before we make a change and run off our decent players. i get so mad at the assistant coach shagging some of our kids when we were winning and having to settle for this guy........

[TD1 231]

3 hours ago, saminbama said:

Well, this is good news.  She definitely has the background we need. I'm confused.  We list 3 assistant coaches on our website.  Who is the volunteer?  Carosone?  Is someone leaving?

I think that the NCAA is allowing an additional coach in each sport and are doing away with the volunteer coach titles. 

Edited July 4, 2023 by TD1

[aubiefifty 16,911]

 

al.com

 

Auburn’s Carlee McCondichie won’t play 5th year of softball: ‘When you fail, you are immediately benched’

Published: Jul. 03, 2023, 1:50 p.m.

~3 minutes

---

Auburn's Carlee McCondichie follows through on a throw between innings during an NCAA softball game against Louisiana Lafayette on Friday, May 20, 2022, in Clemson, S.C. Auburn won 4-3. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford)AP

Auburn’s Carlee McCondichie revealed on Twitter on Sunday she isn’t returning for a fifth year of softball on “The Plains.”

The second baseman earned the COVID year but has decided to step away.

She said the move was in no way a slight at Auburn, it appeared to be just that.

“I will not be taking a 5th year,” she tweeted. “This thread is not directed toward Auburn University. I love Auburn with my whole heart and every single girl that is part of the Auburn softball program. It is sad when a young girl who has played the sport for 18 years of her 22-year life has no interest or desire in playing a 5th year.

“That’s what happens when you play for a program where when you fail, you are immediately benched. A program where you aren’t pursued. A program where you are only looked at from an athletic perspective, not a personal perspective.”

McCondichie hit .303 with 36 home runs and 22 RBIs last season. However, in conference games, she batted .154 with a home run and 3 RBIs.

“For me, I can stand here confidently and say I gave my absolute all to the Auburn softball program,’ she continued.

“In return, I got benched as a starter on SENIOR DAY. This isn’t for attention, this is for the athletes to come. THEY DESERVE BETTER. STUDENT-ATHLETES ARE MUCH MORE THAN STUDENTS & MUCH MORE THAN ATHLETES. They are human beings. With that being said, I will always continue to support Auburn Softball PLAYERS. But for me, my softball career is OVER and the thought of even playing one game brings me much anxiety, sadly.”

As a junior, McCondichie was one of two student-athletes to appear in all 57 contests. She started 56 of those games, while leading the team with 46 hits and a .338 batting average.

McCondichie, who played at Gardendale High School, was a four-time Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 6A All-State selection.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.

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[all4AU 379]

4 hours ago, saminbama said:

Well, this is good news.  She definitely has the background we need. I'm confused.  We list 3 assistant coaches on our website.  Who is the volunteer?  Carosone?  Is someone leaving?

Teams are allowed to have a 3rd paid assistant now.

[all4AU 379]

Maddie, Aubrie, and Millie have posted tweets standing up for the coaching staff. 
 

The same thing happened at Alabama last year. They had a mass exodus leaving only the ones who wanted to be there behind. Players like Fouts stood up for the university and staff, and they had a much better team culture this past season. 

[Big Fat Barner 150]

8 minutes ago, all4AU said:

Maddie, Aubrie, and Millie have posted tweets standing up for the coaching staff. 
 

The same thing happened at Alabama last year. They had a mass exodus leaving only the ones who wanted to be there behind. Players like Fouts stood up for the university and staff, and they had a much better team culture this past season. 

Except they actually won before. And, have a GOOD head coach. 

[Big Fat Barner 150]

Why is it that half the team feels supported and the other half doesn’t? Isn’t it part of his job to make sure all athletes feel included? I know it’s tough as a coach to do, but when 1/4 of the team just transfers away it is still telling us something. 

[TD1 231]

tweets from the boyfriend of former Auburn catcher, Haley Nillen. 

