Razorbacks open season at Puerto Vallarta College Challenge
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 8 Arkansas Razorbacks open the 2022 season in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge with five games over three days. The Razorbacks will be one of the first teams in the NCAA to take the field in the new season when they square off against Rutgers at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. The Hogs are scheduled to play doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday, drawing Memphis and No. 7 Washington on Friday and Long Beach State and the Huskies again on Saturday. All five games of opening weekend will be available on FloSports.
The Schedule
Thursday, Feb. 10
Rutgers – 10 a.m.
Friday, Feb. 11
Memphis – 12:30 p.m.
No. 7 Washington – 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 12
Long Beach State – 6 p.m.
No. Washington – 8:30 p.m.
Need to Know
Arkansas is coming off the program’s first SEC regular season title (shared with Florida) last season, going 19-5 in conference play. The Razorbacks became the first team not named Florida or Alabama to win the conference’s regular season title since Tennessee in 2007. On the road against league competition, the Hogs went 11-1, producing the most wins on the road during conference play by an SEC team since 2013 when the league adopted the current 24-game schedule. Arkansas posted a 43-11 overall record, recording the best win percentage (.796) and second-most total wins in program history. In the NCAA Tournament, Arkansas earned the No. 6 national need and swept the Fayetteville Regional before hosting the program’s first Super Regional at Bogle Park.
Arkansas in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge
The Razorbacks are making their second appearance in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, and their first since 2019. Arkansas went 3-1 at the 2019 tournament, defeating North Dakota State (7-6), Northern Colorado (11-0) and Sacramento State (8-2) and falling to No. 5 Washington (3-2). The Hogs will face Washington twice on this trip to Puerto Vallarta along with Rutgers, Memphis and Long Beach State. The Razorbacks are 2-1 against Rutgers but have not played since 2011. The Hogs have never beaten Washington in three games. Arkansas and Memphis meet for just the fifth time on Friday with the Razorbacks holding a 3-1 advantage. The two schools have not played since 2017. Saturday’s game against Long Beach State will be just the sixth meeting with LBSU and first since 2011. Arkansas is 1-4 all time against LBSU.
Bogle Bombers
Last season, Arkansas tied for fourth nationally and led the SEC, mashing a school record 95 home runs. The team shattered the previous program record of 65 long balls hit in 2008. The total ranks 10th in the SEC record book for most home runs in a single-season and were the most hit in a single season hit by an SEC team since Tennessee clubbed 100 in 2015. In 2022, Arkansas returns hitters that accounted for 50 of last year’s 95 taters, led by designated player Linnie Malkin’s 18 bombs.
Haff Back for 2022
Pitcher Mary Haff captured Arkansas’ first SEC Pitcher of the Year award last season, pitching to a 26-7 record with five saves and a 1.55 ERA over 198.1 innings pitched. She struck out 198 hitters compared to just 39 walks issued. Haff was named an NFCA First Team All-American, becoming the first pitcher in program history to earn first team All-America recognition. USA Softball named Haff a Collegiate Player of the Year Top 10 Finalist. Haff was tremendous in conference play, and among pitchers who threw at least 80.0 innings, led the league in wins (11), saves (4) and appearances (19) while placing fourth in ERA (2.01) and strikeouts (79). Against Texas Tech, she hurled her second career no hitter, striking out six over 5.0 innings, and was one error away from a perfect game. Haff threw her first no-no against Northern Colorado in 2018 as a freshman and is the only pitcher in program history with multiple no-hitters. The Winter Haven, Fla. native sits atop the program’s career record book tallying 77 wins and 13 saves.
Coach of the Year
In her sixth season guiding the Arkansas softball program, head coach Courtney Deifel was named SEC Coach of the Year last season, becoming the second skipper in school history to earn the award, and first since Carrie Dever-Boaz in 1999. The Hogs began conference play winning 12 straight games, notching the fifth-best league start in SEC history and captured the program’s first SEC title. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) awarded Deifel and the coaching staff the South Region Staff of the Year. Since Deifel took over in 2016, the Razorbacks have been ranked 53 times in the NFCA Coaches’ Poll after previously being ranked only once in program history. Deifel’s record in Fayetteville is 190-117 and 50-71 in SEC games. Her Razorbacks teams have qualified for the NCAA Tournament four times, the most among any coach in program history.
Steady Veteran
Redshirt senior outfielder Hannah McEwen has been as consistent as can be for the Hogs the last four season and her name is littered throughout the program record book. McEwen is the program’s career leader in batting average (.359), and ranks second in on-base percentage (.460), third in runs scored (156), fourth in walks (94), fifth in doubles (36), sixth in slugging percentage (.538) and eighth in hits (206) and RBI (111).
Gibson, Haff named Preseason All-SEC, Third-Team All-America
Seniors Danielle Gibson and Mary Haff have been named preseason All-SEC by the league’s coaches. The duo has also been named third-team preseason All-America by Softball America. Gibson slugged her way through the 2021 season, slashing .355/.408/.721 with 15 home runs and 51 RBIs to pick up NFCA Second-Team All-America honors. She also added All-SEC second team and SEC All-Defensive Team accolades to her redshirt junior campaign that helped Arkansas to its first-ever Southeastern Conference title in 2021. Haff is coming off a stellar 2021 season earning SEC co-Pitcher of the Year along with NFCA First-Team All-America and All-SEC honors. She became the first Arkansas pitcher in program history to earn SEC Pitcher of the Year status and the first pitcher at Arkansas to be named first-team All-America by the NFCA. She went 26-7 last season with five saves and a 1.55 ERA over 40 appearances, 25 starts.
