Florida Gator Softball Schedule 2023 – June 5, 2022; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Florida Gators shortstop Skylar Wallace (17) hits the ball to center field for an out during game one of the NCAA Women’s College World Series against the UCLA Bruins at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. UCLA won 8-0. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Coming off another appearance in Oklahoma City, Florida softball has high hopes for the 2023 season. With the departure of Hannah Adams, the Gators have a significant hole in the field that needs to be filled.
Florida Gator Softball Schedule 2023
But thanks to a key acquisition in the transfer window, along with the return of other key contributors, the Florida Gators are looking to continue their success in 2023.
Softball Announces 2023 Sec Schedule
Skylar Wallace returns to lead a very experienced Florida Gators backfield. After having to sit out 2021 due to his transfer from Alabama, Wallace had a historic season in Gainesville in 2022. According to the Florida Gators website, his season with 71 hits, 79 runs, 53 RBI and 52 stolen bases is the only one. times a player in Division I history has accomplished these marks.
Paired with Wallace is third baseman CharlaEchols. Currently on the 2023 USA Football Top 50 “Watch List”, Echols hit .307 last season with 59 RBI, 19th best in the nation in 2022.
Regan Walsh and AveryGoelz round out the returning players with significant experience, with Golez holding down the first base position last year, making 58 stars. Both hit .268 last year, and while that’s not a terrible average, it’s not as necessary to keep pace when facing top-level competition.
The Road To The Women’s College World Series Begins In Gainesville
Enter PalEgan into the equation. Egan transferred from Texas A&M Corpus Christie and will be the player that makes or breaks the playing field for Florida softball. Egan was the Southland Conference Player of the Year and the 2022 Player of the Year, hitting .426 with a .555 on-base percentage.
The concern for Egan will be the jump in competition from the Southland Conference to the SEC. Against Texas A&M last year he was 0-2 with a walk. She also went 1-3 with a walk during a win over Baylor. And against Texas Tech he went 1-2 with a walk, so there’s plenty of evidence he can have at-bats against Power 5 contenders.
If he thinks a full schedule will be key for Florida softball, it could make a difference if a return trip to Oklahoma City is in the works. (L-R) Keagan Rothrock, Ava Brown, Mia Williams, Cassidy McLellan, Alyssa Hovermale and Ariel Kowalewski signed their National Letters of Intent on Nov. 11 to join the Florida softball program. (Source: Florida Gators)
Gators Softball Program Ranks As Second Best In The Country
Ava Brown, Alyssa Hovermale, Ariel Kowalewski, Cassidy McLellan, Keagan Rothrock and Mia Williams have joined Tim Walton’s Gators, making them the top-rated recruiting class of the 2023 cycle, according to Extra Innings Softball.
The Class of 2023 includes students from across the nation, including representation from Florida, Texas, Indiana and California.
The outstanding signing class is the second in program history to include multiple Gatorade Player of the Year winners, with Brown earning Texas Gatorade Player of the Year this year and Rothrock earning Gatorade National Player of the Year Year 2022 to go with the two to his Indiana. Gatorade. the prices of this year and last year.
Oregon State Beavers To Open 2022 Women’s College World Series Against Florida Gators
Along with two Gatorade National Player of the Year winners, the Gators have signed 11 state Gatorade Player of the Year winners, two of whom have won the award multiple times. Additionally, as they compete in their final seasons on their various high school and travel teams, this group of players still has the opportunity to add to their list of accomplishments for the upcoming 2023 awards cycle.
The new signees were asked about one of the big factors of their commitment to the University of Florida, and they all pointed to the coaching staff of some kind. The coaching staff has built a consistent program that has included numerous national and conference championship wins. Head coach Tim Walton has guided the Gators to 16 regional appearances, 14 super regionals and 11 WCWS appearances. His 2015 championship winning team received numerous honors, including five All-Americans, the WCWS Most Outstanding Player and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association National Coaching Staff of the Year. Also, as of now, the Gators softball program is ranked #2 in the nation. The new signees say they are excited to be part of a winning program.
