FRESHMEN ORIENTATION

Left-to-right, Wesley Wolverines 
freshman #15 IF Katie Dunlap (Dover, DE), 
freshman #21 C Gabby Monzo (Somers Point, NJ), 
freshman #11 P Jessica Anderson (Smyrna, DE).

From top, Wesley Wolverines 
freshman #11 P Jessica Anderson (Smyrna, DE), 
freshman #15 IF Katie Dunlap (Dover, DE), 
freshman #21 C Gabby Monzo (Somers Point, NJ).

CHIPOTLE FUNDRAISER

Sunday, Sept. 23, 5-9 pm
Dinner at Dover’s Chipotle,
33% of bill for Wesley softball!

Show your team spirit by joining the Wolverine fastpitch squad for a fundraiser to support Wesley softball.

Come into the Chipotle at 1141 North Dupont Highway, Ste 101, in Dover on Sunday, September 23rd between 5:00pm and 9:00pm.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FUNDRAISER FLYER, show it on your smartphone or download and hand to the cashier to ensure that 33% of the proceeds will be donated to Wesley College Softball.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

ATLANTIC EAST CONFERENCE

Seven softball teams
Wolverines join new
Atlantic East Conference

The fastpitch Wolverines will find themselves for the first time in twelve years competing in a brand new softball league this coming season.

This happens after seven schools have left their conferences to join the newly formed Atlantic East Conference.

CONFERENCE TEAMS

The eight are ● CABRINI UNIVERSITY (Radnor, PA, 1686 undergrads), ● GWYNEDD MERCY UNIVERSITY (Gwynedd Valley, PA, 2,081 undergrads), ● IMMACULATA UNIVERSITY (Immaculata, PA, 1,482 undergrads), ● NEUMANN UNIVERSITY (Aston, PA, 2,085 undergrads) and ● MARYWOOD UNIVERSITY (Scranton, PA, 1,960 undergrads) from the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC), ● MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY (Arlington, VA, 2,305 undergrads) and our Wolverines, ● WESLEY COLLEGE (Dover, DE, 1,446 undergrads), from the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC). HOWEVER, Marymount is the single member without a softball team.

CLICK HERE for Div III NCAA
SOFTBALL STATISTICS from last season.

The new conference will be eligible for automatic bids to the NCAA playoffs beginning in 2020-2021. All of Wesley's NCAA-sponsored sports will compete in the Atlantic East EXCEPT FOOTBALL, which will remain an associate member of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC).

SOFTBALL TEAMS

Last season, the fastpitch Wesley Wolverines 13-17-2 (3-10-1 conf), playing in one of the most challenging DIII leagues in the nation, finished their season in 6th place. The other softball squads joining the AEC notched a 1st place for the Gwynedd Mercy Griffins 30-7 (20-2 conf), 2nd for the Cabrini Cavaliers 22-12 (18-4 conf), 3rd (tied) for the Neumann Knights 24-17 (17-5 conf), 3rd (tied) for the Immaculata Mighty Macs 28-16 (17-5 conf), and 5th for the Marywood Pacers 20-17 (15-7 conf).

COMMISSIONER

Jessica Huntley

Jessica Huntley is the founding commissioner. 

Jessica graduated in 2006 from York College where she spent four varsity years on the women's basketball team, served as a captain, and scored 675 points over 104 games. She holds a degree in sport management and a masters in higher education. 

Previously, she has been the Associate Executive Director at Centennial Conference, Director of the Eastern College Athletic Conference, assistant commissioner of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, assistant director of athletics/women's basketball coach at Bay Path College, and director of men's basketball operations at Harvard.

Wesley Wolverine sophomore #5
U Amanda Curry (Williamsport, MD).

WBSC CHAMPIONSHIP

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY: 

Team USA claims WBSC World Championship 

Wesley Wolverine pictured above, 

senior #13 IF Ashley Royer (Lititz, PA)

JIM THORPE

This is Jim Thorpe. 

Look closely at the photo, you can see that he's wearing different socks and shoes. This wasn't a fashion statement. It was the 1912 Olympics, and Jim, an American Indian from Oklahoma represented the U.S. in track and field. 

On the morning of his competitions, his shoes were stolen. Luckily, Jim ended up finding two shoes in a garbage can. That's the pair that he's wearing in the photo. But one of the shoes was too big, so he had to wear an extra sock. Wearing these shoes, Jim won two gold medals that day.

This is a perfect reminder that you don't have to resign to the excuses that have held you back. So what if life hasn't been fair? What are you going to do about it today? Whatever you woke up with this morning; stolen shoes, ill health, failed relationships, don't let it stop you from running your race. You can experience more in life if you'll get over the excuses and get on with living.

You can have reasons or you can have results and you can't have both. (thank you to those that shared this with us to post)

Wesley Wolverine junior #23 IF Brooke Retkowski (Parkville, MD).

COMPETE AGAINST SELF

Wesley Wolverine senior #8
OF Megan DiRubbio (Smyrna, DE).

