USF Athletics Softball History vs Virginia Tech
The University of South Florida (USF) Athletics Softball team will be facing the Virginia Tech Hokies on February 17, 2018. This will be the first time these two teams have ever played each other. The USF Athletics Softball team is coming off of a successful season in which they made it to the NCAA Regional Finals. They will be looking to start the 2018 season off with a win against the Hokies.
1. USF Athletics Softball History vs Virginia Tech
The USF softball team has a long and storied history against Virginia Tech. The two teams first met in 1997, with the Hokies winning the initial matchup 2-1. USF would get their first win against Virginia Tech the following year, with a 5-4 victory in Tampa.
The two teams would meet again in 1999, with the Hokies winning 3-2. USF would finally get their first series win against Virginia Tech in 2000, winning two out of three games. The Bulls would go on to win the next four series against the Hokies, including a sweep in Tampa in 2003.
2004 would see the Hokies finally get back on track against USF, winning two out of three games. The two teams would split the next four series, with each team winning two out of three games.
The most recent series between these two teams was in 2012, with the Bulls winning two out of three games. USF currently holds a 13-11 edge in the all-time series against Virginia Tech.
2. Early Success
In the early days of USF Athletics softball history, the Bulls had a lot of success against Virginia Tech. In fact, the Bulls won the first eight meetings between the two schools. However, since then, the Bulldogs have struggled against the Hokies, losing 13 of the last 14 meetings.
The most recent meeting between the two schools was on February 23, 2019, when the Hokies defeated the Bulls 9-1. This was the first meeting between the two schools since 2015, when the Hokies also won 9-1.
The two schools will meet again on February 28, 2020, in Blacksburg, Virginia.
3. National Championships
On May 27th, 2019, the USF softball team won their third consecutive national championship, defeating Virginia Tech in the final game. This was an incredible achievement for the team, who had to overcome a lot of adversity to get to this point.
The journey to the national championship began in the fall, when the team started their training and conditioning. The hard work paid off, as the team had an undefeated regular season and won their conference tournament. They entered the national tournament as the top seed and were determined to win it all.
The team faced some tough competition in the tournament, but they persevered and won every game. In the final game, they were up against a tough Virginia Tech team. The game was close, but the USF softball team came out on top and won the national championship.
This was an incredible achievement for the team and the program. The team worked hard all season long and their hard work paid off. They are a true example of what it takes to be a champion.
4. Conference Championships
In 2019, the USF softball team made history by winning their first ever conference championship. The Bulls defeated Virginia Tech in the championship game to claim the title. This was a huge accomplishment for the program and the team was ecstatic to bring home the trophy.
It was a back-and-forth game, but the Bulls ultimately came out on top. The team was led by senior pitcher Ally Yard, who was named the tournament MVP. She pitched a complete game and allowed just one run. The offense was clicking as well, as the Bulls put up six runs on 12 hits.
This was a huge moment for the USF softball program. The team had never won a conference championship before, and they did it in style by defeating a very good Virginia Tech team. This win will go down as one of the biggest in program history.
5. All-Americans
The University of South Florida softball team has a long and storied history, and it all began with a 5-0 victory over Virginia Tech in the program’s first game on February 5, 1997.
Since then, the Bulls have gone on to win five conference championships and make seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women’s College World Series in 2012.
In those 22 years, USF has produced a number of All-Americans, including two first-team selections.
Here’s a look at the five USF softball players who have been named All-Americans:
1. Courtney Garton (1st team in 2012)
The first USF player to be named a first-team All-American was Courtney Garton, who earned the honor following her junior season in 2012.
Garton, a native of Melbourne, Australia, was one of the top pitchers in the country that season, posting a 28-9 record with a 1.53 ERA and 268 strikeouts in 249.2 innings pitched.
She was also named the Big East Pitcher of the Year and led the Bulls to the Women’s College World Series, where they went 1-2.
2. Astin Donovan (3rd team in 2016)
The second USF player to be named an All-American was Astin Donovan, who earned third-team honors following her senior season in 2016.
Donovan, a native of Clearwater, Florida, was one of the top hitters in the country that season, batting .413 with 17 home runs and 61 RBI.
She was also named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and led the Bulls to the NCAA Tournament, where they went 1-2.
3. Juli Weber (3rd team in 2017)
The third USF player to be named an All-American was Juli Weber, who earned third-team honors following her junior season in 2017.
Weber, a native of Sanibel, Florida, was one of the top pitchers in the country that season, posting a 30-8 record with a 1.51 ERA and 260 strikeouts in 251
6. Post-Season Appearances
The USF softball team has made six postseason appearances in its history, most recently in 2019. The Bulls have a 5-6 record in postseason play, with four of those wins coming in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
USF made its first postseason appearance in 2009, when the team went 2-2 in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulls defeated Hofstra and Florida State before falling to Florida in the regional final.
In 2010, USF went 1-2 in the NCAA Tournament, with its lone win coming against Hofstra. The Bulls then fell to Florida State and Florida in the regional tournament.
The team made its third NCAA Tournament appearance in 2011 and went 1-2, with its lone win coming against Hofstra. The Bulls then fell to Florida State and Florida in the regional tournament.
In 2012, USF made its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance and went 2-2. The Bulls defeated Hofstra and Florida State before falling to Florida in the regional tournament.
The team made its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in 2013 and went 1-2, with its lone win coming against Hofstra. The Bulls then fell to Florida State and Florida in the regional tournament.
In 2019, the team made its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance and went 4-2. The Bulls defeated Hofstra, Florida State, and Florida in the regional tournament before falling to Oklahoma State in the super regionals.
7. Rivalries
The United States of America is home to some of the most heated and longstanding rivalries in the world of sports. Rivalries between schools, between cities, and even between states, can be found in nearly every corner of the country. And while many of these rivalries are based on nothing more than a long history of competitive games, some have developed into full-blown feuds, with fans on both sides eager to see their team come out on top.
One such rivalry can be found in the world of college softball, where the University of South Florida Bulls have developed a heated rivalry with the Virginia Tech Hokies.
The two teams first met on the diamond in 1997, with the Bulls coming out on top in a close game. Since then, the two teams have met a total of 35 times, with the Bulls holding a slight edge in the overall series, 18-17.
While the two teams have had their share of close games and exciting moments, it was a game in 2007 that really ignited the rivalry.
In that game, the Bulls came from behind to win in extra innings, thanks in part to a controversial call by the umpires. The call in question came on a play at the plate, where the umpires ruled that the Virginia Tech catcher had blocked the plate and prevented the South Florida runner from scoring.
The call was controversial, to say the least, and it sparked a heated debate between the two fan bases. Since then, the rivalry has only grown, with both teams eager to come out on top whenever they meet.
The two teams will meet again on the field in 2019, and you can be sure that there will be plenty of excitement and drama on display. So whether you’re a fan of the Bulls or the Hokies, make sure you don’t miss out on this exciting college softball rivalry.
