Softball 2023-24 Offseason & Recruiting Thread

[Big Fat Barner 150]

3 hours ago, AuScuba said:

3 starters transferred:  Ellis, Garcia, and Bryant, that is 3 of 10.  If you are participating on an athletic team you have to be attending classes, which either the player pays or you need scholarship money.  I did not say who was the cancer, and never said there was more than 1 cancer.

Which quality players transferred out each season?

That would be after the 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 seasons?

Thanks

First, we lost FIVE starters with McCondichie and Blaine leaving. Both were listed as starters on the AU official stats page.  Garcia had a COVID year, meaning she would not be taking classes and she would be considered a grad player (like Godwin this year). Garcia would not have to have scholarship money because she wouldn’t be taking classes. 
 

Carlee Wallace - 2018 (transfer)

Whitney Jordan and Madi Gibson - 2018 (quit softball)

Carmyn Greenwood - 2019

KK Crocker - 2019

Taylon Snow - 2019

Chardonnay Harris - 2019 

Makenna Dowell - 2021 

Lexie Handley - 2021

Madison Koepke - 2021 (quit + transferred)

Kelsey Schmidt - 2022

Bri Ellis, Denver Bryant, McCondichie, Jessie Blaine and Lindsey Garcia - 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AuScuba 12]

1 hour ago, Big Fat Barner said:

Lech and Wohlers will be Juniors 

You are correct

[AuScuba 12]

46 minutes ago, Big Fat Barner said:

First, we lost FIVE starters with McCondichie and Blaine leaving. Both were listed as starters on the AU official stats page.  Garcia had a COVID year, meaning she would not be taking classes and she would be considered a grad player (like Godwin this year). Garcia would not have to have scholarship money because she wouldn’t be taking classes. 
 

Carlee Wallace - 2018 (transfer)

Whitney Jordan and Madi Gibson - 2018 (quit softball)

Carmyn Greenwood - 2019

KK Crocker - 2019

Taylon Snow - 2019

Chardonnay Harris - 2019 

Makenna Dowell - 2021 

Lexie Handley - 2021

Madison Koepke - 2021 (quit + transferred)

Kelsey Schmidt - 2022

Bri Ellis, Denver Bryant, McCondichie, Jessie Blaine and Lindsey Garcia - 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blaine was not a full time starter

McCondichie had lost her postion and was not offered an opportunity to return

Carlee Wallace left priot to Dean being hired. 

Hanley and Dowell were 5th year seniors and there was prpbably no scholarship available with the big incoming freshman class Hanley had a good season at tOSU, Dowell's season was great in fhe field and so-so at the plate.

Jordan hit .118 in 2017, .228 in 2016 left prior to Dean

Gibson hit. .214 in 2017,  .239 in 2016 left prior to Dean

Greenwood,  I was sorry to see her leave as, she could have helped us, decent career at Louisville transferred to play with her sister.

KK Crocker hit .260 at UAB, transferred after fall practice seemingly after she couldn't beat out McCrackin at 2nd, had a good glove but .143 in SEC games in 2018

Chardonnay Harris transferred to Louisville but never did much pitched half a season and was on the roster but no additional stats.

Madison Koepke gave up softball

Kelsey Schmidt hit .185 at Western Kentucky

Taylon Snow had a decent finish at OU moved from SS to OF, DP, and finally 1B during her time, could never hit SEC pitching, had little range and weak arm at SS... Gasso did good playing her at 1st. Hit .250 in Big12 games her last season that pitching is not SEC quality, no even close.

So your statement we are losing quality players every year is inaccurate.  If they don't play elsewhere it is because they have their degree and are employed. the reason Ashlee Swindle did not return for her, she already had a job.

[Big Fat Barner 150]

1 hour ago, AuScuba said:

Blaine was not a full time starter

McCondichie had lost her postion and was not offered an opportunity to return

Carlee Wallace left priot to Dean being hired. 

Hanley and Dowell were 5th year seniors and there was prpbably no scholarship available with the big incoming freshman class Hanley had a good season at tOSU, Dowell's season was great in fhe field and so-so at the plate.

Jordan hit .118 in 2017, .228 in 2016 left prior to Dean

Gibson hit. .214 in 2017,  .239 in 2016 left prior to Dean

Greenwood,  I was sorry to see her leave as, she could have helped us, decent career at Louisville transferred to play with her sister.

KK Crocker hit .260 at UAB, transferred after fall practice seemingly after she couldn't beat out McCrackin at 2nd, had a good glove but .143 in SEC games in 2018

Chardonnay Harris transferred to Louisville but never did much pitched half a season and was on the roster but no additional stats.