10 WAYS THAT SHOW

Wesley Wolverine sophomore #9 OF/C Miranda Kenny (Bethlehem, PA).

MATT GONO DEBUT

CLICK HERE FOR HOW TO WATCH FALCONS VS. JETS: TIME, TV, LIVE STREAM, & RADIO.

Wesley Wolverine junior #6
P/OF Allison Mills (Leonardtown, MD).
Quote by Simon Sinek

DESIRE MOST IMPORTANT

Wesley Wolverine Sophomore #32
OF Kelly Palmer (Hershey, PA).

JOE CALLAHAN DEBUT

CLICK HERE FOR HOW TO WATCH 

OR STREAM THE FIRST PRESEASON GAME.

NOT IN THE AREA? NFL Network will be replaying the game

on Friday at 4 p.m. or watch it on your Verizon Wireless phone.

Wesley Wolverine sophomore #1
IF Bianca Newsom (Edison, NJ).

TRACEY SHORT

Director of Athletics Tracey Short also will continue in her 24th season as the head coach of the Wesley field hockey team where she is 12th winningest active coach for the sport in NCAA Division III history.

Coach Short is no stranger to DuPont Softball Field. You may find her among Wolverine fans at many home games. In her undergrad playing days, alongside an all-star performance on the hockey field, Coach Short competed as the softball captain for Salisbury University Sea Gulls where she was inducted into the Salisbury Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. She served as the head coach of the fastpitch Wesley Wolverines for 11 years through the 1997 – 2002 and 2005 – 2009 seasons.

► CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY. 

► CLICK HERE FOR COACH SHORT’S IMPRESSIVE BIO!

TWO COLLEGE HALL-OF-FAMERS on the sidelines at Wesley College’s annual alumni softball game. Wolverine Kim Smith joined the Wesley College Hall Of Fame as a three-sport athlete – field hockey, basketball and softball -- while Wesley’s Tracey Short holds her place of honor as a hockey and softball star in rival Salisbury University’s hall.

7 DAYS TO WESLEY JOURNEY

Need more information concerning orientation
and check-in? Follow the link -
  http://bit.ly/WesleyWOW18

Wesley Wolverine senior #8
OF Megan DiRubbio (Smyrna, DE).

E-MAIL DIRECTORY

Wolverine fans keep in touch
New Wesley softball email
directory now posted online

Are you a fastpitch Wolverine fan – parent, grandparent, relative, student, friend, etc. -- and does this blog have your email address?

Some fans have asked for ways to connect with one another about coordinating activities around the team, whether it’s arranging for a picnic at games, or fundraising or just sharing ideas and socializing.

CLICK HERE for a list of the email addresses 

that are currently on file. 

If you would like to add your name or make a change, please write to WesleySoftball@gmail.com. (Adding your name and email address is for informational purposes only and does not commit anyone to anything.)

We have just five families on the list now. Please consider adding your name and e-mail address today.

Wesley Wolverine freshman #21 C Gabby Monzo (Somers Point, NJ).

SOFTBALL VS BASEBALL

Two great sports
No “soft” in softball
versus hardball game

1. TYPICAL FIELD: baseball, 16,700 sq. ft. / softball, 7,200 sq. ft.

FASTPITCH ACTION: every player constantly on the move when the ball is in play; every player potentially part of every play -- fielding a ball, backing up a play, covering a base, etc. -- on a compact field. Almost every play is within the easy purview of every spectator seat.

2. BASEBALL, A NINE INNING GAME / softball, a seven-inning game.

FASTPITCH ACTION: faster game, every play that much more crucial to the final score. Less time (innings) to recoup or catch up!

3. BASEBALL'S 90 FEET BETWEEN BASES / softball's 60 feet between bases.

FASTPITCH ACTION: typical reaction time for an infielder to throw out a runner at first base is 3.2 seconds compared to 4.3 seconds for baseball.

4. BASEBALL RUNNERS LEAD OFF BASES ROUTINELY / softball: NO LEADING OFF of the base allowed. (If a runner make a move to another base when the pitcher has the ball, the runner must go! No turning back!)

FASTPITCH ACTION: takes an average runner 3+ seconds from first to second (on shorter base paths), slightly faster than baseball.

Wesley Wolverine sophomore #5 U  Amanda Curry (Williamsport, MD).

5. BASEBALL PITCHER'S MOUND IS RAISED / softball pitcher's circle on flat ground.

FASTPITCH ACTION: lacks the advantage of throwing down from a height; softball pitcher relies on windmill arm speed to fire from level ground.

6. BASEBALL PITCHER THROWS 60 FT AND SIX INCHES / softball pitcher throws 43 ft to home plate!

FASTPITCH ACTION: a softball reaches the plate as fast as 0.35 seconds after thrown (i.e., this is equivalent to a 100+ MPH baseball pitch)!

