The softball team is embarrassingly bad

[bigpigpimpin]

No pitching.  No defense. No discipline.

[nwahogfan1]

Recruiting, recruiting, recruiting

[JackMcQueen]

Deifel said prior to the season a lot of their goals would be more in game. Working to get better each game.

It's going to be a long season with a lot of struggles, getting this program back to where we're competing at a high level is going to be a big task.

[jackflash]

to early for me to anything about the women softball team

[Pancetta]

During the game today announcers said several girls are playing at different positions this year. The catcher has never been behind the plate before. She's working hard at it but she's still learning. I'm not sure why coach is doing that but it will take a couple of years to see if it is successful.

[psycHOGlogist]

As I've said elsewhere, there are several problems (like new positions), but the BIGGEST by far is the pitching.

We have given away several games this year with walks, wild pitches, and passed balls. No matter how much offense you have (and the team this year is hitting for much more power), and how well you play defense (our defense is very inconsistent, but we are currently tied for 2nd in the SEC in turning double plays), you just CANNOT win with the kind of pitching we are putting in the circle. Our "second" pitcher, senior Claire Clark, was recruited to be an outfielder and had not pitched since high school until last year. Our ace pitcher from last year Sydney Wright -- who is pretty good, but not a shut down ace -- hasn't thrown a pitch all year due to injury, and a promising (ish) freshman from last year, Hailey Meinen, has also not been able to pitch this year. The pitching "rotation" is a train wreck, and the coaches have their hands full trying to keep the team together because there just isn't an avenue to success in the W-L column this year.

[beringer62]

Sydney Wright told me on Twitter that she was medically retired! FWIW

[psycHOGlogist]

Aw, man, that is too bad. Hate that for her - she was a very solid player and a good Hog. Wish her well.

[LA Football fan]

Whether baseball or softball, it all starts with the pitcher.   A dominating pitcher can keep a mediocre team in numerous games against far superior talent at times.   Without a dominating pitcher, a team's other weaknesses are just magnified.   When our coach can land a difference maker on the mound, this team will suddenly look much better.   The HC's rep should open enough doors in recruiting to land one IMO.   We are probably a couple years away from seeing what this coach is capable of building here through coaching and recruiting.  I expect the program to be in much better shape by then. 

[pigture perfect]

We have a new coach. I don't know what else he can do until he recruits better players.

[ricepig]

We have a new coach. I don't know what else he can do until he recruits better players.

She

[pigture perfect]

Sorry, that is correct.

[pccmizuno24]

diefel sucked at maryland and will suck here! she will be gone ASAP

[pigture perfect]

Wow, someone needs a nap or a diaper change.

[ricepig]

Wow, someone needs a nap or a diaper change.

Somebody's daughter didn't get an offer......

[Hawgdwellings]

Daughter is only 10 and plays basketball....
It's the truth ! Long doesn't care about women's athletics! He was pressured to hire. Woman after he hired Dykes! Diefel had one year as a head coach and she sucked! She not a good coach or recruiter! Look at her Maryland team this year! They Re 7-23! That's pretty bad if you ask me! And those are her players!

[beartown]

Why is it that a football or basketball coach has to be three years in before he/she has their players, but after one year at Maryland, the current Maryland team is Deifel's players?

I am not saying she is definitely the answer, but it is way to early to say she is the problem. She hasn't even had a full year to recruit players to Arkansas.

[coltseaver]

Our ace pitcher from last year Sydney Wright -- who is pretty good, but not a shut down ace -- hasn't thrown a pitch all year due to injury, and a promising (ish) freshman from last year, Hailey Meinen, has also not been able to pitch this year.

Wright is done due to injury and Meinen has asked for her release.

[psycHOGlogist]

Daughter is only 10 and plays basketball....
It's the truth ! Long doesn't care about women's athletics! He was pressured to hire. Woman after he hired Dykes! Diefel had one year as a head coach and she sucked! She not a good coach or recruiter! Look at her Maryland team this year! They Re 7-23! That's pretty bad if you ask me! And those are her players!

