BY: Jason Martin
With so many sports programs across the country being affected by the CoViD-19 virus, there can be positives taken from the nationwide sports hiatus that was put into effect by the NCAA and the Gulf South Conference. One benefit to the stoppage in play could lay with the AUM softball team. The Warhawks were tabbed to be one of the top teams in the country after being picked third in the Gulf South Conference preseason polls, and that is where they currently stand at the break. After winning seven games in a row, the Orange & Black brought their record to 17-5 on the year with an 8-4 record in conference action. The Warhawks were about to enter a critical GSC series at the AUM Softball Complex against No. 25 Alabama Huntsville, but the season was put on hold the day of the first game.
The intriguing element to this situation when it pertains to softball is the new eligibility rule put into place by the NCAA. Allowing an extra year of playing time for the seniors means one more year of play for some of AUM’s greatest softball players. The Warhawks’ all-time stolen base lead Parker Pinholster, all-time doubles leader Jaycie Walker, GSC RBI leader Kendall Tucker, and four-year standout pitcher Chanel Newcomer were all slated to graduate this spring. With the extra year of eligibility, along with incoming freshmen, the Warhawks could turn into a national force in 2021.
If the NCAA salvages a year of eligibility for all other players in addition to the seniors, AUM can utilize an extra year of players like Alanna Goble, Lauren Haskins, and Molly Cobb to set themselves apart in the GSC. The newcomers will, like always, need to adjust to the college game— especially in the south region where softball and baseball reign supreme.