7. BASEBALL'S AVERAGE PITCH SPEED IS 90 MPH / softball's average pitch speed is 58-60+ MPH.

FASTPITCH ACTION: ball comes off the bat at speeds up to 100 MPH; infield may have only 0.61 seconds to react!

8. BASEBALL'S OVERHAND PITCHING / softball's underhand pitching.

FASTPITCH ACTION: on average, 0.35 seconds for a batter to locate pitch compared to 0.395 seconds for a baseball player.

9. BASEBALL HITS & BUNTS / softball's hits, bunts & SLAP HITS!

FASTPITCH ACTION: third base infield must react in 1.5 seconds to catch average SLAPPER at first!

Wesley Wolverine senior #13 IF Ashley Royer (Lititz, PA).

PITCHER DNA

CLICK HERE FOR
THE FULL (LENGTHY) ARTICLE

Above Wesley Wolverine sophomore #25 P Dori Loukopoulos (Chambersburg, PA).

G.R.I.T.

G.R.I.T. =
G. Growth through failure. R. Reign in those emotions.
I. Invest in a routine. T. The love of the sport.

CLICK HERE to read more on page 30
of Issue II of Balls and Strikes Online Magazine.

Wesley Wolverine freshman #15
IF Katie Dunlap (Dover, DE).

SPEED OF SOFTBALL

ESPN analysis
Softball: speed bursts, action,
forcing attention, fast reactions

According to ESPN, here is college softball by the numbers...

► SOFTBALL FIELD is (7,200 sq. ft.) 43% size of baseball field (16,700sq. ft.) -- base paths 60 ft. vs. baseball's 90 ft. -- which means every player is constantly on the move, potentially being part of every play, while all the action is within the easy purview of every spectator's seat.

► SOFTBALL PITCHING RUBBER is just 43 ft. from home vs. baseball's 60.5 ft., but a windmill pitcher releases the ball 37 ft. away to hurl a ball that can reach the plate as fast as 0.35 seconds later (faster than it takes a 100 mph baseball from its 55 ft. release point to reach its batter).

► SOFTBALL BATTER can have just 0.350 seconds to locate and identify a pitch, compared to 0.395 seconds for hardball (and, then, she has as little as 0.025 seconds to decide whether to swing!)

► SOFTBALL BATTED BALL can come off the bat at speeds up to 100mph. A shortstop may have only 0.61 seconds to react.

Wesley Wolverine sophomore #1 IF Bianca Newsom (Edison, NJ).

► SOFTBALL INFIELDERS facing shorter base paths must get the batted ball to first in less than 3.2 seconds. That's more than a full second faster than how a typical major league must successfully perform to fire a baseball to first (4.3 seconds).

► SOFTBALL SLAP-HITTERS can reach speeds of 19 mph, racing home to first in as little as 2.66 seconds. A third base fielder can take no more than 1.5 seconds (or throw faster than 100 mph) to record that out.

► SOFTBALL BASE STEALERS -- despite softball rules against taking leads -- can get from first to second in as little as 3 seconds. On average, a softball catcher must react 1/10 of a second faster than her major league counterpart.

From left, Wesley Wolverines sophomore #4 P Abbey Mayse (Cecilton, MD), junior #23 IF Brooke Retkowski (Parkville, MD).

NEUMANN 2-BAGGERS

NEUMANN FAVORS SECOND BASE

The Wesley Wolverines will clash with the Neumann University Knights this year as part of the newly formed Atlantic East Conference matchups.

The Knights will step to the plate as the 2018 NCAA Division III Statistical Champions in doubles per game. Last season, they turned left at first to arrive safely at second in a single swing 108 times, averaging 2.63 doubles per game. Five players, none seniors, notched double-digits in two-baggers.

Click here for the full story.

Wesley Wolverine junior #2 IF Karina Cardona (Cooper City, FL).

PHILLIES BALLGIRL MEGAN!

Center in photo and inset, Phillies Ballgirl and 

 Wesley Wolverine senior #8 OF Megan DiRubbio (Smyrna, DE).

Wesley Wolverine senior #8 OF Megan DiRubbio (Smyrna, DE).

A SELECT FEW

Only a select few
WOLVERINE FASTPITCH,
A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY

Softball by the national numbers…

COLLEGE SOFTBALL:

► There are only 31,406 college softball players in all three NCAA divisions, plus the NAIA & NJCAA.

► That means only 5.4% of high school softball players ever play softball at any collegiate level! (according to ncaa.com).

► Only 1.6% of high school softball players play softball at the NCAA Division I, or Division II and only 2.1% play softball at Division III! (ncaa.com).

Wesley Wolverines making the play, left-to-right, sophomore #1 IF Bianca Newsom (Edison, NJ), senior #13 IF Ashley Royer (Lititz, PA)

PROFESSIONAL SOFTBALL:

► Just 90 players get to play professional softball on one of the five teams in the NPF!

USA SOFTBALL NATIONAL TEAM:

► Solely 20 players get the honor of representing the US on our national team.

► Merely 16 fortunate few will be on our 2020 Olympic Softball Team!