What an embarrassing finish to another mediocre season
by soflalum (2018-05-23 21:25:31)

In reply to: That puts us "in the conversation". 21-4 final.  posted by Johncardinalohara

Post Reply Return to Jake's Field

We are a bottom feeder in the ACC, along with BC, whose home field is a football parking lot. in addition to Aoki, I can't understand how the ND softball and women's lacrosse coaches keep their jobs. This is Duke's first year fielding a softball team and they beat us two of three games at ND, with a team of freshmen. In women's lacrosse, Northwestern has multiple national titles and BC made the national championship last year, and beat us twice this year, and we can't make the NCAA tournament.

I agree Aoki and Halfpenny should be fired, but getting rid
by Domerduck  (2018-05-24 00:16:44)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

of Gumpf, one of two ACC coaches (other FSU) to make the NCAAs this year because we lost a home series to a 29-27 Duke who has been developing this team for three years and had 5 transfer and 5 redshirts makes no sense to me. Clearly some folks want her gone because despite making the NCAAs in every year she's been at ND, her teams have never made it to the super regionals, i.e sweet 16. ND played a very tough schedule and beat several NCAA tourney teams even though they lost bad to Kentucky on their field.

I do think Gumpf needs to keep winning and stay ahead of newcomers like Duke. She also needs to make a break through like Brey did late in his tenure with those two elite 8 runs and get past regionals. I am pulling for her and don't think she deserves to be fired. Unlike baseball, the ACC is not very strong in softball which is dominated by the PAC12 and SEC but ND like FSU are really their only true bright spots.
Your second paragraph is spot on
by soflalum  (2018-05-24 08:09:13)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

The ACC is indeed weak in softball right now, but that appears to be changing. As we both have noted, Duke is in their first year and seems to be serious about it. Here in south Florida, Miami is talking about adding softball - hard to believe that they don't already have a team. So now is time for ND to reach for the next level. Hope that you are correct and that our current coach is the answer.