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In case you observe faculty sports activities you’ve gotten most likely heard that the Huge 12 is trying into enlargement. At first they weren’t going to increase and everybody thought the enlargement discuss was useless. Then on the Huge 12 media days Bob Bowlsby introduced that he had been given approval to start vetting two or 4 potential enlargement candidates.
Everyone knows that cash and soccer are driving the choice for the convention to increase. With the present tv contracts in place ESPN and Fox should pay roughly $25 million extra for every faculty the Huge 12 provides. Though this appears to be a difficulty with the tv rights holders.
So will they add two or 4 groups? Who will these groups be? At this level nobody is aware of, however the speculations is working wild and the checklist appears to develop on a regular basis.
We all know that soccer goes to massive the largest consider deciding which groups get added, however we determined to take a look at it from softball’s perspective and see what every potential candidate brings to the desk by way of their softball program.
At this level virtually each faculty that’s not in an influence 5 convention is a candidate. We restricted to those seven as we see them as essentially the most viable choices.
BYU:
BYU might be the staff talked about essentially the most usually when speaking about Huge 12 enlargement. Presently an unbiased in soccer their different sports activities are within the West Coast Convention (WCC).
Coach: Gordan Eakin (14 years)
2016 Document: 36-21 (12-3 in WCC)
Convention Championships: 12 – Final one in 2016
The Cougars have been dominant during the last 10+ years in whichever convention they’ve been a member. They’ve gained eight straight convention championships throughout 4 totally different conferences (WCC, Pacific Coast Softball, WAC, MWC). They’ve gone to the NCAA Regionals for 11 straight seasons, advancing to the Tremendous Regional in 2010 versus Arizona. Add in the truth that BYU has the fourth largest on-campus NCAA softball facility and BYU would match proper in with the opposite Huge 12 colleges.
Houston:
One other staff that will get talked about usually is Houston. Their location in Texas and the latest success of their soccer staff has helped enhance their profile.
Coach: Kristin Vesely (1st season)
2016 Document: 27-29 (9-9 within the AAC)
Convention Championships: 0
Though Houston has not gained any convention championships they’ve been to the NCAA Regionals 7 occasions. With their final look in 2014. Twice they’ve superior to the Tremendous Regionals, shedding to Oklahoma State in 2011. Houston performs their dwelling video games in 2,000 seat Cougar Softball Stadium. New coach Kristin Vesely takes over in 2017, however has been part of this system for a number of years. Previous to Vesely the Cougars had been coached by Kyla Holas who went 563-376-1 in 16 seasons. In 2016, Houston performed 4 groups from the Huge 12 and went 3-4 in these video games. Given a little bit time and monetary backing of an influence 5 convention, Houston might construct into an yearly contender within the Huge 12.
College of South Florida:
If the Huge 12 goes to increase lots of people assume they need to get into the Florida market and have talked about USF as a kind of choices. The Bulls, coached by Ken Erickson, play in a brand new stadium and have postseason historical past.
Coach: Ken Erickson (20 years)
2016 Document: 45-16 (15-3 AAC)
Convention Championships: 5
Coach Erickson has taken USF to the NCAA Regionals 12 occasions. Twice they’ve superior to the Tremendous Regionals they usually have one Ladies’s School World Sequence look in 2012. In 2011 the Bulls opened USF Softball Stadium. The historical past and the services would examine properly with the opposite Huge 12 groups. With its location in Tampa the Bulls have entry to loads of expertise to proceed to compete.
College of Central Florida:
UCF is sort of at all times talked about together with USF, since they’re solely about one hour aside. Including each colleges would give the Huge 12 a strong presence within the state of Florida. Not too point out it might make scheduling and touring a little bit simpler for each colleges. UCF is the nation’s second largest college at 63,000 college students.
Coach: Renee Luers-Gillispie (fifteenth season)
2016 Document: 38-22 (12-4 within the AAC)
Convention Championships: 4
The Knights have been to the NCAA Regionals six occasions, together with in 2015 the place they had been eradicated by the Florida Gators. In March of 2006 they opened UCF Softball Complicated, on the time, one of many high services within the AAC. This system has come an extended methods underneath coach Renee Luers-Gillispie who began this system in 2002. Competing each weekend within the Huge 12 may be a problem for a couple of years for the Knights. Over time and with a dedication to softball they may develop right into a aggressive staff within the Huge 12.
Memphis:
The Tigers have lately began to achieve help as a candidate for Huge 12 enlargement largely as a consequence of Fedex providing its help. The corporate has pledged thousands and thousands in sponsorship {dollars} for the Huge 12, however how that may have an effect on the Huge 12 choice stays to be seen. From a softball perspective the Tigers would wrestle to succeed in the higher half of the convention.
Coach: Natalie Poole (6 seasons)
2016 Document: 26-31 (7-11 in AAC)
Convention Championships: 0
The Tigers have one NCAA Regional look in 2011. They’ve by no means gained a convention match. Nonetheless, they’ve solely performed softball since 2006. In that point they’re 258-291 general. Their present roster is affected by youngsters from across the southeast with a couple of from the west coast so the Memphis model is spreading. The query turns into what’s the college’s dedication to the game? Given Huge 12 {dollars} that dedication might develop.
Colorado State:
Colorado State has began to select up some momentum as a possible addition to the Huge 12 convention. A few of that has to do with location and the Denver space having a number of Huge 12 alumni. The Huge 12 misplaced Colorado to the Pac-12 and will simply exchange them with the Rams and achieve the Denver tv market again.
Coach: Jen Fisher (6 seasons)
2016 Document: 22-24 (8-12 in MWC)
Convention Championships: 4 – Final one in 2004
The Rams have been a middle-of-the-road MWC staff since becoming a member of the convention in 2000. They’ve completed 1st simply as soon as, 2nd 3 times, and third 3 times. They’ve completed 4th or worse 14 occasions within the 9 staff convention. It is robust to be persistently good at softball in Colorado. If added to the Huge 12 they might have a number of the identical challenges that Iowa State at present has within the convention. The Cyclones have completed final for 5 straight season, by no means profitable greater than 4 convention video games.
Cincinnati:
The Bearcats haven’t been shy about reaching out to the Huge 12 about wanting to affix. Many individuals consider they’ve the help of Oklahoma President David Boren. The draw back from a softball perspective is they don’t at present supply the game. May they sooner or later? Possibly. Presently the Huge 12 solely has 7 of 10 groups that play softball. TCU, West Virginia, and Kansas State don’t play softball both.
No matter who the Huge 12 provides there will probably be an impression to the present softball applications. How massive of impression stays to be seen primarily based on what number of and who they add. So like all of you, we sit again and wait.