The Groffs enter the portal:
https://twitter.com/justfactsmaam/status/1794030884892385319?s=46&t=7s0hTttieSER8wqRSA0LoA
The Groffs enter the portal:
https://twitter.com/justfactsmaam/status/1794030884892385319?s=46&t=7s0hTttieSER8wqRSA0LoA
Ouch. I guess there’s my answer to whether NIL is a factor in softball.
Not surprising. I think this is why they kept recruiting pitchers for next year.
If someone is going to pay them some money, hard to blame them. This is why we can’t have nice things.
Having watched a number of games this year, never got warm fuzzies from Maddia Groff until the MVC tournament. Don't think she was happy here. Bet they end up at thieving Nebraska, just like Sarah Harness....and close to home.
I hate to say it, but this NIL BS turns these kids into rentals. You can only expect most to be around for a season or two before they bolt for what they think are greener pastures ($).
Omaha?! I had to look up what school that referred to (it’s the University of Nebraska at Omaha).
Sort of a surprise to me. I figured they’d go SEC or something.
I guess they really wanted to get close to home.
Omaha?! I had to look up what school that referred to (it’s the University of Nebraska at Omaha).
Sort of a surprise to me. I figured they’d go SEC or something.
I guess they really wanted to get close to home.
They were pretty similar to us this year. Won 2 games in tournament
Omaha was very good the last two years. Before that? Not the high mid-major program that SIU is, in fact terrible some years. They play in the Summit League - so so - but they have played a good non-conference schedule lately.
Frankly, I thought the Groffs would go to The Nebraska - year in year out a better program in a much tougher conference and still not far from Mom and Dad. Wonder if Omaha is also taking her sister Rylin - her catcher.
We have some very good pitchers coming in next season - I expect us to be very good even though we lost some really good seniors.
What pitchers do we have coming in? I certainly hope they are from places a bit closer to The Dale. Seems like the Groff twins were definitely homesick.
I remember back in the day Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. It was on TV every Sunday I believe. It was fun watching those beasts battle on the black and white screen. Those were the days.
What pitchers do we have coming in? I certainly hope they are from places a bit closer to The Dale. Seems like the Groff twins were definitely homesick.
I remember back in the day Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. It was on TV every Sunday I believe. It was fun watching those beasts battle on the black and white screen. Those were the days.
Marlon Perkins and Wild Kingdom.. Perkins was the director of the St Louis zoo. Marlin narrated while Jim wrestled pythons. LOL Great show.
I'm sure one of the pitcher recruits is from California. I don't think any of them are from around here ... believe there were three.. couldn't find the article.
Kaytee Dahstrom Sutter, CA RHP
Emma Gipson Olive, IL RHP
Jordan Stuessy, Garden Ridge, TX RHP
Kaytee Dahstrom Sutter, CA RHP
Emma Gipson Olive, IL RHP
Jordan Stuessy, Garden Ridge, TX RHP
I randomly met Gipson's dad at a home game this season. He said she has known SIU's Coach Griffith and took pitching lessons from her for many years. First-team all-state and Illinois Small-School player of the year.
Stuessy is a 4 star recruit from Texas who also hits well and plays 1B.
Dahlstrom was a late addition to the 2024 recruiting class. https://siusalukis.com/news/2024/3/28/news-saluki-softball-adds-to-class-of-2024-with-rhp-kaytee-dahlstrom
She's from MT. Olive, IL
"Southern Illinois University Carbondale commit Emma Gipson once again proved her worth as a Division I recruit on the rubber and at the plate as a dual threat for Michelle Smith’s regional and conference champion Gillespie Miners, who went 29-5 overall and fell inches short of their program’s first sectional title since 1995. Gipson, a first team honoree, batted .430 on the season with seven home runs and a team-high 35 RBI. In the circle, Gipson had a microscopic earned run average of 0.83. She pitched in 30 of Gillespie’s 34 games and struck out 243 hitters in 178 innings of work."
