Gopher Softball 2020

[ClassOf98Gopher]

I think that a player like Fiser is probably on 100% so she might be back. The other seniors I don't know. Kemmetmueller is a nursing student so I am sure she wants to get out in the real world. I bet Partain gets a lot of money too. She might be back.

If a player is not a star on the team, either for the financial reasons already mentioned, or out of self-realization of the need to make way, or of coaches giving gentle nudges to make way, almost all players I have to believe will move on and start their lives. Fiser and Partain may stick around one more year maybe. Or maybe life/family choices outside of softball will take them away.

All together what a fantastic group of players for the Univeristy this group of seniors were... and ambassadors of the sport to Minnesotans.

 

[rowdaboat]

Will they give everyone a redshirt year, or just seniors? Fifth/sixth scholarship year would be nice for some majors like education to get a free year towards masters degree

 

[dlw4gophers]

Other than the medical field, will anyone be hiring this Summer. It might be a reason for a few of the Sr's. to come back.

 

[rowdaboat]

Has anybody heard from ticket office if they're refunding season tickets or just carry them over to next year? Can't find email with rep I purchased on

 

[rugger14]

Has anybody heard from ticket office if they're refunding season tickets or just carry them over to next year? Can't find email with rep I purchased on

I got an email that we will.get a refund.

 

[Gopher68]

Has anybody heard from ticket office if they're refunding season tickets or just carry them over to next year? Can't find email with rep I purchased on

My credit card was refunded the season ticket and donation amount.

 

[ComoGopher]

My credit card was refunded the season ticket and donation amount.

I will have to check on that. I bet I got it back but my wife didn't tell me!

 

[ComoGopher]

I got my money back. I would much rather have the season.

 

[gophersfan]

 

[Gopher68]

All right! Get another chance to watch her. Can't wait!

 

[MRJ]

In a time where everybody needs some extra smiles, this is a pretty good one!

Glad to have Amber back for another go-round in 2021.

 

[dlw4gophers]

As a season ticket holder I can't help but smile. This is a great opportunity for the program and for Amber. I hope she will use this extra year of college to work on some type of graduate degree. Amber, Minnesota never wants to get ride of you, you have done so much for Minnesota sports. You are welcome as long as you want to stay.

 

[Hrothgar]

In a time where everybody needs some extra smiles, this is a pretty good one!

Glad to have Amber back for another go-round in 2021.

Getting Brandner, Partain, and Kemmetmueller back would be great, too.

 

[Whytetale]

Who pays for the 5th year? Can they just enroll for the Spring "21 semester?

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

Who pays for the 5th year? Can they just enroll for the Spring "21 semester?

My understanding is that the NCAA has a fund that would normally be available for these types of initiatives, but that fund was depleted when they settled some of the NIL claims related to football and basketball and not replenished as planned due to the loss of NCAA Basketball Tournament revenue, so the universities would have to cover some or all of the expense. That’s why some schools won’t take advantage of the opportunity to expand scholarship numbers for spring sports. They don’t feel that it’s an appropriate use of funds when facing large budget deficits.

 

[GringaGopher]

Really happy to get to watch her for another season . Go Gophers !

 

[rugger14]

With the Wisconsin announcement about not letting their seniors come back, anyone think Jamie could find a way to get Konwent to come here for a year?

 

[ClassOf98Gopher]

With the Wisconsin announcement about not letting their seniors come back, anyone think Jamie could find a way to get Konwent to come here for a year?

My uneducated guess is, from a “known knows” perspective, if she had to exert to get a second qualifying senior to come back for another year of college ball it would be Partain over Konwent, as good as Konwent certainly is. Partain herself may have other plans that are out of Jamie’s control. I just don’t even know if they have space for a second returning senior.

 

[Hrothgar]

My uneducated guess is, from a “known knows” perspective, if she had to exert to get a second qualifying senior to come back for another year of college ball it would be Partain over Konwent, as good as Konwent certainly is. Partain herself may have other plans that are out of Jamie’s control. I just don’t even know if they have space for a second returning senior.

