Softball On SI

From NCAA Softball Dugouts to AUSL Diamonds: Coaches Hustle to Make Opening Day

Nicole Reitz|
Kayla Kowalik made it to Opening Day just after finishing the WCWS with Texas Tech.
Kayla Kowalik made it to Opening Day just after finishing the WCWS with Texas Tech. | Texas Tech Athletics

With a quick turnaround from the Women’s College World Series to the Athletes Unlimited Softball League's Opening Day, many coaches, support staff members, and TV broadcasters had no time in between to prepare for their pro season. 

Some hopped on a plane from Oklahoma City to Chicago immediately after Texas was crowned National Champions, while others drove straight to Wichita, Kansas, to make it in time for Opening Day. 

The first series of the AUSL season wrapped up on Tuesday, but the memories of the college season are still lingering. Here’s a look at all the players who were in the dugouts and on the call during the WCWS, and the dedication they put in to still excel, even with hectic schedules. 

Kayla Kowalik- Assistant Coach at Texas Tech, Blaze Utility Player

From one history book to the next, Kowalik had quite the 24 hours between the WCWS ending and the inaugural AUSL season beginning.

As an assistant coach for Texas Tech, she was a leading part of Gerry Glasco’s staff, who pushed the Red Raiders to their first-ever WCWS appearance. Though they had a devastating 10-4 loss to the Texas Longhorns in Game 3, the night before AUSL Opening Day, Kowlick had to immediately move on. 

In a nearly three-hour drive at 1 a.m. from OKC to Wichita, Kowalik did everything in her power to make sure she could get to town at a responsible hour and rest before the 6:30 p.m. game. 

Tori Vidales- SEC Network Softball Analyst, Talons Infielder

Similar to Koawlik, Vidales had to make a quick turnaround from the final game of the WCWS to her Opening Day. Vidales was a key announcer for the SEC Network throughout the college finale and worked past the Longhorns recording the final out.

Playing for the Talons in Chicago, she had no choice but to get on a flight from OKC if she wanted to make the 2 p.m. game Saturday afternoon. 

But that didn’t seem to phase her too much. By Sunday, she was already back to her peak form, hitting bombs that awarded the Talons their first win of the season. 

Aubrey Leach- Director of Player Development at Tennessee, Blaze Infielder

If you remember the Appendix G incident that took place during the elimination game between Tennessee and UCLA, you saw Leach in the dugout.

After Megan Grant slammed a game-tying homer with two outs in the seventh, she was ruled safe despite missing home plate. Leach whipped out the rule book faster than anyone to fight for her team’s rights. 

Though Tennesse lost to Texas in the semifinals, Leach was still almost a week late to joining the AUSL preseason camp in Chicago. Leach went 2-for-3 with one run scored in the Blaze’s first win of the season over the Volts on Monday. 

Erin Coffel- Graduate Manager at Florida, Bandits Infielder

As a graduate manager with the Florida Gators, Coffel was just a few days late to the AUSL preseason camp due to Florida dropping an unnatural 11-3 run-rule game to the Lady Vols that ended the season prematurely. 

But she detailed after Opening Day, that the adjustment for those arriving late and the new players like Korbie Otis, Sam Landry, and Bri Ellis was hard, but coaches like the Bandits leader, Stacey Nuveman-Deniz, worked to make the transition as easygoing as possible. 

“I was with the Florida Gators at the World Series and got here a little bit later, but the college players had a really quick turnaround coming directly here, Coffel said in the post-game press conference after Opening Day. “The coaches did a really good job of structuring practices. The days were long and they were a grind, but we learned a lot about each other. We did a lot of team bonding events, but we are continuously learning who we are playing next to.” 

Tiare Jennings- Student Coach at Oklahoma, Volts Infielder

Making her pro debut a year after winning a National Championship at OU, Jennings had to finish out a world series run as a student coach for the Sooners first. Despite a chase for a fifth-straight national title, Oklahoma was eliminated by Texas Tech in the semifinals. 

Despite also arriving late to camp, she was unfazed in her opening weekend as a pro. Her first hit was a solo home run to left field. 

Sydney Romero- Assistant Coach at Oregon, Talons Infielder

In a tough loss against her alma mater, Oklahoma, which eliminated the Oregon Ducks, assistant coach Romero joined Athletes Unlimited for her fifth professional season.

Romero was a key factor this college season alongside head coach Melyssa Lombardi, who led the team to a 54-10 record, which tied for the second-most wins in program history and clinched their first Big Ten Championship.

Bubba Nickles-Camarena- Assistant Coach at UCLA, Bandits Outfielder

After Appendix G allowed for the Bruins to tie the game, Tennessee stormed back with a walk-off win to end the UCLA season.

In her first full-time season as an assistant coach, Nickles-Camarena was there for it all with her alma mater, but fell right back into the star ball player she is without missing a beat. 

More News: A New Era Begins: Bandits Win First-Ever AUSL Game

More News: WCWS Finals: Texas Softball Captures Program’s First NCAA Championship

More News: WCWS Final Sets ESPN Record With Most-Watched College Softball Game Ever

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Nicole Reitz
NICOLE REITZ

Nicole Reitz graduated from Indiana University Indianapolis with a degree in sports journalism in 2022 and has been writing about softball and baseball since 2018 .Her work has been published in various publications like Softball America, the Indianapolis Star, and SoxOn35th.

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