St. John's University Athletics
Friday, February 9
Clearwater, Fla. (Eddie C. Moore Complex)
5 p.m.
St. John's University
vs
Liberty
Softball to Open Season at NFCA Leadoff Classic
2/8/2024 3:42:00 PM | Softball
Live StatsGame Notes (PDF)2024 Record Book (PDF)Watch (Liberty)Watch (Kansas)Watch (Central Arkansas)Watch (South Alabama)Watch (NC State)
Red Storm will open season in Florida for the second consecutive season
CLEARWATER, Fla. – St. John's softball will begin the 2024 campaign this weekend at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The squad will play five games in three days at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Fla.
The squad will open play with a doubleheader against RV Liberty and Kansas on Friday. First pitch against the Flames is scheduled for 5 p.m. with the matchup against the Jayhawks slated to start under the lights at 8 p.m. The following day, the Red Storm will once again play two as they battle Central Arkansas at 1 p.m., followed by South Alabama at 4 p.m. The Johnnies will close out the tournament on Sunday as they square off against the NC State Wolfpack at 10 a.m.
All games will be streamed by GameChanger and live stats links will be provided through RedStormSports.com.
The Red Storm compiled a 23-29 record in 2023, finishing fifth in the BIG EAST. After winning seven of their last 10 games, St. John's secured a position in the BIG EAST Tournament, marking their 13th appearance in the event. The Johnnies earned its lone victory in the conference tournament over Butler, 9-6, behind a 2-for-4, three-RBI effort from London Jarrard.
Michelle DePolo enters her first season at the helm for St. John's after being announced as the 11th head coach in program history on Aug. 1, 2023. In her 12 seasons at Army and Tennessee Tech as a Division I head coach, DePolo has compiled a 341-277-1 (.552) record. The new head coach takes over a squad that set the single-season program stolen base record last season. Led by Jess Bianco's 43 stolen bases, the 2023 Red Storm etched their mark in the record book with 98 swipes on the season.
Alongside Bianco, London Jarrard stole 24 bases in a season where she slashed .360/.489/.683 to go along with eight home runs and 32 RBIs. The St. John's standout also tied the single-season program record with 17 doubles during her 2023 campaign. Katie Whittaker returns to the middle of the Red Storm's lineup for her sophomore season in 2024. The catcher blasted a team-high 10 home runs and batted .323 for the Johnnies as a freshman.
Liberty finished last season 40-22 with a 19-5 record in the ASUN. Despite falling in extra innings to Central Arkansas, 2-1, the Flames were selected to the Los Angeles Regional. After knocking out No. 2 UCLA and Grand Canyon, Liberty's season came to an end in the regional final against San Diego State. Outfielder Rachel Roupe returns to the Flames for her junior season as she was named the ASUN Preseason Player of the Year following an all-conference First Team nod in 2023. Roupe finished last season hitting .317 with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs.
Friday's season opener will mark the seventh meeting between the two programs. The Red Storm holds a 4-2 advantage in the series and last met in 2010 as the Johnnies prevailed, 8-0, behind a 2-for-4, four-RBI effort from Chelsea Durning.
Kansas enters 2024 after placing sixth in the Big 12 last season. The Jayhawks upset Oklahoma State in the opening round of the conference tournament before falling to Texas in the semifinals. Catcher Lyric Moore returns to the Jayhawks after an impressive junior season. Moore was tabbed to the NFCA Divisional All-Region Third-Team after batting .303 with five home runs and 12 doubles.
The Johnnies will square off with the Jayhawks for the first in program history on Friday.
After tallying 45 wins and a 22-2 ASUN record, Central Arkansas earned their first ASUN Championship in program history during the 2023 campaign. The Sugar Bears earned the conference crown after defeating North Alabama twice. In the Tuscaloosa Regional, Central Arkansas recorded a win against LIU but fell to Middle Tennessee twice to end their historic run.
The Sugar Bears' Kayla Beaver will return to the circle in 2024 for the defending ASUN Champions. Beaver is one of the most dominant pitchers in the country as she posted a 1.09 ERA in 192.0 innings and tossed 186 strikeouts in 2023 and was selected as a Top-25 Finalist for USA Softball's Collegiate Player of the Year.
The Saturday afternoon matchup will also mark the first meeting between the two programs.
South Alabama will battle the Red Storm in Clearwater for the second consecutive season. In last year's NFCA Leadoff Classic, the Jaguars defeated St. John's in a close 5-3 game, despite a complete game effort from Ana Serafinko who drove in a run herself.
After their early season matchup with St. John's, South Alabama went on to finish with a 39-14 record and a 20-4 mark in the Sun Belt Conference. Olivia Lackie will return for her senior season after being named Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year and a First Team honoree. Lackie was dominant last season with a 1.94 ERA across 148.2 innings with 185 strikeouts.
St. John's will look for their first win against South Alabama, falling in its previous two matchups with the Jaguars.
NC State will look to improve on their 18-35 record from the 2023 season. The Wolfpack managed to upset conference foe and softball powerhouse, No. 8 Clemson, 7-5, in their series finale last season. Hannah Godwin returns to the Wolfpack's infield after being selected to the All-ACC Third Team in 2023.
