The college softball offseason is in full swing with transfers finding new homes, teams starting to take shape and new rules coming down from the NCAA. The picture of 2024 for the Florida State Seminoles and everyone else is starting to come into focus.

As we wait on Team 41 to open their season, the Seminole Softball Wrap podcast crew — Gwyn Rhodes and Brian Pellerin — sought out national college softball writer Brady Vernon of D1Softball.com to discuss the stories of the offseason so far.

Covered in this episode:

Transfer Portal

The biggest moves of the new year so far are centered around the Oklahoma Sooners. One of the best pitchers in the sport out, another in... and then some.

Gwyn and Brian get Brady’s perspective on Jordy Bahl’s move to Nebraska, Kelly Maxwell’s jump across the state of Oklahoma to try and fill Bahl’s shoes, Alana Vawter’s move to the SEC and more.

Does he see this as a weakening of college softball’s dominant force? Who are the teams that currently could push OU for the Women’s College World Series this year?

Florida State

The Noles are of course among that crew. They’ve built a powerhouse program perpetually in the top ten with the goal of OKC every year.

But how does that translate to their national reputation?

Brady sure thinks so, saying he believes OU fans look at FSU as their biggest competition each season and the program consistently pushing to compete.

2024 won’t be much different. The lineup is largely back so the bats should continue to find ways. In the circle, losing Kat Sandercock will hurt, but Brady has confidence in the growth of Makenna Reid into that role. Plus there’s another pitcher that he thinks is ready to find that stride in Tallahassee this season. 

Conference Realignment

The Big Ten and the Big 12 have raided the Pac-12 leaving no conference left with a west coast base. It’s a move driven by football that will almost certainly have impacts on softball as well.

The west coast used to run the sport and recruiting it well remains crucial to a strong program. Could the loss of a regional conference on the west coast open the door to more teams recruiting out there? And does the SEC gain an advantage as the only truly regional conference.

New Rules for 2024

The NCAA released some new rules for the upcoming season including limits on assistant coaches interacting with umpires, the addition of the PitchCom system to relay pitches/plays like MLB has added, changes to the pitching mechanic rules around airborne feet and some replay review changes.

Brady shares his thoughts on what catches his eye as the changes most likely to impact the sport people going forward.

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