Madison Koepke gave up softball

Kelsey Schmidt hit .185 at Western Kentucky

Taylon Snow had a decent finish at OU moved from SS to OF, DP, and finally 1B during her time, could never hit SEC pitching, had little range and weak arm at SS... Gasso did good playing her at 1st. Hit .250 in Big12 games her last season that pitching is not SEC quality, no even close.

So your statement we are losing quality players every year is inaccurate.  If they don't play elsewhere it is because they have their degree and are employed. the reason Ashlee Swindle did not return for her, she already had a job.

Blaine is listed as a starter on the website, so she is a starter. There a 9 people in the lineup and she was starting in the 62 games more than she wasn’t. It does not matter if she started 33 of 62, she was a starter. Period. She should’ve been a starter all along anyways, but Dean screws with the lineup literally every game because him and his staff are incapable of a creating a competent offense.

 

Carlee LEFT. She quit softball. Because of Dean and the staff. She made the decision to retire from softball, no one else. So I am absolutely counting her in the exodus. 

Take a look at our starters and their average in SEC play. Dean has never been able to coach bats, so any of the following likely would of made an impact or won over the position in the future or found a way in the lineup. (Handley and Dowell did not need scholarship money because they did NOT attend grad school). How weird that Koepke hung up her cleats and transferred after just two years under Dean; sounds similar to Carlee’s experience.   (And the fact that you are saying well Taylon hit .250 in Big 12 play, we had like five starters hit under .200 in SEC play, anybody from the list could have been in the lineup in 2021).

Edited July 7, 2023 by Big Fat Barner

[Big Fat Barner 150]

https://www.2adays.com/blog/the-auburn-softball-coaching-scandal-what-do-other-players-have-to-say/

[Big Fat Barner 150]

This is from the article:

[Jad0003 414]

1 hour ago, Big Fat Barner said:

Blaine is listed as a starter on the website, so she is a starter. There a 9 people in the lineup and she was starting in the 62 games more than she wasn’t. It does not matter if she started 33 of 62, she was a starter. Period. She should’ve been a starter all along anyways, but Dean screws with the lineup literally every game because him and his staff are incapable of a creating a competent offense.

 

Carlee LEFT. She quit softball. Because of Dean and the staff. She made the decision to retire from softball, no one else. So I am absolutely counting her in the exodus. 

Take a look at our starters and their average in SEC play. Dean has never been able to coach bats, so any of the following likely would have made an impact or won over the position in the future or found a way in the lineup. (Handley and Dowell did not need scholarship money because they did NOT attend grad school). How weird that Koepke hung up her cleats and transferred after just two years under Dean; sounds similar to Carlee’s experience.   (And the fact that you are saying well Taylon hit .250 in Big 12 play, we had like five starters hit under .200 in SEC play, anybody from the list could have been in the lineup in 2021).

Carlee played at Baylor in 2018 and transferred after the 2017 season. She wasn’t on the roster during fall practice when Myers was the coach.

[Big Fat Barner 150]

1 minute ago, Jad0003 said:

Carlee played at Baylor in 2018 and transferred after the 2017 season. She wasn’t on the roster during fall practice when Myers was the coach.

I was talking about Carlee McCondichie my mistake for not clarifying !

[Jad0003 414]

2 minutes ago, Big Fat Barner said:

This is from the article:

No sugar coating that statement.

[AuScuba 12]

10 hours ago, Jad0003 said:

No sugar coating that statement.

I have never put much stock in anonymous comments, nor should anyone else.  Dean is so bad that Godwin who was not guaranteed a starting spot came back for her 5th year.  He is so bad that Penta has encouraged her younger sister to come to Auburn to be mistreated by Dean.  

Some players can't play for some coaches, there are transfers from all teams each year, and Auburn has had transfers but you statement that Auburn loses "quality" player every year is erroneous.

I can share with you th post Auburn stats for each Auburn player, as I follow their careers since they once were Auburn players, and I can tell you that there have been very few successful careers even at lower levels than they even had at Auburn.  There are many that you have not named, some that had better careers than many that you did name.

 

Jaylin Calvert

Madi Perry 

Paige Geraghty

Rylie Moody

Mackenzie Nutt

Tate Mosley

Phoebe Florian

Jenna Olszewski

Laney Joyner

Livy Schiele

 

 

 

 

[AuScuba 12]

21 hours ago, Jad0003 said:

No sugar coating that statement.

So, an annonymous statement by an "athlete"  doesn't even say it was an Auburn Softball player, and look at the quote..."until he got there", not until he got here.

"Auburn was a great program until he got there and now they’re only good because people go there for the name not for him – he literally doesn’t teach anything."

Auburn was a dama mess when Dean arrived after the mess that Myers leaves, so that "quote" was by the writer to add color, and actually that person doesn't even have the accurate background on the Auburn softball program.

