In The Circle

It was a weekend in college softball, unlike any other. On this episode of In The Circle, Victor Anderson and Eric Lopez were ON THE FIELD after UCF punched their ticket to Super Regionals and shared their immediate thoughts on the Knights' historic run continuing. We hear from the Knights during their post-game media availability, including Head Coach Cindy Ball-Malone.

Justin McLeod from Extra Inning Softball joins Eric to break down all the regional action, including stunners from Tallahassee and Tuscaloosa and the Pac-12 flexing its muscles. Also, Eric and Justin make a confession that made Victor pass out like Fred Sanford. It's one episode you DON'T want to miss.

With the NCAA Tournament gearing up this weekend, we preview ALL 16 regionals in this edition of In The Circle. Naturally, we start local, where we hear from UCF's Cindy Ball-Malone and Michigan's Carol Hutchins on their thoughts on the Orlando regional. We also will listen to Oklahoma Head Coach Patty Gasso with the latest on Sooner pitcher Jordy Bahl.
 
We will also air our other interviews from Selection Sunday with Texas play-by-play voice Andrew Haynes and Pac-12 Network analyst Jenna Becerra about the Seattle and Tuscaloosa Regionals.

(Sidenote: Our interviews with Andrew Haynes and Jenna Becerra can only be seen on our YouTube page due to technical issues during post-production Sunday night. You can find our Youtube channel here: https://bit.ly/3lbINng)

Fresh off the heels of a wild Selection Monday for DII and DIII, we get ready for it all on our latest episode of In The Circle. Victor Anderson runs the show this week and talks with two coaches who'll be making history this weekend. First, we hear from 2022 Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year Julie LeMaire from Nova Southeastern. The Sharks won a share of their first-ever SSC championship and will battle Alabama-Huntsville in their Opening Round game in Montgomery, Alabama. Coach LeMaire reflects on his historic season, her senior leader Sydney Lageyre, and where she was when the Sharks punched their ticket to the tournament.

Afterward, Victor returns to his roots and heads to Winter Park to chat with Rollins Head Coach Christine Roser-LeFevers. She led the Tars to another NCAA Tournament appearance and battled for the SSC Championship through the season's final game. Coach breaks down how the Tars got to this point, her ace Ashley Worrell, and the togetherness on this team.

Next, Victor talks a little DIII with Eric Lopez and how a regional ended up with only two teams and what that could mean for Texas Lutheran.
Finally, we do a deep dive into the Big Ten tournament with our correspondent and voice of Nebraska Softball, Nate Rohr.

We're less than a week away from Selection Sunday, and we have more questions than answers. This episode breaks down the biggest storylines from the Power 5 conferences as we enter the final week before the NCAA Tournament. Eric talks about the impact Arizona State's series win versus UCLA could have on their chances of sneaking into the Top 8. We then speak with "Out of the Box" co-host and Alabama play-by-play voice Gray Robertson about the SEC Tournament and the outlook for the Crimson Tide. We share some of the key storylines heading into Gainesville, and one team Gray thinks could have a favorable draw to the semifinals.

The show wraps up with a look around the American, USA, ASUN, and Sun Belt conferences. Eric Lopez breaks down UCF's chances to host and USF's chance to make the tournament. Plus, we officially announce our Selection Sunday plans.

We're full steam ahead on the In The Circle ship heading straight towards the postseason. In today's episode, we preview The Bedlam Series and the implications on the line for the Sooners and Cowgirls. We hear from Oklahoma's Patty Gasso during her weekly media availability, and she gives her thoughts on the potential future of the series. Next, we head west, where Pac-12 supremacy is at stake between UCLA and Arizona State. We chat with Pac-12 Network analyst Kenize Fowler who will be on the call of the pivotal series, with her thoughts on both teams and the topsy-turvy season for the Conference of Champions.

We look at UCF vs. Wichita State and what made Graham Hays so fired up on social media (Hint: It has EVERYTHING to do with who WASN'T a Player of the Year Finalists).

Finally, Eric Lopez and Victor Anderson look at the final DII Regional Rankings and the critical series and tournaments he's keeping his eye on heading into Selection Monday. Plus, we have a significant announcement about Selection Monday.

As the calendar turns #MAYhem has begun. We have all of it covered in this latest edition of In The Circle. First, Victor chats with Extra Inning Softball's Justin McLeod about Texas Tech's sudden and stunning change, which broke on Sunday. Along with Eric Lopez, the guys look back at the recent troubles in Lubbock, how it falls on the athletic department, and is Texas Tech a viable job?

Next, Eric chats with ESPN's Jessica Mendoza, who will be part of this week's Thursday Throwdown between Oklahoma State-Oklahoma on ESPN2. She talked about her new role with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mendoza discusses her versatility from the football sidelines to covering the Olympics and all things in between. She shares how she balances covering softball and baseball at the same time, as well as how she prepares for a broadcast.

We then look over another regular-season conference deciding showdown in the American as UCF travels to Wichita to battle the Shockers.

As the softball world mourns the sudden passing of JMU's Lauren Bernett, our episode will reflect on her life and the continuing fight for mental health. We discuss the impact social media and increasing pressures have on softball players and us as a society. The guys open up and share their personal experiences during this episode. 

We also will air Eric Lopez's interview from Monday with Boston Head Coach Ashley Waters. This weekend, the Terriers enter the nation's longest winning streak at 23 games. Coach Waters talks about how her team has brought it all together this season and coaching with a bit of extra incentive for this season.

We wrap up the show with final thoughts and some numbers that help those in need. If you or someone you love needs help, contact the NAMI (National Association on Mental Illness) HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or text NAMI to 741741. 

With Selection Sunday less than a month away, it's time for one of our newest pastimes on In The Circle. Eric Lopez chats with DI Softball Committee Chairwoman Sandy Atkins in-depth about the selection process. They discuss various subjects from hosting criteria, making the field of 64, seeding teams, and other key topics. This is a must-listen interview if you were ever wondering what goes through the process. Atkins also discusses what she's learned from being on the committee in the last few years. 
 
After our conversation, we briefly recap a wild weekend in DI and DII, plus Eric admits that figuring out the tournament field might be one of his biggest challenges. 

It's Thursday, which means a new episode of In The Circle, and the boys have A LOT to say. They always have a lot today, but more so today than usual. We start with Victor's thoughts on the initial DII and DIII regional rankings. He looks at how the initial rankings match up with his mock rankings from #D2Tuesdays and how it could look down the road. It also includes the possibility that the two schools that played for the National Championship (West Texas A&M and Biloa) could miss the tournament. 

Eric Lopez then sits down with Weber State Head Coach Mary Kay Amicone. The Wildcats enter this weekend as the only undefeated team in Big Sky play and looking to make it back to the NCAA Tournament. Coach Amicone reflects on their strong season so far and the mission to return to the postseason. She also talks about coaching with Jo Evans at Utah, building back the Weber State program, and more. 

Afterward, the guys looked at the USA Softball Player of the Year Finalists. There were a few snubs. The guys were not too happy about it.