Gopher Softball 2020

[newtogopherland]

Arg!!! Even more emotional turmoil (2017 [Allister],2018[Lindaman], 2020 [Brandner]) for a program like this just can’t be good. These poor women on that team on a emotional roller coaster!

While I never loved all of Jamie’s coaching style, I am on record, in writing, assuming that she would provide long term stability to our program; which to me is the single most underrated/under-appreciated positive aspect for a college sports team to have in a head coach... and now this. I was so wrong in putting my faith in her upper midwestern background! I so misjudged her.

The mere fact the team found out Trachsel was leaving on Twitter is a good indication of her lack of integrity and dedication to the UMN program. Only a selfish, spineless manipulator with zero compassion or capacity to be a TRUE leader handles a situation this poorly. Completely unprofessional! The program deserves so much better than Jamie Trachsel!!! #bye

 

[rugger14]

The mere fact the team found out Trachsel was leaving on Twitter is a good indication of her lack of integrity and dedication to the UMN program. Only a selfish, spineless manipulator with zero compassion or capacity to be a TRUE leader handles a situation this poorly. Completely unprofessional! The program deserves so much better than Jamie Trachsel!!! #bye

First post so I guess you have a little skin in the game. Welcome! ?

 

[newtogopherland]

First post so I guess you have a little skin in the game. Welcome! ?

LoL ... very observant! ?

 

[rowdaboat]

So much for all of Jamie's tweets about being a team, but great chance to get a players first replacement now. Bigger loss is Katie

 

[ClassOf98Gopher]

I sorry but I just can’t help but worry about a Mike White/Oregon softball type scenario. That coaching move to Texas decimated that Oregon team (they are Oregon so they are getting better swiftly... but still).

Somehow, someway, Gopher-land avoided that scenario when Allister left for Stanford (Stanford! - I still don’t know how we did it) but... is there any way that the Gophers‘ team can avoid having significant players/recruits follow their coach for a second straight coaching change in 3 years?

 

[rowdaboat]

Roster is set up pretty well with depth now so have a little room to lose people, need to keep Pease for sure

 

[rugger14]

I sorry but I just can’t help but worry about a Mike White/Oregon softball type scenario. That coaching move to Texas decimated that Oregon team (they are Oregon so they are getting better swiftly... but still).

Somehow, someway, Gopher-land avoided that scenario when Allister left for Stanford (Stanford! - I still don’t know how we did it) but... is there any way that the Gophers‘ team can avoid having significant players/recruits follow their coach for a second straight coaching change in 3 years?

If Coyle makes a solid hire the new coach has plenty of time to keep the class intact. This is an attractive job. The key components of a WCWS team are back. Money could be an issue as we don't pay what some programs are willing to pay. The key issue for the new coach will be the same issue Jamie faced. Who replaces Fiser?

 

[Metoo]

I don't think this team has as much loyalty to Jamie as the athletes for Mike White did. Plus, so many girls are midwestern ladies and that may stay just to be closer to home. Hopefully a new coach brings in better team unity and the girls look more excited to play. Remember all the lackluster playing of so many games and the girls looked more like factory workers then having fun with the sport. Maybe we will get a catcher that stays with the program. Did you see how Fiser grew tired of trying so hard only to allow dropped 3rd strikes or passed balls? Fiser deserves better.

The

I sorry but I just can’t help but worry about a Mike White/Oregon softball type scenario. That coaching move to Texas decimated that Oregon team (they are Oregon so they are getting better swiftly... but still).

Somehow, someway, Gopher-land avoided that scenario when Allister left for Stanford (Stanford! - I still don’t know how we did it) but... is there any way that the Gophers‘ team can avoid having significant players/recruits follow their coach for a second straight coaching change in 3 years?

 

[rugger14]

I am going to start posting on the 2021 thread.

 

[Panthadad2]

She showed her true colors. She just ditched her WCWS team in her home state. Dream job? Good riddance Jamie. Don't let the door hit you in the ass. She rode Allister's recruits to a WCWS and then bailed. Please try to defend her now folks.

I can't.

 

[MplsGopher]

https://www.startribune.com/gophers-softball-coach-jamie-trachsel-leaving-for-ole-miss/569911932/

No surprise here, given Coyle's disrespect to the softball team by refusing to let them have a level playing field with teams in the PAC (Stanford) and SEC (Ole Miss). Should be obvious why I name those two schools.

It's to be expected. Coyle has no intention of the U of MN ever being a national power in softball.

 

[Panthadad2]

I sorry but I just can’t help but worry about a Mike White/Oregon softball type scenario. That coaching move to Texas decimated that Oregon team (they are Oregon so they are getting better swiftly... but still).

Somehow, someway, Gopher-land avoided that scenario when Allister left for Stanford (Stanford! - I still don’t know how we did it) but... is there any way that the Gophers‘ team can avoid having significant players/recruits follow their coach for a second straight coaching change in 3 years?

