BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU softball team held its annual media day on Tuesday in the Lawton Room at Tiger Stadium on campus. Head coach Beth Torina and select student-athletes met with the media to preview the 2018 season.
Torina, now in her seventh season at the helm of the program, led off the press conference previewing the season and giving a rundown of the team’s theme for the year. She also went through 2017’s successes and looked ahead to the season opener that takes place next Thursday. After taking questions from the media, the student-athletes broke out into individual interviews.
The Tigers go into the season opener ranked in the top 10 of both major national polls, coming in at No. 8 in both the NFCA and the ESPN/USA Softball polls. The team is coming off their third-consecutive trip to the Women’s College World Series.
LSU returns 13 letterwinners, including All-Americans in Allie Walljasper and Carley Hoover. Other key returners include Emily Griggs, Aliyah Andrews and Amber Serrett, to go along with seven newcomers.
The Tigers open up the 2018 season on Thursday, February 8 at Tiger Park, playing host to Illinois-Chicago at 6 p.m. before hosting the annual Tiger Classic February 9 and 10. For a full 2018 schedule, click here.
Head Coach Beth Torina Media Day Transcript
Opening Statement …
“As we enter the 25th year of LSU softball, 22 of those in the SEC, I am really proud of what the team has accomplished with myself and my staff, and the great players we have had over the last few years. Three trips in a row to the College World Series. Only two schools in the country can say that and we are really proud of that. I am proud to be at the helm and the state of the program that it is in now. I am excited about the future.
I know a lot of the question in the room today will be about what we lost, and of course losing Sahvanna (Jaquish), Bailey Landry, Constance Quinn, even Layna Savoie who brought a lot to our team as a teammate. I think those are huge shoes to fill. I think Howard (Dobson) said it great. We are not going to fill them, we are going to get new shoes. The thing that concerns me in what we lost is that they were the only players on our team that understood what it felt like to not finish their year in the College World Series. They brought in different sense of urgency to our program. Their freshman year, they lost in the regional and did not go to the College World Series that year. They brought a different feeling, a different sense of urgency.
Every kid on our team that is a returner has no understanding except what it is like to finish their year in the College World Series. It is a pretty cool statement to make. It is also something that, as a coach, you hope your kids don’t assume that they are going to be there because it is so hard and so tough to be there. We see that every year with our postseason run, where we like to put everyone on heart medication through. I think that having our kids understanding how to win is great, but not having that fear in them is one thing that we have to make sure this team doesn’t take with them to Oklahoma City for granted.
This kind of led us to our theme for the year of “On Board.” One thing we do every year is that we have a theme. We sit as a staff in the summer and come up with what will fit for this group. One thing we wanted for this group is that all of our team is on board and they are pulling together. They are all fighting for everything that the program stands for and they are all trying to find their own personality and their own niche. They are all on board and pulling in the same direction. The theme has to do with growing. It is all about growing in the same direction and really making sure that we never stop growing and always pulling in the same direction.
We are led by a phenomenal senior class. These are the guys that have done it for us all three of their years in the College World Series. Allie Walljasper, who is a two-time all-American just had ice water in her veins since the first time she threw at Tiger Park her freshman year. She has been phenomenal. She is the player every coach dreams of coaching. She is all that she is cracked up to be.
Carley Hoover, who has had an unbelievable preseason, just went out and made our National Team. Just a fabulous athlete and a talent.
Emily Griggs who has been a mainstay for us. When we watch her at practice, she just knows how to play the game. She looks different then everyone else. She looks like a senior, she looks like a veteran. She understands how to play the position, she understands how to play an at-bat. It is amazing to have someone like that.
Then a name that maybe you’ve haven’t heard of as much is Sydney Loupe. She sat behind Sahvanna and Kellsi Kloss the last three years. She has been a huge contributor. We would not have been able to do it without her, catching those pitchers in the bullpen and doing all of that. She is going to have some more opportunities this year. These guys are really special and we are really proud of they have accomplished in their careers. 152 wins with those four young ladies. It is an amazing accomplishment.
We have some newcomers that I think you will see. If you ask me about the lineup today, I am not going to have any answers. We have three or four scrimmages left before we play. We have been a little bit hampered by the weather of getting some live at-bats and things that we would like to see. I don’t think we are close to a lineup today. I can tell you we will see some of these newcomers, especially the two new transfers, Michaela Schlattman and Becca Schulte. Both come with a ton of honors and a ton of success and a ton of experience. Those guys are going to be in the lineup somewhere. They are both really talented. They do a lot of things. Becca plays shortstop and second base. Michaela plays anywhere we ask her to. She was a shortstop at Miami of Ohio. They are both going to see time. They bring a lot to us, just as human beings too. Micaela led our team in community service in the fall. Becca is the loudest voice on the field a lot of days.
