Rock Hill, S.C.— Winthrop softball opens up the 2023 season on Friday, Feb. 10 but there have already been changes to the original schedule as the Elon Softball Classic will now be a two-day event. The Eagles will now play two games on Friday and Saturday.
ELON SOFTBALL CLASSIC
WHERE: Elon N.C. | Hunt Softball Park
WHEN: Friday-Saturday (Feb. 10-11)
PARTICIPATING TEAMS: Elon, Morgan State, N.C. A&T, Winthrop, N.C. Central
FOLLOW: @Winthropsoftbal
Friday, Feb. 10
Winthrop vs. N.C. A&T, 9:30 a.m. |
Live Stats
Winthrop at Elon, 12 p.m. |
Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 11
Winthrop vs. Morgan State, 9:30 a.m. |
Live Stats
Winthrop at Elon, 2:30 p.m. |
Live Stats
LOOKING BACK AT 2021
- Eagles are coming off an 18-37 campaign in which the majority of the key players were underclassmen, including a 1-2 pitching staff of freshmen
- The Eagles featured a ton of speed on the bases, finishing second in the Big South in steals with 100
- The 100 steals were the third most in program history for a single-season
- For the first time in program history the Eagles had three different players steal 20 or more bases in a season
- Red-shirt junior Paige Rivas led the team with 25 swipes while Macy McCall had 23 and Ashton Vanhouse snagged 22
- McCall is a two-time All-Big South selection, who set the program record for stolen bases in a season with 48 in 2021
- That season her 48 stolen bases ranked 2nd in the nation (NCAA D1)
- McCall set career-highs in doubles while tying her career-best of 17 RBI
- Paige Rivas led the team with a .354 average, ranking 8th in the Big South (9th in on-base percentage)
- Winthrop as a team set a program record for being hit by a pitch (41)
- Reese Basinger and Sydney Boulware led the pitching staff in their freshman season
- The duo combined for 259 strikeouts and the staff finished with 328 which ranks 4th in a single-season at Winthrop
- Eagles led the Big South in walks in 2022 (160), led by McCall with 27
GLANCE AT THE EAGLES
- Eagles return four starters with 50 or more starts and five with 35 or more starts last season
- Led by McCall (two-time All-Big South selection) and Paige Rivas (All-Big South selection)
- Junior Kaitlyn Tucker led the team with 24 RBI and tied McCall for the team-lead in doubles (10)
- Vanhouse was second on the team with a .309 average and third in runs with 22
- This year's squad is made up of five freshmen, four sophomores, 10 juniors, four seniors and a graduate student
- Eagles were voted 6th in the Big South Conference Preseason Poll
HEAD COACH WINDY THEES
- Head coach Windy Thees is in her fourth season at Winthrop and in her 17th season as head coach of a collegiate softball program
- Has a record of 86-93 overall and 35-34 in the Big South in her time with Winthrop
- Spent five seasons at Georgia State & College compiling a 163-92 record followed by six years at Memphis (172-151) and three seasons at Ole Miss (69-94)
- In her 17 seasons she's compiled an overall record of 490-434 and a record of 327-342 at the helm of a D1 program
- In her first season with the Eagles the team earned 30 wins, which are the second-most for a first-year head coach in program history
- In her first season she also guided the team to the Big South Conference Tournament Championship game, falling in the if necessary game to Longwood
- Led Ole Miss to five wins over nationally-ranked opponents that included a 2-0 victory at #1 Florida in 2014
- In 2003 she led Georgia State & College to a runner-up finish in the Division II National Championship
- Thees was a four-year starter at Florida State as both a catcher and second baseman
RECORD BOOK WATCH
- McCall's single-season record of 46 stolen bases in her first year with the Eagles has her 3rd all-time in program history
- McCall now has 69 career stolen (84 in career) bases as an Eagle and is closing in on the program record of 71 held by Charlene Smith (1989-92)
- In two seasons she's drawn 59 walks with the Eagles, moving into 11th on the program's all-time list (1 away from 10th)
UP NEXT
Eagles return to Rock Hill, S.C. to host the Winthrop Eagle Classic Feb. 16-18. Winthrop will open its home slate on Thursday, Feb. 16 against Queens (NC) at 6 p.m.
For everything Winthrop softball visit
www.winthropeagles.com or follow us on social media @Winthropsoftbal, winthropsoftball (Instagram) or
www.facebook.com/aWinthrop-Softball