That was a unique situation. Stanford is extremely tough to get accepted into - plus that team was absolutely terrible when she got there and even now will be in a perennial fight for 5th place in the PAC12. It just wasn't a transfer hotbed. I don't doubt one second that Allister would have taken several top players with her if she could have.

 

[Hrothgar]

I don't think this team has as much loyalty to Jamie as the athletes for Mike White did. Plus, so many girls are midwestern ladies and that may stay just to be closer to home. Hopefully a new coach brings in better team unity and the girls look more excited to play. Remember all the lackluster playing of so many games and the girls looked more like factory workers then having fun with the sport. Maybe we will get a catcher that stays with the program. Did you see how Fiser grew tired of trying so hard only to allow dropped 3rd strikes or passed balls? Fiser deserves better.

The

I agree. It seemed strange how lackluster a Gophers team w/ so much talent could be at times, beg. in 2018, for example, v. New Mexico State & in 2020 they were a team from the 2019 WCWS, who seemed dead in the water in way too many games. V. Missouri & Kentucky, for instance. Allister was a catcher herself; she always had good defensive catchers. There must've been a reason catchers left under Trachsel. I wonder; did 2020 seniors decide to return for 2021 because they had an inkling of change upcoming?

 

[Jaydee]

I know MN pays less than SEC or PAC, but does anyone really know what those numbers are for Softball coaches? Also, MN has big travel expenses because we just can’t play at home most of the season. That comes out of the general team fund and must put a big dent in coaches salaries.

 

[MRJ]

Well, another coach in, another coach out.

I could have done without the phony "Minnesota is a place to chase your dreams" BS from Trachsel, including all her crap about "winning with special people" and saying how much she loved being here.

Clearly, it wasn't true.

Anyway, just showed her true colors.

Can we get a coach without an eye to bail every few years? That would be nice...

Ball is in your court Mr. Coyle...

 

[Panthadad2]

I keep wishing for the next Carol Hutchins type career coach here that can place her/his permanent mark on the program and keep it great. Maybe that's just wishful thinking.

Who are the hot ambitious coaches that have recruiting chops in the Upper Midwest?

 

[Hrothgar]

https://www.startribune.com/gophers-softball-coach-jamie-trachsel-leaving-for-ole-miss/569911932/

No surprise here, given Coyle's disrespect to the softball team by refusing to let them have a level playing field with teams in the PAC (Stanford) and SEC (Ole Miss). Should be obvious why I name those two schools.

It's to be expected. Coyle has no intention of the U of MN ever being a national power in softball.

I know nothing about Coyle's intentions, but the U now as a woman president, who might have some say in how women's sports are viewed.

 

[MRJ]

I keep wishing for the next Carol Hutchins type career coach here that can place her/his permanent mark on the program and keep it great. Maybe that's just wishful thinking.

Who are the hot ambitious coaches that have recruiting chops in the Upper Midwest?

I mentioned this in the 2021 thread, but Sara G has expressed an interest in coming back in some capacity following the Olympics. In fact, she stated that it would be "a dream come true."

Other names being bandied about are Jessica Merchant, Darren Mueller and Katie Richardson, but that's all just speculation.

Bottom line is it's a very attractive job for obvious reasons and Coyle has done pretty well with his hires thus far.

Just have to have faith and let the process play out.

 

[MplsGopher]

I wonder; did 2020 seniors decide to return for 2021 because they had an inkling of change upcoming?

No, it's because Coyle said they weren't allowed to have scholarships. Did you miss that?

Technically, what he said is that he would only allow the total scholarships on the team to stay at the regular NCAA max, even though the NCAA is allowed that to expand now --- but Coyle's decision basically amounts to the above. They're not going to steal from the incoming class, and they're not going to take them away from non-seniors that are coming back (actually can't, even if they wanted to, as scholarships are guaranteed now).

 

[MplsGopher]

I know MN pays less than SEC or PAC, but does anyone really know what those numbers are for Softball coaches? Also, MN has big travel expenses because we just can’t play at home most of the season. That comes out of the general team fund and must put a big dent in coaches salaries.

That type of idea would only be true if there was some set ceiling that the softball team is allowed to spend per year, and the salary for the coaching staff was a function of that.

As far as I understand, the coaching staff salary is it's own, fixed thing, that is negotiated and fixed by a contract.

So if the rest of the expenses go up by $10k-20k in a year, then the "budget" for the softball team necessarily goes up by $10k-20k that year.

 

[MplsGopher]

Well, another coach in, another coach out.

I could have done without the phony "Minnesota is a place to chase your dreams" BS from Trachsel, including all her crap about "winning with special people" and saying how much she loved being here.

Clearly, it wasn't true.

Anyway, just showed her true colors.

Can we get a coach without an eye to bail every few years? That would be nice...

Ball is in your court Mr. Coyle...

The volleyball program is one of the top in the nation, in the most difficult/powerful conference in the nation. And it pays coaches and provides the things the program needs (facilities, recruiting budgets, etc.) like it's one of the top in the nation.

I see no reason the softball team couldn't do the same, if Coyle cared to treat it with the same attitude.


