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Softball
6 p.m.
vs Pima CC
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Thursday, February 8
Phoenix, Ariz.
5:30 PM
Grand Canyon
vs
Montana
Coro: Softball sticks to same goals
2/8/2018 10:13:00 AM | Softball, Paul Coro
Lopes culture gives chance to win WAC again
On the day after the Super Bowl, the Grand Canyon softball team arrived customarily early for practice and gathered in the GCU Softball Stadium's foul territory like their team Super Bowl party never stopped.
Everything is done as a group – setting up, talking, laughing, warming up. They are as together as the gloves that they line up facing the same way in a bunch on the right-field line. They consistently carry the right energy and attitude daily, going through a series of warm-up exercises with efficiency and special handshakes.
And it is all player-led. This is why GCU head coach Ann Pierson cites culture as the best attribute of a team that takes the field Thursday night as the defending Western Athletic Conference champions in its first year of Division I postseason eligibility.
"It's one thing to have talented kids but if they don't get along and aren't cohesive, it's going to be a disaster," said Pierson, who started the Lopes softball program in 2004. "They push each other. We work on accountability a lot. It can't come from me or one of my assistant coaches all the time. It has to be consistent so that's the expectation of work ethic. I'll hear one of them say, 'That's not how we do things here. This is how we do it.' And I don't even need to know what it is and I'll hear that and just keep walking because the kids have been taught that since they came in as freshmen."
The Lopes are coming off their second WAC championship in four years and are opening a new stadium for Thursday night's doubleheader against Montana and Friday and Saturday night's games against national champion Oklahoma.
They were again picked as the conference favorite but the goals now include a NCAA postseason bid with 15 returnees, including seven position starters and two starting pitchers.
"We're super-excited about this year's team," Lopes senior center fielder Laynee Gomez said. "This is definitely the most athletic team I've been on in the four years here. So much talent. We've been building up to this and we're so excited for the playoffs this year.
"Everyone is coming for us now rather than us coming for them. But we like that. We like the pressure."
Pierson brings back two experienced pitchers, sophomore Briana Aguilar-Beaucage and senior Mariah Valencia, and adds two freshmen, Alexa Coons and Yesenia Morrison, that compliment them well.
Aguilar-Beaucage, an All-WAC Preseason Team pick, went 10-7 with a 2.87 earned run average last season and gained experience and a change-up in the offseason by playing for the Canadian national team in the Canada Cup and the Junior Women's Softball World Championship.
"I forget that she's only a sophomore," Pierson said. "She seems so much older to me."
Her heavy downball style contrasts Valencia, who goes side to side with an outstanding change-up and some risers. The biggest difference with Valencia is health after a hip injury sidelined her for conference play last season. With health, her pitch velocity has improved.
"Our defense is basically amazing," Valencia said. "There's never a moment when I have a doubt in my defense when I'm throwing. I completely trust my defense and I think our offense is going to be awesome this year. I know if I do give up runs, they'll pick me up."
That lefty-heavy offensive attack is led by three more All-WAC Preseason Team picks – junior twin infielders Shea and Sierra Smith, who hit .364 and .349, respectively, last season and senior catcher Kendsey Hill, who hit .336 last season.
Pierson also has seen improvement in several players, like junior outfielder Madelyn Dowdle, whose defensive angles, arm strength, throwing accuracy and hitting all have upgraded after she entered GCU as a second baseman.
"I like our depth," Pierson said. "I like our athleticism. Our power has increased. Our speed has increased. I like where we're at."
The Lopes will put the new GCU Softball Stadium to good use, hosting five tournaments so that the Lopes are playing 25 of their first 30 games at home before WAC play begins. GCU went 23-5 at home last season when it had the new field, dugouts and batting cages without the 1,200-seat stadium that was constructed in the offseason.
Non-conference opponents include Oklahoma, Stanford, Arkansas, UCLA, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio State, Cal State Fullerton and Utah.
"They want to play us because of our RPI and they know we're not a roll-over team," Pierson said. "I understand the win-loss but I understand the RPI more. We want to get better. If we're going to get our teeth kicked in, that's only going to make us tougher for WAC. I'm going to learn as a coach because I'm getting to coach against these coaches. Hopefully, it prepares us for the NCAA so we've already played these teams. Hopefully, we can get ourselves into a region and we don't just roll over because we're scared."
There is a dedication to goals and each other that often starts before the sun comes up. They are walking across campus together at about 5:30 a.m. to head to weight training three times a week. At night, they can be seen attending other Lopes teams' games as a group.
"I can't wait to come back and see them as they grow," Gomez said. "The next couple of years are going to be awesome."
She attended the game that the Lopes clinched their first WAC title as a recruit in 2014. She hit .304 for the one that won the conference last year. The seniors have established the program but now have NCAA tournament eligibility to ascend it again.