Let's count the inaccurate statements:

1. Long doesn't care about women's athletics.
He isn't perfect, but he has hired Dykes and two Power 5 head coaches for the last 3 vacancies (WBB, VB, and SB). VB, in particular, was a slam dunk hire, getting a Pac 12 HC to move from one of the two best VB conferences in the country. To say that the country was shocked by that hire is an understatement. You don't bring in a coach like Jason Watson if you "don't care" about women's athletics.

2. He was pressured to hire a woman after hiring Dykes.
You think the guy who hires Dykes, who is definitely an out-of-the-box hire, is going to be pressured into hiring someone? He is the boss. And if gender were a big issue, why would he have hired a male VB coach?

3. Deifel sucked at Maryland.
She had a .500 record, which was a 16 game improvement over the previous season. She took a garbage program that was in a downward spiral and helped them make a significant turn for the better. Which is exactly what we are asking her to do.

4. The team at Maryland this year is having a bad season, so that's her fault.
This is almost too dumb to respond to, but I fail to see how a team's performance under another coach is actually a statement about Deifel's coaching. In fact, you could say that what this indicates is that the new coach has completely sucked and undone the progress Deifel brought to the program.

5. She can't recruit or coach.
She recruited the #26 player in the country -- which is better than any Arkansas recruit I can find -- to Maryland, and then got her to flip to the Hogs. She is also bringing in two other top 100 players (Storms, Miller) in the next class. They were recruited originally by Larabee, but she has kept them. And the 2017 class also has a couple top 100 players in it.

So, basically everything you've said is false or a pretty uninformed opinion. But thanks!

Wright is done due to injury and Meinen has asked for her release.

Didn't know that about Meinen. Bummer. The pitching this year has really been our achilles' heel, and I had been hoping Meinen might help later in the season. The pitching cupboard is really, really bare.

*Edited to correct recruits' names

[flippinhogmana]

Thanks brother, you bring sanity when you come...

[pccmizuno24]

Let's count the inaccurate statements:

1. Long doesn't care about women's athletics.
He isn't perfect, but he has hired Dykes and two Power 5 head coaches for the last 3 vacancies (WBB, VB, and SB). VB, in particular, was a slam dunk hire, getting a Pac 12 HC to move from one of the two best VB conferences in the country. To say that the country was shocked by that hire is an understatement. You don't bring in a coach like Jason Watson if you "don't care" about women's athletics.

2. He was pressured to hire a woman after hiring Dykes.
You think the guy who hires Dykes, who is definitely an out-of-the-box hire, is going to be pressured into hiring someone? He is the boss. And if gender were a big issue, why would he have hired a male VB coach?

3. Deifel sucked at Maryland.
She had a .500 record, which was a 16 game improvement over the previous season. She took a garbage program that was in a downward spiral and helped them make a significant turn for the better. Which is exactly what we are asking her to do.

4. The team at Maryland this year is having a bad season, so that's her fault.
This is almost too dumb to respond to, but I fail to see how a team's performance under another coach is actually a statement about Deifel's coaching. In fact, you could say that what this indicates is that the new coach has completely sucked and undone the progress Deifel brought to the program.

5. She can't recruit or coach.
She recruited the #26 player in the country -- which is better than any Arkansas recruit I can find -- to Maryland, and then got her to flip to the Hogs. She is also bringing in two other top 100 players (Storm, Dotson) in the next class. They were recruited originally by Larabee, but she has kept them. And the 2017 class also has a couple top 100 players in it.

So, basically everything you've said is false or a pretty uninformed opinion. But thanks!

Didn't know that about Meinen. Bummer. The pitching this year has really been our achilles' heel, and I had been hoping Meinen might help later in the season. The pitching cupboard is really, really bare.