And no, Minnesota actually isn't one of the top states for producing volleyball talent, before someone says that's the difference. It does have some very good talent, sure. But places like California, Texas, even Indiana, produce far more.

 

[ClassOf98Gopher]

The volleyball program is one of the top in the nation, in the most difficult/powerful conference in the nation. And it pays coaches and provides the things the program needs (facilities, recruiting budgets, etc.) like it's one of the top in the nation.

I see no reason the softball team couldn't do the same, if Coyle cared to treat it with the same attitude.


And no, Minnesota actually isn't one of the top states for producing volleyball talent, before someone says that's the difference. It does have some very good talent, sure. But places like California, Texas, even Indiana, produce far more.

This is the key difference in your own words: “in the most difficult/powerful conference in the nation.”

 

[MplsGopher]

This is the key difference in your own words: “in the most difficult/powerful conference in the nation.”

So it should be easier for our team to win the conference and get a regional or even super regional hosting site?

 

[ClassOf98Gopher]

I love softball, the best sport in America, even more than Volleyball, which I also watch as much as I can. But volleyball gets 25-30 packed, 5000 attendee games. There is a huge financial difference.

In addition, McCutchen can go down to Texas and tell Jenna Wenaas to come to Minnesota and play against the best volleyball teams in that country. And when we win the Big Ten, we will get the top or at worst second seed in the NCAA tournament, which the Big Ten almost always is entitled to nowadays.

Softball is harder. You can win the Big Ten and not even get a regional host seed... it has happened.

 

[newtogopherland]

I agree. It seemed strange how lackluster a Gophers team w/ so much talent could be at times, beg. in 2018, for example, v. New Mexico State & in 2020 they were a team from the 2019 WCWS, who seemed dead in the water in way too many games. V. Missouri & Kentucky, for instance. Allister was a catcher herself; she always had good defensive catchers. There must've been a reason catchers left under Trachsel. I wonder; did 2020 seniors decide to return for 2021 because they had an inkling of change upcoming?

Remember ... these girls are the 1% of players good enough to make it to the D1 level so as you sit back and “judge” their lackluster play maybe it is because of the environment they are playing in. AGREE 100% Trachsel had no idea how to manage a game from behind the plate. There has to be a correlation why so many catchers have left the program ... 3, two of them starters, in her first two years coaching. And why has Jamie never used the catcher from Nevada? She played for a nationally ranked travel team in Southern California all through high school.

 

[MRJ]

The volleyball program is one of the top in the nation, in the most difficult/powerful conference in the nation. And it pays coaches and provides the things the program needs (facilities, recruiting budgets, etc.) like it's one of the top in the nation.

I see no reason the softball team couldn't do the same, if Coyle cared to treat it with the same attitude.


And no, Minnesota actually isn't one of the top states for producing volleyball talent, before someone says that's the difference. It does have some very good talent, sure. But places like California, Texas, even Indiana, produce far more.

Trust me, Minnesota produces plenty of elite volleyball talent. Check out how Minnesota players do in both college and at the national team level. Minnesota is an extremely strong hotbed of volleyball talent anyway you slice it.

As to the rest of it, I don't know that much about finances at it relates to softball. I do know that Jane Sage is one of the best home field advantages in college softball.

After that, I don't really have any insight.

 

[clcooley0]

The Strib says Trachsel's contract expires at the end of May and Coyle offered her a one year extension. I can only assume he wanted her out. I hope he has a great replacement waiting in the wings.

 

[rugger14]

No, it's because Coyle said they weren't allowed to have scholarships. Did you miss that?

Technically, what he said is that he would only allow the total scholarships on the team to stay at the regular NCAA max, even though the NCAA is allowed that to expand now --- but Coyle's decision basically amounts to the above. They're not going to steal from the incoming class, and they're not going to take them away from non-seniors that are coming back (actually can't, even if they wanted to, as scholarships are guaranteed now).

You logic fails me. Maybe I just can't comprehend. Everyone except Krueger and Partain are coming back despite the fact that they aren't on Scholarship... Do you know that Partain has not announced that she will come back because of money?

 

[Holy Man]

The Strib says Trachsel's contract expires at the end of May and Coyle offered her a one year extension. I can only assume he wanted her out. I hope he has a great replacement waiting in the wings.

Official announcement on Gophersports.com was about as clinical as it can get, with no quotes from Jamie. If she was only offered a one year extension, I have a little more sympathy for her, but ditching your team in the middle of a historic crisis is really bad form on the surface. She could have made some announcement about Ole Miss being her dream job, her gratitude for the opportunity, etc. Only crickets or so it seems. That it took almost 24 hours for the U to announce after it was known is telling as well.

The extension issue could very well be related to uncertain financial picture as well and not just a performance or perception issue.

 

[junc1929]

"I am grateful for this opportunity to work for a great administration and great people who believe in me to lead their softball program," Trachsel said in the news release. "I am looking forward to meeting the team and getting to know each of them individually."

https://m.startribune.com/jamie-trachsel-officially-leaves-gophers-softball-for-ole-miss/569926612/