You've done this as a player. What we were emotions like after all these near misses the last couple of years. When that third strike that Peyton got for the final lot on Saturday, I imagine there must have been relief, joy, A lot of emotions were going through your head.
Honestly, I'm not sure it's completely hit me yet. There's been a couple of times that I've been on the Verrgetiers, a couple of times that I'm just my smile is ear to ear and it's a time that I think about my family. I think about the two kids, Rosie and Lexi, who have been a huge part of changing the culture of this program and bring in the trophy back. I mean, they said it from the start and we've been through some trials. That's part of growing champions and they're at the.
Core of that.
So watching them celebrate on that field was really really special for me.
After losing the Saint John's series, it appears you did not have any let down whatsoever. Yeah, you had a tight game with quick providence for that first game with postseason can always be a bit nerve wracking, but after that it just seemed like business as usual.
I think that the Saint John's series really, if anything, brought our team even closer than what it was, because I can tell you that I didn't have to say much after that series. They were talking more to each other about that's not going to happen this week. It's
not happening. So it really came from them. And that's when you know as a coach that there's something special going on in the locker room when you have from the top down saying we're going into the tournament with fire, and it's pretty rare that we get beat twice by somebody, So we're going to go in with some edge and we're going to learn from that and go after them.
Now that you have been in the NCAA tournament as a player, what advice do you give these young ladies going through it for the first time.
It really is another softball game where the bases are's sixty feet in the mounds forty three feet away. I mean, you watch how these kids competed against Tennessee earlier this season. I mean, it's it's the way we schedule.
They're prepared. They're going to be prepared.
So we go out, We're going to set the tone We're going to try to swing the momentum. We're going to create chaos on offense. We're going to play ukon softball. That's going to be the message. Go out there and play our game, and I think we're really tough when we play our best.
Have you gotten any text from mister Penders?
Of course, of course I had.
I mean, you guys, are I hear you guys? I mean, I know you guys are pretty tight.
Yes, we are. I cannot say enough great things about him. How it's such a privilege to be able to work down the hall from a class act like Jim, and he's the guy that I mean, when I can't get a hold of Gino, which is pretty rare, I'm able to pick up the phone and call Jim.
You could do water.
Yeah, right, Yeah, it's It's really incredible, just the two mentors that I have in my corner, and I'm psyched for them as well. I mean, they know how to win. I know it's been a little rocky start for them, but I'm in his corner and I'm his biggest fan, and they're gonna crush it down the stretch.
Tuesday Night's gonna be fun here, Yeah, it is finally. Grace talked about this on a podcast. The pressure win here with the success here, the success at Gamble, the success with track and field and football now and baseball to win here, do you feel it?
I embrace it. Yeah, that's why I'm here. I mean, what a place like Yukon when people talk about other places in the country and how great it is, I'd put this place up against anybody. I mean, what place has competitive excellence across the board, from baseball to basketballs to I was texting with the women's soccer coach Mags today, yep, and you know her sign went up this year in our suite for Big East champ Cinnari signs going up
right across the way. So it just pushes me to drive harder, and it elevates our players, it elevates our staff, and we're excited to bring championships back for softball. We're going to keep it coming.