I think we have as much depth in any position as I have seen. I am confident in, not just a starter or the one in front, I am also confident in the backup at every spot. Who the starter is and who the backup is has yet to be determined, but I am confident in at least two people at every position. I can’t say I have always felt that way about the program. I love our depth. I love that we will be able to do some matchups. We will be able to put some people in spots where they will be successful and I am truly confident with one through 21 in our team.
Our schedule is as tough as ever. We play five of seven in the World Series, can’t play ourselves. We have 38 games against the top 25 from last year. We have 37 home games. There is no place better than Tiger Park and we open with Illinois-Chicago, who is a regional team from last year. They were in the Oregon regional last year. Six o’clock next Thursday night. Hopefully the weather cooperates with us, we get in everything we need to get in, and this team will be very prepared for the first pitch. I have truly enjoyed the work and effort that these guys have put in. This has been a fun team up to this point and I just hope this continues to get more fun as we head through the season.”
On how she goes about coaching a team that has never not made the World Series …
“One thing we talk about is whatever our ranking is, or whatever our place in the country is, we try to work like we are on the bottom. We work like we are ranked 300 and we try to go out and play like we are the best team in the country. When we are at practice, we try to work like we are at the bottom and really just focus on every detail, everything we can, and put in the work and the effort.”
On Carley Hoover and Allie Walljasper entering their final year …
“When I heard you say outside that they were both seniors and this is it for them, I kind of wanted to cry. They are so special and they have done so much. The fact that we have two as talented as them, it is tough for any school to say that they have one equal to what those guys are. The fact that we have two arms like that is just an amazing thing for his program. I think it’s funny to think of them as people and pitchers. They are night and day, opposite in every single thing. I would imagine that they would order the opposite food at lunch. They just operate completely opposite. One throws hard, and one throws the changeup. From every single thing. You think about it, if you just watch it on the mound Carly is going to give you a fist pump and Allie is going to give you the straight poker face at all times. It has been fun seeing them play off of each other. They have developed a really neat relationship and I know the combination of the two of them is a huge reason why we are where we are.”
On what she is expecting from the sophomore class in making a jump …
“I think we talk about the Jaquish and the Landry and those guys, but they had four years to make those names. I think you are going to think of that as the Doyle and the Andrews and those guys. I think you are going to have the same feeling about these names when it is all said and done. The fact that they were out there their freshman year, I can’t even explain the experience that they got. A lot of people talk about a sophomore slump, but I don’t think you get to be that phenomenal freshman in the SEC with how tough it is. The fact that they have all those games under their belt. They look like different people out there. They look confident, they look aggressive, and they look with less frustration. It is amazing to see those guys, Springfield, Doyle, Andrews that have all this experience and played in a lot of games last year. I know they are going to do big things for us. I think these are the next names that you are going to be asking me in a few years about, ‘what are you going to do to replace these guys.’ They are them. They are here. They are just younger and have to make their names.”
On if they are behind schedule without having a lineup yet …
“I don’t think so. We can attribute that to our depth. They are making it hard for me to name a lineup, which is an awesome problem to have. I think you are going to see a lot of faces the first weekend. I don’t think we have a set lineup until we get to March and even then I still think we can matchup against different pitchers from the SEC, different people from our opponents. I don’t think we have to be necessarily set. We have a team with a lot of talent and a lot of different skills. We have some specific speed players. We have some big swingers. We have some people with a lot of different niche area skill. I think we will be able to use them in a lot of different ways.”
On how the catchers have looked …
“That is the question. Having a bunch of new faces back there when we have had all-SEC catchers for the last few years. We have a freshman catcher, CC Caccamise. She is very talented out of San Diego. Sydney Loupe I mentioned. Michaela Schlattman can catch. She did not catch at her previous university, but she has caught before in her life and looks good. Sydney Springfield stepped up to the plate and said ‘I can go back there, I can do it if the team needs it.’ She is doing some really cool things back there too. Like what we are seeing from her. It is another option for us to get another big bat in our lineup.”
On how the pitching staff looks outside of Hoover and Walljasper …
“I think they are going to be huge contributors. Both Maribeth Gorsuch and Shelbi Sunseri are really talented, very special. Maribeth, I would say her along with Elyse Thornhill, are the two most improved players from the fall. I think she truly earned the confidence of the staff and of her teammates during the fall. I think she is going to do a lot of things. She was very highly recruited. Same with Shelbi Sunseri. You may see Shelbi Sunseri more as a hitter here in the beginning than a pitcher. She throws hard and does a lot of good things on the mound.”