A Florida Gators legacy is also represented in this year’s class. Williams, a second-generation Gator whose parents, Jason and Denika, attended UF and played sports for the Gators. Gator great Jason Williams transferred from Marshall University to play under Gator legend Billy Donovan. Williams was the starter in the 1997-98 season. During his time at the University of Florida, he averaged 17.1 points, 2.8 steals and 6.7 assists per game. Denika Williams was on the track team and was a two-time All-American in the javelin. Williams is looking to find her own path and is excited to be a part of the Gator family as she is excited to continue the Gator legacy.
Softball Releases The 2023 Schedule
Cristina Santiago is a senior at the University of Florida studying journalism with a concentration in sports and media.
Previous FEATURE: Amateur to achieve: How Annabell Fuller makes a successful golf career as an International Softball PlayeGator celebrates her progress to the 11th Women’s College World Series. (Photo via Gators Softball Twitter)
With the softball season less than a month away, SEC coaches have projected Florida to win the 2023 SEC softball season. This marks the first time since 2019 that the Gators have won the honor. Florida collected 134 points and five first-place votes, giving it first place over Tennessee, which received 126 points and three first-place votes.
Florida Football: Downloadable 2021 Gators Football Schedule
The Gators are not new to success, as they had plenty of it last year. The Orange and Blue finished 49-19 overall and 13-11 in conference play. Additionally, they reached the semifinals of the SEC Tournament, where they fell to the Arkansas Razorbacks, and the Women’s College World Series, where they fell to Oklahoma State and UCLA. The Gators have found a lot of success at home, posting a 24-11 record at home last season. They opened the 2022 season with a tournament sweep of USF, which included a win over top-15 ranked Michigan. Their first SEC action of 2022 was a 2-1 series win over Mississippi State.
The Gators weren’t ranked number one for no reason, their roster is loaded with talent. The team had three players named to the US Collegiate Soccer Player 50 “Watch List”. Those three were Skylar Wallace, freshman Kendra Falby and graduate student Charla Echols. All three return to the team from last season along with senior Rylee Trlicek, sophomore Lexie Delbrey and fifth year Elizabeth Hightower. Hightower was named an NFCA All-American in 2021.
The season will officially begin for the Gators on Friday, February 10, when they travel to the USF-Rawlings Invitational in Tampa, Florida at 7:00 p.m. Their first SEC game doesn’t come for over a month until they face Missouri in a 3-game series March 17-19.
Florida Gators News: Softball Dominates To Open Season, More
Tags Charla Echols Coaches Poll Elizabeth Hightower Florida Gators Kendra Falby Lexie Delbrey Rylee Trlicek SEC Skylar Wallace softball This weekend, some Florida Gators are at home, while others are headed to championship events. Florida men’s basketball is in St. Louis. Baseball and softball host home series and gymnastics holds its home finale.
Below you’ll find what’s happening in Gator sports this weekend, and how to watch it.
Florida vs. Mississippi State, 4 p.m.: The Gators travel for two SEC road contests this weekend, with the Bulldogs first on the bridge. Florida enters this game on a two-game winning streak, starting 2-0 in the conference for the first time since 2011.
Sec Unveils 2022 Softball League Schedule
Florida vs. LSU, 5 p.m.: Hosting their first home game since January, the Gators welcome the Tigers to Gainesville. Florida has won its last nine against LSU, the last loss coming to the Tigers in 2009.
Florida vs. Kentucky, 6 p.m.: Gators no. 2 hosts its SEC opener this weekend when the No. 1 Wildcats. 23 comes to town. Last week, Florida went 3-0 in the West Coast Judi Garman Classic and Kelly Barnhill was named SEC Pitcher of the Week after extending her scoreless streak to 22.1 innings.
Florida vs. Rhode Island, 6:30 p.m.: After two midweek losses to Central Florida, the Gators look to bounce back at home against the visiting Rams. Florida is 12-3 overall on the season, winning at least 12 of its first 15 games for the eighth time in 11 years under Kevin O’Sullivan.
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NCAA Indoor Championships, 6:30 p.m.: Team no. 3 men and team no. The women’s 6 will be in College Station this weekend for the NCAA Championships. Florida’s men’s team was the national runner-up last year, finishing behind the champion by just half a point. Gator men have