Razorbacks picked to finish 3rd in SEC The defending Southeastern Conference champion Arkansas Razorbacks have been picked to finish third in the league this season by the league’s coaches. Points for the poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 basis. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.
The Portal delivers
Arkansas dipped into the transfer portal this offseason and came away with fourth athletes that are expected to contribute this season.
Outfielder KB Sides joins the Razorbacks from Alabama. Sides was a staple in the Crimson Tide’s lineup over the last three years, starting 143 games in her career. This past season she started 47 of the 48 games she played in earning NFCA Third-Team All-South Region and a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team. She hit .314 with 11 doubles while posting a .405 on-base percentage.
Pitcher Chenise Delce transferred from Tulsa with two years eligibility. Delce produced a stellar career for the Golden Hurricane in the circle going 29-15 with a 2.12 ERA in 57 games, 47 starts, with 279 strikeouts while opponents hit just .219 against her over three years. This past year, the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma native went 8-6 with a 3.30 ERA over 19 games, 16 starts.
Pitcher Callie Turner became a Razorback in July, transferring from Tennessee with three years eligibility. The Land O’Lakes, Fla. native made 40 career appearances spanning the 2020 and 2021 seasons and posted an 18-10 record, 2.50 ERA and 103 strikeouts over 168.1 innings pitched.
Catcher Taylor Ellsworth is a graduate transfer from Texas. At Texas she played in 171 games (162 starts) earning NFCA All-Region Second Team (2021), NFCA All-Region First Team (2017), All-Big 12 First Team (2017), Big 12 All-Freshman Team (2017). As a Longhorn she totaled a .320/.387/.482 slash line with 144 hits, 25 doubles, 16 home runs, 54 walks and 89 RBI.
11 Arkansas games set for ESPN family of networks
The Razorbacks will appear on ESPN’s family of networks 11 times during the regular season this spring in addition to having games available on SEC Network+. All of Arkansas’ home games that will not be broadcast on ESPN’s family of linear networks are scheduled to be available on SEC Network+ starting Feb. 24 against Louisville.
Lots Back for Backs
Arkansas brings back a lot from last year’s SEC champion squad. On the mound, Mary Haff leads the way on a pitching staff that returns 258 strikeouts (78.4%) from last year. Haff’s 198 led the team last year and ranked 30th nationally. Her 198.1 innings also paced the squad and are a big reason why 73.7% of last season’s innings return to the circle for the Razorbacks. In the lineup, the Hogs return five players that started at least 30 games in Linnie Malkin (54), Danielle Gibson (50), Hannah McEwan (44), Hannah Gammill (38) and Sam Torres (32). Gibson’s 61 hits, 16 doubles and 51 RBIs led the team and Malkin’s 18 homers led the way. The roster brings back 183 runs (62.7%), 217 hits (57.9%), 37 doubles (61.7%), 50 home runs (52.6%) and 157 RBIs (56.5%).
Talented Newbies
The Razorbacks’ freshman class features four players that were ranked in the Top 50 nationally by various media outlets. Madi Conklin (No. 46 by Extra Inning Softball), Raigan Kramer (No. 28 by Extra Inning Softball), Spencer Prigge (No. 27 by FloSoftball) and Ally Sockey (No. 27 by Extra Inning Softball) lead a talented group of seven signees.
Hogs haul in many postseason awards
Pitcher Mary Haff earned SEC Co-Pitcher of the Year honors, becoming the first Arkansas pitcher to win the award in program history. Courtney Deifel garnered SEC Coach of the Year recognition, the first for Arkansas since Carie Dever-Boaz in 1999. The Razorbacks also saw Haff and infielder Braxton Burnside named to the All-SEC First Team and infielder Danielle Gibson, outfielder Hannah McEwen and pitcher Autumn Storms tabbed to the All-SEC Second team. Additionally, Gibson earned SEC All-Defensive Team recognition and pitcher Jenna Bloom was named to the All-SEC Newcomer Team. The five total selections on the first and second team is the most in a single year in program history.
Sooie Sluggers
Three Arkansas sluggers entered the program’s single-season top five leaders in home runs just last season. The top two single-season power marks in school history were both set last year by Braxton Burnside and Linnie Malkin. Danielle Gibson placed fourth with 15 homers also in 2021. As a team Arkansas obliterated the school record hitting 95 home runs. The previous team high in the Deifel era was 59 home runs in 2017, which ranks fifth in school history.
ARKANSAS SINGLE SEASON HOME RUN LEADERS
Rank – Player – Home Runs – Year
1. Braxton Burnside – 25 – 2021
2. Linnie Malkin – 18 – 2021
3. Nicole Schroeder – 17 – 2017
4. Danielle Gibson – 15 – 2021
Devon Wallace – 15 – 2012
Jessica Bachkora – 15 – 2010
ARKANSAS SINGLE SEASON TEAM HOME RUN LEADERS
Rank – Year – Home Runs
1. 2021 – 95
2. 2008 – 65
3. 2013 – 61
40 Watch
Last season Arkansas went 43-11, becoming the fourth team in program history to eclipse 40 wins in a season. The 2018 Hogs, the first Super Regional team in program history, went 42-17. In 1999 Arkansas went 46-29 and 44-31 in 2000 under head coach Carrie Dever-Boaz, the only teams in program history to win 40+ games in back-to-back seasons.
Walk It Out
In addition to ranking second in the country in homers last year, the Razorbacks were also tied for seventh in the country and third in the SEC in walks (208) behind Oklahoma (238), Northern Iowa (226), Southern Illinois (223), UNCG (216), Florida (209), Missouri (209) and tied with Florida State (208). All eight of the teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Outfielder Hannah McEwen has walked 0.80 times per game, ranking second in the SEC and 14th nationally.