[TigerPAC 978]

What a freakin mess

[Big Fat Barner 150]

I believe that Carlee McCondichie just deactivated her twitter account. Bless her heart. 

[AU1947 157]

Well Auburn is getting some national publicity now...

 

Outgoing Auburn softball player rips program in deleted posts: 'When you fail, you are immediately benched' | Fox News
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/outgoing-auburn-softball-player-rips-program-deleted-posts-when-you-fail-immediately-benched

Edited July 4, 2023 by AU1947

[Mikey 16,737]

42 minutes ago, AU1947 said:

Well Auburn is getting some national publicity now...

 

Outgoing Auburn softball player rips program in deleted posts: 'When you fail, you are immediately benched' | Fox News
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/outgoing-auburn-softball-player-rips-program-deleted-posts-when-you-fail-immediately-benched

I don't like it, but on the bright side (if there is one) to make an omelette you have to break eggs. Maybe this can be the egg breaking part.

[slot canyon 1,344]

Hannah Sparks new assistant SB coach

 

Fresh off helping Oklahoma to its third consecutive national championship, Hannah Sparks joined Auburn softball as an assistant coach on July 3, 2023. 
 
Sparks served as the volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater during the 2023 season, during which the Sooner staff was honored as the National Fastpitch Coaching Association Division I Staff of the Year. Sparks helped the Sooners to a 61-1 record, the best winning percentage in NCAA Division I softball history and Big 12 regular season and tournament titles.
 
Oklahoma led the country in multiple categories, including earned run average (0.96), batting average (.367) and fielding percentage (.988). The Sooners’ title run included a 53-game win streak, which set the NCAA record, 35 shutouts, 29 wins by run rule and a 28-0 record versus ranked opponents to set program records.
 
A nation-leading five Sooners were named NFCA First Team All-Americans during Sparks’ stint while eight student-athletes earned All-Big 12 accolades.
 
Prior to returning to Oklahoma, Sparks spent three seasons as the hitting and catching coach and recruiting coordinator at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Mississippi. During the 2021 season, PRCC slugged 43 home runs and held a team batting average of .335 under Sparks.
 
Sparks began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.
 
A 2018 graduate of Oklahoma, Sparks was a national champion with the Sooners as a catcher in 2017. The Thomasville, Alabama, native made over 70 appearances at Oklahoma after transferring from Northwest Florida State College where she was an All-American at the NFCAA Division I level. She helped Northwest Florida State to the 2016 Panhandle Conference championship.

additional info from her local paper:

 

Hannah Sparks, from Thomasville and a Thomasville High School graduate, played college softball at Oklahoma in 2017 and 2018.

The team won a national championship in 2017. Sparks is now on the coaching staff for the team she played for. Her title is volunteer assistant coach (but it is a paid position!). She coaches first base, catchers and hitters.

The team recently won another national title, defeating Florida State so Hannah has come full circle, winning national championships as both a player and a coach!

Edited July 4, 2023 by slot canyon

[Jad0003 414]

29 minutes ago, Mikey said:

I don't like it, but on the bright side (if there is one) to make an omelette you have to break eggs. Maybe this can be the egg breaking part.

I mean, the AD Office can’t ignore the allegations at this point. I’m not saying something will come of it, but they’ll have to investigate at minimum. 

[EagleEye67 1,945]

On 7/3/2023 at 7:41 AM, TD1 said:

I really hope that AD Cohen looks into this. 

Pretty sure he has higher priorities 

[TD1 231]

34 minutes ago, EagleEye67 said:

Pretty sure he has higher priorities 

I would think that this would rank as high on his list, even more so after news outlets reported and brought attention to the matter. After the Meyers fiasco, they shouldn't let this linger. 

[aubaseball 2,652]

24 minutes ago, TD1 said:

I would think that this would rank as high on his list, even more so after news outlets reported and brought attention to the matter. After the Meyers fiasco, they shouldn't let this linger. 

Let what linger?  Is about being hard on players? Is he physically abusing players? Do players just not like his personality?