Torina Honored with NFCA 2024 Humanitarian Award
Head Coach Beth Torina will be honored with the NFCA 2024 Humanitarian Award during the NFCA Awards Brunch on Dec. 7 in Dallas, Texas.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – LSU Softball head coach Beth Torina is the recipient of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s 2024 Humanitarian Award for her tireless work to raise awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research.
The Humanitarian Award recognizes an NFCA member coach who has selflessly dedicated their time toward the long-term betterment of the community and engages in charitable activities to serve others. Torina will be honored in front of her peers on Dec. 7 during the NFCA Awards Brunch at the 2024 NFCA Convention in Dallas, Texas.
“Beth has rallied thousands of people over many years not to bring attention to herself or her program, but to use the sport of softball to defeat ovarian cancer,” said NFCA Executive Director Carol Bruggeman. “In doing so, her efforts have brought together not only people within the LSU community and the SEC, but also within the softball community nationwide. Her service to this cause has been an inspiration to all.”
LSU has hosted an annual Strikeout Ovarian Cancer Teal Game since 2013, preceded by the Geaux Teal Ovarian Cancer Awareness walk. Torina, the founder of Geaux Teal, was accompanied by 216 walkers and raised $16,000 in the inaugural walk in 2013. In 2019, the event set records with 1,080 participants and raised $87,198.
In 2021, the awareness expanded to the entire Southeastern Conference softball community with the All for Alex campaign to honor the legacy of Mississippi State’s Alex Wilcox, a joint effort of Torina and Mississippi State head coach Samantha Ricketts. During the 2018 collegiate softball season, Wilcox inspired the nation with her courageous fight against ovarian cancer. Due to their collective efforts in supporting Wilcox in various forms throughout the 2018 season, the SEC honored the SEC softball teams with the 2018 Female Sportsmanship Award. Wilcox fought hard to the end, passing away in the summer of 2018.
Torina has dedicated her time and talents to many initiatives surrounding this disease, which is the fifth-leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States, after the battle her mother, Betty Dieter, fought and survived. Witnessing this helped Torina appreciate time with family and made her more aware of how she treats her body. Today, Torina continues to incorporate these lessons into her everyday life and educate young women in her program.