Tag: Kiki Milloy

Five Lady Vols receive preseason all-SEC softball honors

Five Lady Vols receive preseason all-SEC softball honors.

Five Tennessee softball players were named to the 2024 preseason All-Southeastern Conference Team.

Tennessee led SEC teams with five selections, chosen by the conference’s coaches.

Tennessee was represented on the team by pitchers Payton Gottshall and Karlyn Pickens, infielders Zaida Puni and McKenna Gibson and outfielder Kiki Milloy.

Gottshall (16-2) led the Lady Vols’ pitching staff with 29 appearances. She recorded a 1.65 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 110 innings.

Pickens pitched five complete games and recorded a 9-7 record.

Puni was a First-Team All-SEC standout last season. She was also a member of the Women’s College World Series All-Tournament Team.

Gibson started all 61 games for the Lady Vols last season, recording career-highs in home runs (15), RBIs (60), hits (59), runs (36) and doubles (11).

Milloy was a First-Team All-SEC performer and a member of the Women’s College World Series All-Tournament Team. She led all players with 25 home runs, which is also a Tennessee single-season record.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Kiki Milloy hits home run in World Cup

Kiki Milloy hits a two-run home run in win over Chinese Taipei.

Team USA defeated Chinese Taipei, 5-0, Tuesday in the World Baseball Softball Confederation World Cup.

The game took place in Dublin, Ireland.

Tennessee outfielder Kiki Milloy hit a two-run home run for Team USA in the contest. Her home run gave Team USA a 3-0 lead.

Milloy started the game in left field and was one of two players with ties to the Lady Vols in the contest.

Former Tennessee player Aubrey Leach also started for Team USA in right field. She recorded one hit in the contest.

Leach played for the Lady Vols from 2016-19. She is currently playing professionally in Athletes Unlimited.

Team USA next plays Wednesday against Botswana. First pitch is slated for 9 a.m. EDT.

D1Softball’s way-too-early 2024 Women’s College World Series predictions

Taking a way-too-early stab at the 2024 season, D1Softball shared their predictions on which teams make the Women’s College World Series next year.

Coming off a national championship three-peat it should come as no surprise that the Oklahoma Sooners are expected back in the Women’s College World Series in 2024.

Looking ahead to 2024, D1Softball issued its way-too-early predictions (subscription required) for which teams make next year’s WCWS.

Of course, Oklahoma is expected to be in the mix.

Even without Bahl, the Sooners aren’t going away. Oklahoma still brings back a lot of talent from its 2023 roster. Every major contributor returns for the back-to-back-to-back champions aside from Bahl, Alex Storako, Haley Lee and Grace Lyons. Kierston Deal’s role will likely increase and become the second arm alongside Nicole May. Expect the Sooners to also add another big-time pitcher through the portal like they have done in the past few seasons. Jocelyn Erickson or Sophia Nugent can fill the designated player role. Who plays shortstop is a big question, but there are plenty of candidates – and potential transfer additions – that could take over. – Brady Vernon, D1Softball

Nugent entered the portal, but Oklahoma has options on the bench to  replicate Haley Lee and Grace Lyons’ production from 2023.

From their No. 1 scoring lineup, the Sooners return everyone but Grace Lyons in the batting order. Jayda Coleman and Tiare Jennings lead the way for a squad hoping to do what no team has done: Win four in a row.

But they’ll have to do so without staff ace Jordy Bahl, who entered the transfer portal on Monday after two years with the Sooners.

Still, Oklahoma has Nicole May, who was fantastic in 2023, finishing with a sub-1.00 ERA. They’ll also put more on Kierston Deal’s plate after she  showed well in relief in 2023.

Here’s who D1Softball is predicting to be back in Oklahoma City in 2024.

Two Lady Vols named to College World Series all-tournament team

Two Lady Vols named to the Women’s College World Series all-tournament team.

Tennessee senior outfielder Kiki Milloy and junior third baseman Zaida Puni were named to the Women’s College World Series all-tournament team.

The Lady Vols (51-10, 19-5 SEC) reached the semifinals as a No. 4 seed.

Tennessee was eliminated by Florida State Monday. The Seminoles defeated Tennessee, 5-1.

Milloy scored three runs and totaled one double and one stolen base.

Puni hit a solo home run against Florida State Monday and led Tennessee with two doubles. She recorded four RBIs in the Women’s College World Series, tying for a team lead.

Puni recorded 11 hits in the NCAA Tournament, including six home runs, three doubles, eight runs and 15 RBIs.

Milloy recorded eight hits, including two doubles, two home runs, one triple, 12 runs, four RBIs and six stolen bases.

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5 Oklahoma Sooners earn NCAA All-Tournament team selections

Five Oklahoma Sooners selected to NCAA All-Tournament team after clinching national championship.

After an incredible run during the NCAA tournament, five Oklahoma Sooners were named to the All-Tournament team.

The tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, [autotag]Jordy Bahl[/autotag], is joined by battery mate [autotag]Kinzie Hansen[/autotag], second basemen [autotag]Tiare Jennings[/autotag] and outfielders [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Rylie Boone.[/autotag]

Only four teams were represented on the All-Tournament team, with the Sooners’ five leading the way. Florida State had three selections: Kathryn Sandercock, Kaley Mudge and Michaela Edenfield. Tennessee was represented by Kiki Milloy and Zaida Puni, and Stanford was represented by NiJaree Canady and Taylor Gindlesperger.

Here’s a look at what Oklahoma’s selections did during the NCAA tournament to earn their all-tournament team honors.

No. 1 Oklahoma vs No. 4 Tennessee: how to watch, game preview, key players

The Oklahoma Sooners take on the Tennessee Lady Vols on Saturday and here’s a look at how the two teams matchup in the WCWS.

The Oklahoma Sooners softball team continued its dominant ways winning its 49th straight game after taking down the Stanford Cardinals on Thursday.

On Saturday, the Sooners will take on maybe its toughest matchup all season in the Lady Vols of Tennessee.

The Lady Vols are led by senior centerfielder Kiki Milloy who leads all WCWS players in home runs (25) and slugging percentage (.975). Combine that with her team-high .425 average and 1.548 OPS, and she could cause major problems for the Sooners’ pitching staff.

Milloy is arguably the best outfielder in the nation. That debate includes Oklahoma’s Jayda Coleman. Coleman has a .422 average and a team-high 1.358 OPS. Her 16 home runs have her tied for 2nd on the team. But it’s her outstanding fielding that Sooner fans feel sets her apart.

This is also a revenge game for former Oklahoma OF and now Tennessee SS Mackenzie Donihoo. She’d love nothing more than to send her former team to an elimination game.

Here’s a look at the two sides as they get set for their game on Saturday.

Key players to watch for each team in the Women’s College World Series

As the eight teams descend on Oklahoma City, here are some of the key players to watch in the Women’s College World Series.

This week, the eight teams who qualified for the Women’s College World Series will descend upon Oklahoma City to crown the 2023 national champion. While the Oklahoma Sooners are the favorite to win the title, they’ll be challenged along the way.

Each of the eight teams in the Women’s College World Series is bringing some serious talent with them to USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium.

While there are certainly a lot of talented players worth mentioning from each team, here’s a look at some of the key players in this year’s WCWS field.

Three Lady Vols earn all-region softball honors

Three Lady Vols earn all-region softball honors.

Three Tennessee softball players have been named to the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association’s All-Region Team.

McKenna Gibson, Kiki Milloy and Ashley Rogers earned first-team honors when the NFCA announced its all-region teams, which honors players from the association’s 10 regions.

Gibson, the Lady Vols’ first baseman, recorded a .380 batting average, 15 home runs and 57 RBIs ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

Milloy enters the NCAA Tournament leading college softball with 23 home runs.

The senior is Tennessee’s leadoff hitter and holds the school’s all-time single-season record for home runs. In 2023, she was honored by the NFCA for the third time.

Rogers (16-1), a graduate student pitcher, recorded 160 strikeouts ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

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Karen Weekly, Kiki Milloy, Payton Gottshall discuss winning SEC title

Karen Weekly, Kiki Milloy and Payton Gottshall discuss winning the 2023 SEC Tournament championship.

No. 1 seed Tennessee (44-8, 19-5 SEC) defeated No. 10 South Carolina, 3-1, in the SEC Tournament championship game Saturday at Bogle Park in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Tennessee won the Southeastern Conference regular-season and tournament championships in the same season for the first time in school history.

The Lady Vols are the 13th SEC regular-season champion to win the conference tournament in the same year.

Following Tennessee’s win versus South Carolina on Saturday, Lady Vols’ SEC Coach of the Year Karen Weekly, SEC Tournament MVP Kiki Milloy and All-Tournament Team pitcher Payton Gottshall met with media and can be watched below.

Lair Beautae and Ashley Rogers were also named to the SEC All-Tournament Team for Tennessee.

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Lady Vols win 2023 SEC regular-season championship

Tennessee softball wins 2023 SEC regular-season championship.

No. 4 Tennessee (41-7, 19-4 SEC) defeated South Carolina (33-19, 8-15), 4-2, Saturday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

With Saturday’s victory, Tennessee won the series and clinched the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship for the second time in program history.

Tennessee won seven of its eight conference series this season.

The Lady Vols faced a 2-1 deficit with two outs in the fifth inning. Katie Taylor walked and Kiki Milloy was intentionally walked before Zaida Puni hit a three-run home run.

Milloy accounted for the Lady Vols’ other run after hitting a leadoff home run in the first inning, her 20th of the season, setting a Tennessee single-season record.

Freshman Karlyn Pickens (9-5) started and earned the win, pitching five innings for Tennessee. She allowed two runs (one earned), four hits and one walk, while recording six strikeouts.

Payton Gotshall recorded her second save of the season.