Panther Preview: 2021 Women’s Softball Season

Sophomore SS/2B Jocelyn Alonso in last season’s game against the Samford Bulldogs. Photo by FIU Athletics

Kevin Calcagno/ Contributing Writer 

The FIU Women’s Softball team will kick off their 2021 season this Friday in the Felsberg Invitational.

Since the offseason began for FIU, they’ve been listed as a team with potential, with head coach Chris Steiner-Wilcoxson being named to the Extra Elite Top 100 Coaches list. 

Steiner-Wilcoxson is only in her second year as head coach, but is already ranked as the 48th best coach in the nation.

In her first season as head coach last year, the Panthers had an 8-9 overall record, with wins over the Cal Golden Bears and Syracuse Orange. The season was eventually canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Recruiting Class

Coach Steiner-Wilcoxson brought in one of FIU’s best recruiting classes in recent history despite being in the middle of a global pandemic. The Panthers’ 2021 additions to their roster and coaching staff were ranked in the top 50 in America according to Extra Inning Softball.

COVID-19 caused the NCAA Softball Division to put protocols in place for safety reasons, including limiting in-person meetings with recruits, but Steiner-Wilcoxson and the Panthers were still successful. 

“It was very difficult, but softball is one of those sports that you watch and recruit kids at a very young age,” Steiner-Wilcoxson told FIU Athletics.

FIU signed nine players this season, with seven of them being ranked in the top 500 players nationwide, according to FIU Athletics. Pitcher Jordyn Partain from Macon, Georgia, is a standout recruit, ranked as a top 100 overall player according to FIU Athletics, and is also among the top 50 pitchers in the country. 

Catcher Hannah Jansen from Webster Groves, Missouri is another highly touted recruit from this season, also ranked as a top 100 overall player. She even doubled as a state champion wrestler in high school.

FIU Felsberg Invitational

The Panthers are set to begin their season at home in the Felsberg Invitational, where they will face the Florida Atlantic Owls and the Winthrop Eagles on Friday, February 12th at 3 pm and Saturday, February 13th at 6 pm respectively. FIU will then face Winthrop a second time on Sunday at 10:30 am.

Fort Myers Road Trip

The following week, FIU will head to Fort Myers to face the Connecticut Huskies and Florida Gulf Coast Eagles on February 19th at 2:15 pm and 7:30 pm. The next day, FIU faces the Northern Illinois Huskies at 11 am and UCONN at 4:15 pm. The Panthers will wrap up the road trip on February 21st with a second matchup against Northern Illinois at 9 am. 

Spring Games Invitational

FIU will then travel to Clermont for the Spring Games Invitational where they will begin with a clash against the Kentucky Wildcats on February 26th at 3 pm. On February 27th, The Panthers will face off against the New Mexico State Aggies at 11 am and the Stetson Hatters at 1:30 pm. They will conclude with a rematch against New Mexico state on February 28th at 12:30 pm.

FAU Invitational

After the Spring Games, the Panthers will compete in the FAU Invitational in Boca Raton, beginning on March 5th against Illinois State Redbirds at 1 pm and the Pittsburgh Panthers at 3:30 pm. FIU concludes the invitational on March 6th facing off against Illinois State at 12:30 pm and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at 3 pm.

Orlando Road Trip

The Panthers will then go to Orlando for a game against the Central Florida Knights at 6 pm. Then, FIU is scheduled for a doubleheader at home against the South Dakota Coyotes on March 13th and 14th at 1 pm and 11 am.

C-USA Tripleheaders

The final 15 games of the season are scheduled against C-USA opponents. First, they will face off against FAU on March 21st all the way to April 2nd. 

FIU will go on to play 4 straight tripleheaders, the first on the road against the Charlotte 49ers in North Carolina on April 16-18 with the first game at 6 pm and the next two at 1 pm. The next tripleheader is against the Marshall Thundering Herd at home on April 23-25 at 5 pm, 1 pm, and 11 am.

Afterwards, the Panthers will face the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at home April 30-May 2. The first game will begin at 5 pm, and the next two at 1 pm. The final tripleheader is against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at Murfreesboro from May 7-9 at 6 pm, 2 pm, and 12 pm. 

The C-USA tournament is scheduled for May 12-15 in Bowling Green, Kentucky, should FIU qualify for the competition.

About Post Author

About the Author

Richard Gibson
Former Sports Director of PantherNOW