On where she feels like she has advanced the LSU softball program …
“I think LSU is a really special place. I don’t think that took me to make that happen. I think LSU is phenomenal. I think any kid in the country should want to be a part of this. What is afforded to these student athletes is absolutely amazing here and the support is unmatched. The culture of Louisiana is fantastic. These athletes are loved and cherished, and treated with a ton of respect. I think that is really fun. There has been a huge history and tradition of LSU softball long before me. I am proud to be a part of what Coach Girouard really laid the foundation for with Tiger Park and all the things that came before me. I am just proud to be a part of it, so what we have done in the last few years is really the hard work and dedication of a lot of people that came before us.”
On what it means to have Sahvanna Jaquish as an assistant coach …
“It is really awesome to have Sahvanna as an assistant coach. She is so talented as a player, but she may be more talented as a coach. She understands what it takes to be a great softball player she also understands what it takes to be a great LSU softball player. To have someone truly buy into your system, and understand and be able to communicate it to the players is unbelievable. She keeps us honest in the office she can say ‘coach that really didn’t work for us you should cut that out,’ or she can say ‘hey we love this.’ I think that keeps us a little bit grounded.She can communicate with them very effectively. The fact that we have been able to keep her around has been just amazing for all of us I think she has a huge future in coaching if that is what she decides to do, but I think she is a superstar and could do just about anything that she wanted.”
On how to get over the hump and winning a National Championship …
“I wish I knew the answer to that question, I really do. I wish I had the answer of what it takes to win a national championship, but we have no idea if we are this close or this far having not done it. I think I said something to that effect last year. We really don’t know until we are there. I know we are going to keep knocking on the door, and keep doing everything that we can. Hopefully it falls in place one of these years. I think with our pitching staff, and the things that they have accomplished. They have the opportunity to do big things. They have the opportunity to beat any team in the country.”
On if the pressure to win it all build with each trip to the World Series …
“I don’t feel that way at all. I don’t feel more pressure to win. I think the pressure of getting there is unbelievable. I think what you have to go through in our sport to even make it to Super Regionals at this point and then to face somebody in an Super Regional as talented as a Florida State or a James Madison or somebody like that. I think the road to the college world series is tough. Once you get there you just play ball. Once you get there you just have to play and be more talented, and I think getting there is a huge accomplishment. Hopefully I’ll get to tell you what winning it feels like one of these years, but I don’t feel more pressure. I feel like getting there is a huge accomplishment. Hopefully we can find out what happens from there.”
On how Carley Hoover has improved …
“Carley has done a lot of things in this off-season. I think her location is better than ever we are seeing consistent velocities from her. She has done a lot of work here. She has been a little limited with injuries, but now she is healthy again, but I think using the time that she has had she has used it effectively. She is in great shape. She can teach a yoga class in town. I mean this kid works really hard, and she’s super athletic, so I think she will be very prepared for the season.”
On what her players have learned about the SEC …
“We are the only sport in the SEC that 13 of our 13 teams made it in the postseason. It is arguably the toughest sport in the SEC right now. 13 of our 13 teams making it so there is no off weekend, there is no time to catch your breath, there is no moment to face somebody’s pitcher on a Saturday. You are getting the best of the best every time you go out, and I think that has proven to be great for us in the long run as we go through the season. The fact that we have battled and competed three times, three days, eight times throughout the season, so when we get to the post season our kids are prepared, they feel ready, they are challenged, they have been challenged, but they are able to compete against anybody you put on the field with them.”
On the health of the team …
“I think we are good. I think we are 100 percent, and I think everybody is feeling good. They are excited. This is the toughest week we have of practice because it is the week before the week, so it’s hard to go out there and try to push down some of the excitement and get our work in, but I think everybody is at 100 percent and we are feeling ready to go.”
On some of the rule changes this year such as blocking home plate …
“I think that is a significant one for us. I think cleaning up the wording of that. I think there was a little too much of a judgment call there. I think we have cleaned up the wording, and it should be simpler for umpires to call and should be easier for our players to understand. The illegal pitch being just the ball on the batter now, not a base is a pretty significant one. I think there is a few that will be good for the sport. I am a traditionalist, so I don’t like to see a ton of change in the rules, but I think both of those will be good for us.”
For all of the latest news and information on Tiger softball, visit www.lsusports.net/softball. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/lsusoftball along with @lsusoftball and @BethTorina on Twitter and @lsusoftball on Instagram.