Arkansas Softball Head Coach Courtney Deifel Confirms Status of Injured Infielder

Arkansas softball star second baseman Karlie Davison spent her offseason under unforeseen circumstances.

After finishing one win away from their first Women’s College World Series berth, the team spent the summer passing along fundamentals and drills to the youth at various camps and clinics held at Bogle Park. While diving at one of these events, the rising senior experienced an unfamiliar noise in her non-throwing arm.

Razorbacks head coach Courtney Deifel recently confirmed Davison's status heading into the 2026 season.

“She’s back, and she is clear to go,” Arkansas softball Coach Courtney Deifel told Ethan Westerman at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.“She has done everything other than dive on the field. That’s the last thing. And that’s kind of, when you talk to the doctors and research, it’s not a huge difference now versus three weeks. Why press it now? We have another three to four weeks to go."

KARLIE DAVISON HAVE A WEEKEND!!!@karliedavison hits her first 💣 as a Hog to increase the lead to four! pic.twitter.com/SBYBqSaw9f
— Arkansas Softball (@RazorbackSB) March 23, 2025

Davison found out almost two months after the clinic that she had actually torn her labrum at that moment, a rim of cartilage that lines the shoulder’s socket. Surgery was required, and she’s spent all of the fall season rehabbing and watching the Razorbacks prepare for 2026 on the bench.

Rightfully so, the senior was in fear of what her final collegiate year was going to look like. While she had a broken hand during her sophomore year at Utah, she only missed about 15 games. This particular injury was the worst she’s ever experienced.

“This is the first serious surgery that I’ve ever had,” Davison told Ethan Westerman at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “I got the surgery in August and missed all of the fall, and was in a sling for six weeks. I was just kind of standing there watching practice all the time, trying to find ways to get better. It was hard because I went (roughly eight) months without seeing live pitching. In the back of my head, it was that fear of like, ‘What if I’m not the same player?’ I was able to train some a few months post-surgery, but it’s like, ‘Well, what if I just don’t know what I’m doing anymore?’ There was that fear.”

Davison had a stellar year in her first season with Arkansas. With a .989 fielding percentage, she held a team-high 105 assists with 81 putouts in 188 chances. At the plate, she batted .272 with 41 hits, 11 doubles, two triples, five homers, 23 RBIs, and 14 walks.

KARLIE DAVISON: UNLIMITED RANGE@SportsCenter | #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/CFjetgnECs
— Arkansas Softball (@RazorbackSB) May 25, 2025

By the time the Razorbacks' preseason practice began in early January, the middle infielder made a momentous comeback to the field. While grinding in physical therapy, she did all the little things to get back to her normal self, like throwing the ball off the wall, simple hitting drills, and facing the relentless pain when stretching.

Deifel couldn’t be more grateful.

With injuries on the mend, the Razorbacks can now look forward to achieving more in 2026. Though they lost their biggest bat to graduation, Bri Ellis, two impact transfers, and five strong freshmen make for one tough lineup to beat.

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