This Sunday will mark the fifth all-time meeting between the two programs. The teams last met in 2012 as NC State improved to 4-0 against the Red Storm.
St. John's will be back in action at the Charleston Southern Blue / Gold Classic, beginning on Feb. 16. The squad will once again play five games in three days against UMass Lowell and Charleston Southern.
The squad will open play with a doubleheader against RV Liberty and Kansas on Friday. First pitch against the Flames is scheduled for 5 p.m. with the matchup against the Jayhawks slated to start under the lights at 8 p.m. The following day, the Red Storm will once again play two as they battle Central Arkansas at 1 p.m., followed by South Alabama at 4 p.m. The Johnnies will close out the tournament on Sunday as they square off against the NC State Wolfpack at 10 a.m.
All games will be streamed by GameChanger and live stats links will be provided through RedStormSports.com.
The Red Storm compiled a 23-29 record in 2023, finishing fifth in the BIG EAST. After winning seven of their last 10 games, St. John's secured a position in the BIG EAST Tournament, marking their 13th appearance in the event. The Johnnies earned its lone victory in the conference tournament over Butler, 9-6, behind a 2-for-4, three-RBI effort from London Jarrard.
Michelle DePolo enters her first season at the helm for St. John's after being announced as the 11th head coach in program history on Aug. 1, 2023. In her 12 seasons at Army and Tennessee Tech as a Division I head coach, DePolo has compiled a 341-277-1 (.552) record. The new head coach takes over a squad that set the single-season program stolen base record last season. Led by Jess Bianco's 43 stolen bases, the 2023 Red Storm etched their mark in the record book with 98 swipes on the season.
Alongside Bianco, London Jarrard stole 24 bases in a season where she slashed .360/.489/.683 to go along with eight home runs and 32 RBIs. The St. John's standout also tied the single-season program record with 17 doubles during her 2023 campaign. Katie Whittaker returns to the middle of the Red Storm's lineup for her sophomore season in 2024. The catcher blasted a team-high 10 home runs and batted .323 for the Johnnies as a freshman.
Liberty finished last season 40-22 with a 19-5 record in the ASUN. Despite falling in extra innings to Central Arkansas, 2-1, the Flames were selected to the Los Angeles Regional. After knocking out No. 2 UCLA and Grand Canyon, Liberty's season came to an end in the regional final against San Diego State. Outfielder Rachel Roupe returns to the Flames for her junior season as she was named the ASUN Preseason Player of the Year following an all-conference First Team nod in 2023. Roupe finished last season hitting .317 with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs.
Friday's season opener will mark the seventh meeting between the two programs. The Red Storm holds a 4-2 advantage in the series and last met in 2010 as the Johnnies prevailed, 8-0, behind a 2-for-4, four-RBI effort from Chelsea Durning.
Kansas enters 2024 after placing sixth in the Big 12 last season. The Jayhawks upset Oklahoma State in the opening round of the conference tournament before falling to Texas in the semifinals. Catcher Lyric Moore returns to the Jayhawks after an impressive junior season. Moore was tabbed to the NFCA Divisional All-Region Third-Team after batting .303 with five home runs and 12 doubles.
The Johnnies will square off with the Jayhawks for the first in program history on Friday.
After tallying 45 wins and a 22-2 ASUN record, Central Arkansas earned their first ASUN Championship in program history during the 2023 campaign. The Sugar Bears earned the conference crown after defeating North Alabama twice. In the Tuscaloosa Regional, Central Arkansas recorded a win against LIU but fell to Middle Tennessee twice to end their historic run.
The Sugar Bears' Kayla Beaver will return to the circle in 2024 for the defending ASUN Champions. Beaver is one of the most dominant pitchers in the country as she posted a 1.09 ERA in 192.0 innings and tossed 186 strikeouts in 2023 and was selected as a Top-25 Finalist for USA Softball's Collegiate Player of the Year.
The Saturday afternoon matchup will also mark the first meeting between the two programs.
South Alabama will battle the Red Storm in Clearwater for the second consecutive season. In last year's NFCA Leadoff Classic, the Jaguars defeated St. John's in a close 5-3 game, despite a complete game effort from Ana Serafinko who drove in a run herself.
After their early season matchup with St. John's, South Alabama went on to finish with a 39-14 record and a 20-4 mark in the Sun Belt Conference. Olivia Lackie will return for her senior season after being named Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year and a First Team honoree. Lackie was dominant last season with a 1.94 ERA across 148.2 innings with 185 strikeouts.
St. John's will look for their first win against South Alabama, falling in its previous two matchups with the Jaguars.
NC State will look to improve on their 18-35 record from the 2023 season. The Wolfpack managed to upset conference foe and softball powerhouse, No. 8 Clemson, 7-5, in their series finale last season. Hannah Godwin returns to the Wolfpack's infield after being selected to the All-ACC Third Team in 2023.
This Sunday will mark the fifth all-time meeting between the two programs. The teams last met in 2012 as NC State improved to 4-0 against the Red Storm.
St. John's will be back in action at the Charleston Southern Blue / Gold Classic, beginning on Feb. 16. The squad will once again play five games in three days against UMass Lowell and Charleston Southern.
Players Mentioned
SS/OF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/UT
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