As they say, there is a sucker born every minute.

[OlderWhiskey 963]

22 hours ago, Jad0003 said:

Carlee played at Baylor in 2018 and transferred after the 2017 season. She wasn’t on the roster during fall practice when Myers was the coach.

Myers resigned prior to fall practice in 2017.  

[CameronCrazy 1,083]

If I were Cohen, I would name OU’s associate head coach, Jennifer Rocha,  our new head coach today! I don’t know why she hasn’t become a head coach yet because her resume is pretty impressive. 

She played for OU, coached at Florida and now back at OU as their pitching coach. I don’t see Patty Gasso going anywhere any time soon with the powerhouse that she’s built. She’s 61, so she could have 5-10 years left. Obviously OU would probably come calling for Rocha if she’s successful, but we would have those 5-10 years to build it up.

[Big Fat Barner 150]

3 hours ago, AuScuba said:

So, an annonymous statement by an "athlete"  doesn't even say it was an Auburn Softball player, and look at the quote..."until he got there", not until he got here.

"Auburn was a great program until he got there and now they’re only good because people go there for the name not for him – he literally doesn’t teach anything."

Auburn was a dama mess when Dean arrived after the mess that Myers leaves, so that "quote" was by the writer to add color, and actually that person doesn't even have the accurate background on the Auburn softball program.

As they say, there is a sucker born every minute.

She could be saying “there” instead of “here” because it could be a former player who transferred, God knows we have plenty of those under Dean. 
 

What is your obsession with defending Dean with your life?? He has shown zero capability to win games/succeed and former athletes are coming out against him. Quit invalidating anonymous statements, player testimony, and a transfer exodus because you don’t want to believe that Dean is a bad coach. He is a BAD COACH. 
 

Dean is a broken record who will do absolutely nothing with next years team despite the multitude of talent on the roster. He cannot compete with the best in softball. He has a 54-68 conference record, a 7-10 tournament record, has never held an RPI above 16, and now, multiple players are literally speaking out PUBLICLY against HIM. 

quit defending this man. He can do that on the field with his coaching. 

[Jad0003 414]

12 hours ago, OlderWhiskey said:

Myers resigned prior to fall practice in 2017.  

Carlee transferred after the loss to Oklahoma in the Supers in May / June 2017. Myers was still the coach heading into Fall Practice in 2017, but the details on Corey came out before practice started. Dean was hired shortly after and coached the 2018 season when Carlee played at Baylor. Carlee never intended on playing for Auburn in 2018 whether the coach was Myers or Dean.

Edited July 8, 2023 by Jad0003

[AuScuba 12]

On 7/7/2023 at 10:46 PM, Big Fat Barner said:

She could be saying “there” instead of “here” because it could be a former player who transferred, God knows we have plenty of those under Dean. 
 

What is your obsession with defending Dean with your life?? He has shown zero capability to win games/succeed and former athletes are coming out against him. Quit invalidating anonymous statements, player testimony, and a transfer exodus because you don’t want to believe that Dean is a bad coach. He is a BAD COACH. 
 

Dean is a broken record who will do absolutely nothing with next years team despite the multitude of talent on the roster. He cannot compete with the best in softball. He has a 54-68 conference record, a 7-10 tournament record, has never held an RPI above 16, and now, multiple players are literally speaking out PUBLICLY against HIM. 

quit defending this man. He can do that on the field with his coaching. 

A bad coach can not finish 3rd in the SEC regular season.

 

[Big Fat Barner 150]

2 hours ago, AuScuba said:

A bad coach can not finish 3rd in the SEC regular season.

 

They absolutely can. Especially when half of your wins come from the bottom four teams in the conference. 

[RedDirtFan 52]

19 hours ago, AuScuba said:

A bad coach can not finish 3rd in the SEC regular season.

 

You’ve just made my case. Dean snatched a 3rd place finish from the jaws of a championship conference schedule. We coasted into 3rd on the team’s talent. He’s not developing the talent beyond their growth prior to coming to the program, excluding pitchers. He should be a pitching coach, nothing more. There’s no offensive development or strategy, beyond a 1st and 3rd play learned in T-ball. If you’re the head coach and don’t excel in areas of offense or defense, surround yourself with a strong support staff that does. The addition of the coach from OU could be good, but somebody put out a Press Release that introduces her and her role at Auburn. Talk about the other coaches while you’re at it. All I’ve read is that she’s been part of a World Series winning program. How does that relate or help Auburn succeed?

Be intentional for a change. 

[EagleEye67 1,945]

On 7/9/2023 at 5:51 PM, AuScuba said:

A bad coach can not finish 3rd in the SEC regular season.