How big a roster can they realistically have next year? Are any of the incoming fresh(wo)men superstar-gifted enough to preclude Partain? To be honest, I'd prefer Brandner over Konwent. What is Brandner's status (she'd technically have 2-3 years of eligibility left)? But why not Konwent, too?

 

[Hrothgar]

I thought Barry Alvarez' comment that the women seniors at WI essentially should get out if they graduate or have anything else to do was pretty dismissive. Maybe his wording wasn't quite as nonchalant as I read it, but I wonder if he speaks about/to men's teams the same way? (Come to think about it, what men's spring teams does WI have --- men's track & field?)

 

[MNsoftballfan]

With the Wisconsin announcement about not letting their seniors come back, anyone think Jamie could find a way to get Konwent to come here for a year?

I had a brief daydream about landing Konwent, but then I remembered that although she is a senior, she missed her entire sophomore year due to injury, so I am almost positive that she still has another season with the Badgers.

 

[rugger14]

I had a brief daydream about landing Konwent, but then I remembered that although she is a senior, she missed her entire sophomore year due to injury, so I am almost positive that she still has another season with the Badgers.

So she was really a RS/JR this year?

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

I thought Barry Alvarez' comment that the women seniors at WI essentially should get out if they graduate or have anything else to do was pretty dismissive. Maybe his wording wasn't quite as nonchalant as I read it, but I wonder if he speaks about/to men's teams the same way? (Come to think about it, what men's spring teams does WI have --- men's track & field?)

I didn't see anything that distinguished between men and women, although softball is probably the most visible sport and there is certainly an aspect of this that might be different if revenue sports were implicated. There's a USA Today article mentions that Louisiana Tech has decided to honor scholarships next year, but only for baseball and softball. Men's teams impacted at Wisconsin include golf, tennis and rowing, in addition to track and field.

 

[MplsGopher]

Rowing, golf, and tennis all compete (not exhibition, official competitions) in the fall.

But the NCAA championship for each is in the spring. So I wonder if these are considered "spring sports" officially, or if they could wiggle out of it?

Tennis in particular has Big Ten individual championships in the fall.

 

[Panthadad2]

Rowing, golf, and tennis all compete (not exhibition, official competitions) in the fall.

But the NCAA championship for each is in the spring. So I wonder if these are considered "spring sports" officially, or if they could wiggle out of it?

Tennis in particular has Big Ten individual championships in the fall.

Are those teams having just one season next year then? (no Spring)

 

[junc1929]

2019 Big Ten player of the year Kayla Konwent pondering return to Badgers softball in 2021

Badgers softball player Kayla Konwent has two seasons of eligibility left but is due to graduate in December. She's considering graduate school and a return for next season.

madison.com

doesn't sound like she's going anywhere if she keeps playing.

 

[ComoGopher]

All fun speculation. We will see what happens.

 

[junc1929]

3 more coming back...still nothing on Partain.

 

[MRJ]

So, four of the seniors are returning.

Still waiting on Partain and Krueger at this point.

It would be great if we could get the whole group back for one more year, especially MaKenna for obvious reasons.

Assuming Brandner can get back into the fold, the team will look pretty darn good next year.

 

[rowdaboat]

Latest update from Top Tier, think it was originally Gold for state and got renamed.

TTFC Update Re:2020 Summer Tournaments

Hi, hope all are staying healthy. We have had discussions with many of our clubs that are holding tournaments this summer. Currently tournaments starting late May-early June and beyond are still scheduled to play. We will closely monitor any changes and distribute information as soon as we receive it.

USSSA sent out a bulletin this past week that will extend the season from the end of July to August 31st, 2020. On the face of this it would appear an opportunity for us to extend the season and get games for our players.

The rough scenario currently in place would have the early tournaments, more in jeopardy of not playing, moving back to the latter part of the season with choices being made to reschedule dependent on size of tournaments and field availability. Smaller tournaments may be scheduled mid-week as an example Tuesday-Wednesday. Another piece of the rescheduling puzzle is if national sanctioning bodies will be moving their tournaments deeper into summer. At this time we have no indication this may happen. If this should happen our local tournaments that are being rescheduled will use the now open weekends to choose from if they desire.