Credit: LMU Athletics ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball The softball community is banding together on social media to save a former college player’s life. Allisha Martinez, a 26-year-old infielder who played for Loyola Marymount University and Regis University, is urgently seeking a living kidney donor. Martinez has been fighting immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy, also known as Berger’s disease, an autoimmune disorder where the body’s immune system mistakenly

Credit: BYU Athletics ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball Libby Sugg cruised through BYU’s record books during her four-year career from 2016 to 2019. The starting catcher all four years and a 2018 NFCA Third Team All-American finished her career at No.1 in program history with sacrifice flies (15), No. 2 in doubles (47) and RBIs (211), No.3 in slugging percentage (.666), chances (1206) and putouts (1119). She was No. 4 in homers (49), total bases (420), and wa

Credit: AUSL ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball When former UCLA standout Maya Brady played her final collegiate game in 2024, the softball world begged her to play professionally. One of 15 players selected in the 2024 Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball College Draft, she chose to stick with playing internationally with Team USA at the 2024 WBSC World Cup and opted out of making her AU debut. When former UCLA standout Maya Brady played her final collegiate game i

Credit: Clemson Athletics ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball The Clemson Tigers announced in a press release on Thursday that the university approved a contract extension for softball head coach John Rittman. Ritmman, who just completed his sixth season with the Tigers, is now signed through the 2031 season. According to Clemson's Board of Trustees compensation committee , Rittman will receive $2.01 million in salary. The new deal will pay him $315,000 in 202

Credit: SUU Athletics ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball After making a significant impact on Southern Utah University’s pitching staff, team culture, and recruiting efforts, the university announced in a press release on Thursday that assistant coach Taylor McQuillin is being promoted to associate head coach. The All-American pitcher from the University of Arizona, who led the nation in shutouts with 15 in 2018, a Tokyo 2020 Olympian, and now a highly-ranked

Credit: OSU Athletics Andrean High School in Merrillville, Indiana, is looking for a new head softball coach after the former two-way star for Oregon, Texas, and Oklahoma State, Miranda Elish, announced her resignation via press release . “Stepping down from coaching at Andrean was not an easy decision to come by," Elish said in the press release. "I enjoyed showing up every day and getting to work with the girls and build relationships that will extend long past their years

Credit: SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball The 2025 NCAA Division I college softball postseason sparked a lot of conversation among coaches, players, and fans when several unheard-of and outlandish calls were made. Rule books were brought out, social media exploded, and calls for change were made. Many were particularly unhappy with Appendix G and obstruction calls made throughout the Women’s Col

Credit: Nebraska Athletics ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball The Nebraska Cornhuskers announced in a press release on Wednesday afternoon that they are extending four of their head coaches' contracts, including softball’s leader, Rhonda Revelle. As a three-year letterwinner herself with the Nebraska softball team, the alum is the winningest coach in any sport at the university, with 1,170 victories. Entering her 34th year as head coach, she has been a part of

Credit: Utah Athletics When the Blaze and Talons of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) face off in a four-game series in Salt Lake City, Utah, this week, one player will be reminiscing on where it all began for her. Blaze infielder Anissa Urtez announced on Instagram on Sunday that after nine years as a professional, she will hang up her cleats. There’s no better way for her to say goodbye to the game than at the Dumke Family Softball Stadium at the University of

Credit: Oklahoma Athletics ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball One Oklahoma softball player is refining her craft this summer and is shining more than ever. Pitcher Paytn Monticelli, a native of Cedarburg, Wis, joined the Northwoods League for the offseason. With this developmental opportunity, softball and baseball players can train, see live action, and retain their fitness before returning to their collegiate teams in the fall. Playing for the Madison, Wisco

Credit: MLB ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball Major League Baseball’s 24th annual All-Star Celebrity Softball Game was packed with all kinds of star power at the Atlanta Braves’ Truist Park on Saturday night, but the actual softball legends stole the show. Starting in the circle for the National League, Jennie Finch made her 15th MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game appearance. Of course, the righty who pitched her way to a Women’s College World Series Champio

Credit: UGA ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball After obtaining an impressive list of honors and achievements during her playing career at the University of Georgia, Sydney Kuma quickly began her next career in softball upon graduating. Named assistant coach of Georgia State under head coach Becca Mueller in July 2024, Kuma’s softball knowledge and leadership were ready to enrich the program. However, after only two years with the program, the NFCA All-American

Credit: AUSL ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball It’s hard to believe that the inaugural season of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) is almost over. With the postseason beginning on July 26, it’s a race for which teams will clinch the postseason and who will be named Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. This season has certainly had no shortage of standouts, including several players who came straight from their NCAA softball seasons off a gold

Credit: Tamara Gallman-Facebook ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball One softball player out of Tuttle, Oklahoma, is defying the odds. Jemma Gallman, a 13-year-old, was born with an extremely rare condition, tibial hemimelia, which occurs in only about one in every one million births. Her tibia, ankle and knee were all missing from her right leg, and amputation at nine months old was the best option for her to live a comfortable life. Additionally, she has only

Credit: Wichita State Athletics ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball Sydney McKinney is headed back to Wichita State University’s dugout. The university announced on Monday that the former Shockers career record holder in batting average, hits, at-bats, on-base percentage, runs scored, and total bases will join the program for the 2025-26 season as a graduate assistant. McKinney, now a professional infielder for the Bandits of the Athletes Unlimited Softball Leag

Credit: AUSL ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi Volts third baseman Jessica Warren of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) made not one, not two, but five jaw-dropping Derek Jeter-type plays in the Seattle series against the Blaze. Between line drives, wicked throws, over-the-shoulder catches, dives, one-hoppers, what can’t Warren do? It’s a highlight reel you’re going to have to watch yourself to believe. https://x.com/theAUSLofficial/status/19445918221496283

Credit: USA Softball ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball The Los Angeles Olympics will open in exactly three years on July 14, 2028. In honor of the date getting closer, the Olympic Committee released the completed competition schedule with day-by-day and session breakdowns, including softball. Olympic competition will begin early on Wednesday, July 12, 2028, but softball won’t make an appearance until the second half of the Games. Featuring six teams, the tourn

Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball One youth softball player is calling on one of college football’s most popular coaches, Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders, to bring softball and baseball programs to the University of Colorado Boulder. Bailey Tickle, a 2028 high school graduate out of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and a Top Gun National Fastpitch utility player, took to X to voice her plea to Sanders. While actively recruiting fo

Credit: USA Softball ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball At the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup Finals in Prince Albert, Canada, the U.S. Men's National Team claimed its second consecutive bronze medal with a 10-1 win over Japan. The U.S. advanced to the Super Round after defeating Australia 10-1 and the Dominican Republic 11-1 in the Opening Round. After getting walked off by both New Zealand and Venezuela in the Super Round, they dropped to fourth place and ha

Credit: Arizona Athletics ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball The University of Arizona is extending softball head coach Caitlin Lowe’s contract through the 2026-27 season, according to Kim Doss of the Arizona Desert Swarm . The four-time Wildcat All-American and Olympic silver medalist was named Arizona's seventh head softball coach in June of 2021, following Mike Candrea’s retirement, and four seasons as the team's associate head coach. About to enter the fina