 

LOL,  is your last name Dean?

[Big Fat Barner 150]

A twitter account sent me these messages on twitter. THESE ARE NOT MY MESSAGES. 

[RedDirtFan 52]

23 hours ago, Big Fat Barner said:

A twitter account sent me these messages on twitter. THESE ARE NOT MY MESSAGES. 

Thanks for sharing... that's quite a find. I wonder why he "ran the other way"? He was technically a GA in 2021/22. It seems like the logical progression would be to accept the newly approved paid assistant role. I can't imagine investing a year as a volunteer, then not cashing in on a job.

He seems to link rationale to the reason the "3 of 4 best hitters" left. 

[Tiger1992 999]

Any updates? When girls transfer out, do they do exit interviews with the AD or anyone? Curious especially if Carlee or Bri (or anyone for that matter) spoke to anyone in the AD's office about their issues with Dean or the program.

[Jad0003 414]

1 hour ago, Tiger1992 said:

Any updates? When girls transfer out, do they do exit interviews with the AD or anyone? Curious especially if Carlee or Bri (or anyone for that matter) spoke to anyone in the AD's office about their issues with Dean or the program.

I have no idea if any players met with the AD.

Ellis was on a podcast recently where she discussed a number of subjects, including her recruitment, her decision to transfer, and her new destination.

In discussing her decision to transfer, she mentions how she was coached to say Auburn was not the right fit for her, alluding to more reasons than the ones provided. She initially discusses how she genuinely loves Auburn and the Auburn family, but she decided to transfer because she struggled to improve on her numbers, it was hard to make friends outside of softball, and she was not pushed to do better academically. 

However, she reveals the alluded to details when she talks about her decision to choose Arkansas. The main thing I took away is the coaches at Auburn relied on her to produce at the plate, but they screamed at her rather than providing direction or instruction when she struggled to do so. She seems to be excited to learn from the new hitting coach at Arkansas, DJ Gasso, and thinks she can help Arkansas go to their first WCWS. 

Based on her and Carlee’s account, it seems the hitting coaches are not effectively communicating techniques or providing instruction at the plate. I’m not sure if their complaints lie with Lenti as the hitting coach or Dean as the head coach, but ultimately, Dean will have to answer for it. 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Jad0003

[Tiger1992 999]

9 minutes ago, Jad0003 said:

I have no idea if any players met with the AD.

Ellis was on a podcast recently where she discussed a number of subjects, including her recruitment, her decision to transfer, and her new destination.

In discussing her decision to transfer, she mentions how she was coached to say Auburn was not the right fit for her, alluding to more reasons than the ones provided. She initially discusses how she genuinely loves Auburn and the Auburn family, but she decided to transfer because she struggled to improve on her numbers, it was hard to make friends outside of softball, and she was not pushed to do better academically. 

However, she reveals the alluded to details when she talks about her decision to choose Arkansas. The main thing I took away is the coaches at Auburn relied on her to produce at the plate, but they screamed at her rather than providing direction or instruction when she struggled to do so. She seems to be excited to learn from the new hitting coach at Arkansas, DJ Gasso, and thinks she can help Arkansas go to their first WCWS. 

Based on her and Carlee’s account, it seems the hitting coaches are not effectively communicating techniques or providing instruction at the plate. I’m not sure if their complaints lie with Lenti as the hitting coach or Dean as the head coach, but ultimately, Dean will have to answer for it. 

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it.

[AUBwins 10,088]

25 minutes ago, Jad0003 said:

I have no idea if any players met with the AD.

Ellis was on a podcast recently where she discussed a number of subjects, including her recruitment, her decision to transfer, and her new destination.

In discussing her decision to transfer, she mentions how she was coached to say Auburn was not the right fit for her, alluding to more reasons than the ones provided. She initially discusses how she genuinely loves Auburn and the Auburn family, but she decided to transfer because she struggled to improve on her numbers, it was hard to make friends outside of softball, and she was not pushed to do better academically. 

However, she reveals the alluded to details when she talks about her decision to choose Arkansas. The main thing I took away is the coaches at Auburn relied on her to produce at the plate, but they screamed at her rather than providing direction or instruction when she struggled to do so. She seems to be excited to learn from the new hitting coach at Arkansas, DJ Gasso, and thinks she can help Arkansas go to their first WCWS. 

Based on her and Carlee’s account, it seems the hitting coaches are not effectively communicating techniques or providing instruction at the plate. I’m not sure if their complaints lie with Lenti as the hitting coach or Dean as the head coach, but ultimately, Dean will have to answer for it. 

I meant to watch that interview in Houston.  Thanks for the summary.  Arkansas will make the WCWS next year.  I would be shocked if they didnt.