"Postseason, it's crazy," Valencia said. "It's something I've always wanted to play since I was a little girl. I've always wanted to play postseason against the big dogs. When we win the WAC and then win the WAC (Softball Tournament) again and then play UofA (in the season finale), hopefully we'll go to regionals."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
Â
Everything is done as a group – setting up, talking, laughing, warming up. They are as together as the gloves that they line up facing the same way in a bunch on the right-field line. They consistently carry the right energy and attitude daily, going through a series of warm-up exercises with efficiency and special handshakes.
And it is all player-led. This is why GCU head coach Ann Pierson cites culture as the best attribute of a team that takes the field Thursday night as the defending Western Athletic Conference champions in its first year of Division I postseason eligibility.
"It's one thing to have talented kids but if they don't get along and aren't cohesive, it's going to be a disaster," said Pierson, who started the Lopes softball program in 2004. "They push each other. We work on accountability a lot. It can't come from me or one of my assistant coaches all the time. It has to be consistent so that's the expectation of work ethic. I'll hear one of them say, 'That's not how we do things here. This is how we do it.' And I don't even need to know what it is and I'll hear that and just keep walking because the kids have been taught that since they came in as freshmen."
The Lopes are coming off their second WAC championship in four years and are opening a new stadium for Thursday night's doubleheader against Montana and Friday and Saturday night's games against national champion Oklahoma.
They were again picked as the conference favorite but the goals now include a NCAA postseason bid with 15 returnees, including seven position starters and two starting pitchers.
"We're super-excited about this year's team," Lopes senior center fielder Laynee Gomez said. "This is definitely the most athletic team I've been on in the four years here. So much talent. We've been building up to this and we're so excited for the playoffs this year.
"Everyone is coming for us now rather than us coming for them. But we like that. We like the pressure."
Pierson brings back two experienced pitchers, sophomore Briana Aguilar-Beaucage and senior Mariah Valencia, and adds two freshmen, Alexa Coons and Yesenia Morrison, that compliment them well.
Aguilar-Beaucage, an All-WAC Preseason Team pick, went 10-7 with a 2.87 earned run average last season and gained experience and a change-up in the offseason by playing for the Canadian national team in the Canada Cup and the Junior Women's Softball World Championship.
"I forget that she's only a sophomore," Pierson said. "She seems so much older to me."
Her heavy downball style contrasts Valencia, who goes side to side with an outstanding change-up and some risers. The biggest difference with Valencia is health after a hip injury sidelined her for conference play last season. With health, her pitch velocity has improved.
"Our defense is basically amazing," Valencia said. "There's never a moment when I have a doubt in my defense when I'm throwing. I completely trust my defense and I think our offense is going to be awesome this year. I know if I do give up runs, they'll pick me up."
That lefty-heavy offensive attack is led by three more All-WAC Preseason Team picks – junior twin infielders Shea and Sierra Smith, who hit .364 and .349, respectively, last season and senior catcher Kendsey Hill, who hit .336 last season.
Pierson also has seen improvement in several players, like junior outfielder Madelyn Dowdle, whose defensive angles, arm strength, throwing accuracy and hitting all have upgraded after she entered GCU as a second baseman.
"I like our depth," Pierson said. "I like our athleticism. Our power has increased. Our speed has increased. I like where we're at."
The Lopes will put the new GCU Softball Stadium to good use, hosting five tournaments so that the Lopes are playing 25 of their first 30 games at home before WAC play begins. GCU went 23-5 at home last season when it had the new field, dugouts and batting cages without the 1,200-seat stadium that was constructed in the offseason.
Non-conference opponents include Oklahoma, Stanford, Arkansas, UCLA, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio State, Cal State Fullerton and Utah.
"They want to play us because of our RPI and they know we're not a roll-over team," Pierson said. "I understand the win-loss but I understand the RPI more. We want to get better. If we're going to get our teeth kicked in, that's only going to make us tougher for WAC. I'm going to learn as a coach because I'm getting to coach against these coaches. Hopefully, it prepares us for the NCAA so we've already played these teams. Hopefully, we can get ourselves into a region and we don't just roll over because we're scared."
There is a dedication to goals and each other that often starts before the sun comes up. They are walking across campus together at about 5:30 a.m. to head to weight training three times a week. At night, they can be seen attending other Lopes teams' games as a group.
"I can't wait to come back and see them as they grow," Gomez said. "The next couple of years are going to be awesome."
She attended the game that the Lopes clinched their first WAC title as a recruit in 2014. She hit .304 for the one that won the conference last year. The seniors have established the program but now have NCAA tournament eligibility to ascend it again.
"Postseason, it's crazy," Valencia said. "It's something I've always wanted to play since I was a little girl. I've always wanted to play postseason against the big dogs. When we win the WAC and then win the WAC (Softball Tournament) again and then play UofA (in the season finale), hopefully we'll go to regionals."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
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Players Mentioned
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