I promise I know more than you know! long was pressured from the senior womans ad to hire a woman! Thats a fact! He has final say but he was highly encouraged!

[psycHOGlogist]

He is Julie's boss. But okay, sure. He's going to let Julie push him around. Do you think Julie didn't encourage him to hire a female volleyball coach, too, after Robby bullied players?

[ricepig]

I promise I know more than you know! long was pressured from the senior womans ad to hire a woman! Thats a fact! He has final say but he was highly encouraged!

Ooohh, exclamation marks, this guy's either serious, or excited........

[Inhogswetrust]

Daughter is only 10 and plays basketball....
It's the truth ! Long doesn't care about women's athletics! He was pressured to hire. Woman after he hired Dykes! Diefel had one year as a head coach and she sucked! She not a good coach or recruiter! Look at her Maryland team this year! They Re 7-23! That's pretty bad if you ask me! And those are her players!

Who was in charge when they built the new Softball stadium and has upgraded other women's facilities? Oh that's right Long. Besides that Maryland team this year may still have some of her players BUT they don't have the same coach................ It takes BOTH players and coaches to be a success.

[Inhogswetrust]

I promise I know more than you know! long was pressured from the senior womans ad to hire a woman! Thats a fact! He has final say but he was highly encouraged!

If indeed Ms. Peoples pressured him then I'm sure he listened to her BUT he is NOT the type to succumb to pressure. The new coaches Resume' was pretty good considering what she inherited when she got there. 

[pigture perfect]

I promise I know more than you know! long was pressured from the senior womans ad to hire a woman! Thats a fact! He has final say but he was highly encouraged!

oooh! And my dad can beat up your dad.

[Inhogswetrust]

oooh! And my dad can beat up your dad.

I bet your wife could beat him up......................

[pccmizuno24]

Howd that softball team do today? All you internet tough guys

[psycHOGlogist]

Howd that softball team do today? All you internet tough guys

LOL.

[Kevin]

to be politically correct, he needed to hire a woman.

[Pancetta]

I've only watched a few of their games and some highlights but fastpitch is all about pitching. One consistently good pitcher and they are good. One dominant pitcher and they are very good.
This team needs more mental toughness as well. If a mistake is made it seems to set off a chain reaction that usually takes an inning or two to stop.

[pccmizuno24]

Shoukd have hired Anderson from SAU! 51-9 and headed to d2 college workd series! I guess Arkansas at 17-39 is good enough! Oh and that stud recruiter at arkansas , old maryland team is 12-40! Way to hire a head coach with a whopping 54 games of headcoaching experience!

[JackMcQueen]

Shoukd have hired Anderson from SAU! 51-9 and headed to d2 college workd series! I guess Arkansas at 17-39 is good enough! Oh and that stud recruiter at arkansas , old maryland team is 12-40! Way to hire a head coach with a whopping 54 games of headcoaching experience!

Are you ever a happy person?

[jabberjawls]

Are you ever a happy person?

Are you happy with the softball program?

[pccmizuno24]

Are you ever a happy person?

Im happy at winning! They hired her because she was female! Not because of her resume!

[pigture perfect]

It's one thing to complain, which is your right, but it would be better to show how it can be fixed. You gonna fire her without an opportunity to get things changed? Yes they are bad, but so was Nolans first teams. So we're Beilema's.

[nwahogfan1]

Im happy at winning! They hired her because she was female! Not because of her resume!

I guess Long saw something in her that you did not.  It is his job to find the best what would take on the challenge.  Many wanted the coach from SAU.  I don't know why he would pick a lady who has recruiting and coached as a Assistant and Head Coach at the Division 1 level over a SAI coach but lets give it a chance.  I say she is on board and our coach and I will embrace that fact until I see things are not improving.  Recruiting is her top priority especially top level pitchers.  We should see this in her next recruiting class or I will be getting worried.  So I will give her a couple years.  I would hope she is winning over half her SEC games in 2 years.