Nine softball players from New Mexico have entered the transfer portal

[Bronco7454]

Jenna Trim - 2023 JR - Pitcher / 1st Base - Started 28 games at 1B in 2023 - .222 BA - Pitched 5 innings with 11.20 ERA - 2022 transfer from Pensacola State - Native of Australia

Leslie Romero - 2023 SR - Catcher - Started 14 games & played in 25 games in 2023 - .176 BA - .446 OPS

Loran Walker - 2023 RS FR - Catcher - Started 11 games & played in 24 games in 2023 - .171 BA - .536 OPS

Emmalyn Brinka - 2023 True FR - Pitcher - Started 9 games & pitched in 21 games in 2023 - 8.72 ERA in 47 1/3 innings.

Olivia Birkinshaw - 2023 SO - 3B/RF/1B/DP - Started 5 games at 3B, 3 games in RF, 3 games as DP & 2 at 1B in 2023.   Played in 29 games in 2023.  Batted .286 in 42 AB's.

Isabella "Bella" Mitchell - 2023 True Fr - Pitcher - Pitched in 5 games - 0 starts - 18.90 ERA in 3 1/3 innings.

Brianna Martinez - 2022 JR - 3B/SS - She started all 53 games for NM in 2022.  She started 22 games at 3B and 31 games at SS.   But she - apparently - did not play at all for NM in 2023.  She also started 43 games for NM during the 2021 season.

Aysiah Gonzalez - 2022 SO - Catcher - She apparently was on the 2022 NM team but did not play at all during the 2023 season (not on their roster for 2023).  She batted only .056 in 18 at bats in 2022.  Started 5 games and played in 12 in 2022.

Seleste Compian - 2023 True FR - Outfielder - She did not play at all for NM in 2023

[LoboMan59]

On 5/21/2023 at 8:35 AM, Bronco7454 said:

Jenna Trim - 2023 JR - Pitcher / 1st Base - Started 28 games at 1B in 2023 - .222 BA - Pitched 5 innings with 11.20 ERA - 2022 transfer from Pensacola State - Native of Australia

Leslie Romero - 2023 SR - Catcher - Started 14 games & played in 25 games in 2023 - .176 BA - .446 OPS

Loran Walker - 2023 RS FR - Catcher - Started 11 games & played in 24 games in 2023 - .171 BA - .536 OPS

Emmalyn Brinka - 2023 True FR - Pitcher - Started 9 games & pitched in 21 games in 2023 - 8.72 ERA in 47 1/3 innings.

Olivia Birkinshaw - 2023 SO - 3B/RF/1B/DP - Started 5 games at 3B, 3 games in RF, 3 games as DP & 2 at 1B in 2023.   Played in 29 games in 2023.  Batted .286 in 42 AB's.

Isabella "Bella" Mitchell - 2023 True Fr - Pitcher - Pitched in 5 games - 0 starts - 18.90 ERA in 3 1/3 innings.

Brianna Martinez - 2022 JR - 3B/SS - She started all 53 games for NM in 2022.  She started 22 games at 3B and 31 games at SS.   But she - apparently - did not play at all for NM in 2023.  She also started 43 games for NM during the 2021 season.

Aysiah Gonzalez - 2022 SO - Catcher - She apparently was on the 2022 NM team but did not play at all during the 2023 season (not on their roster for 2023).  She batted only .056 in 18 at bats in 2022.  Started 5 games and played in 12 in 2022.

Seleste Compian - 2023 True FR - Outfielder - She did not play at all for NM in 2023

#wholesalechanges have begun.

[---I GREEN INFECTION I---]

On 5/21/2023 at 10:06 AM, LoboMan59 said:

#wholesalechanges have begun.

 

@LoboMan59 - ¿Do you have any back story on this?

 

[Bronco7454]

I don't know if it qualifies as a back story but New Mexico has finished the last two softball seasons in last place in the MWC.  And in 2021 they finished 7th out of 9 teams in the MWC and in 8th place (out of 9) in 2020.  AND they finished dead last in 2019, 2018 and 2017.  The last year that New Mexico finished above .500 in the MWC standings in softball was back in 2015 when they went 13-11 in the MWC that year.

This year was also the first season for their new head coach.  That being Nicole Dickson.  Prior to arriving at New Mexico she was the head softball coach at Stephen F. Austin for six years.

[Someone Else]

That seems like a lot.

[FresnoFacts]

From what I have seen from different public reports, the 9 from New Mexico appears to be the most from a single team so far.

Houston has 7 in the portal so far.

Oregon State has 6.

South Dakota State has 5.

Iowa has 4.

 

[Headbutt]

Sounds like a house cleaning gone wild.  New coach suggests to 2 or 3 players that they might want to look around.  Each of those has two or three teammates that take the signal that life is about to get hard, and so on.  No I'm not privy to anything, but that's a pretty common thing these days.  As bad as they've been, I wouldn't be surprised to see the coach feeling the need to clean house.  Coach has a job to do, and needs to show some actions towards achieving success.  If they all land on teams that are in the Natty chase next year, then the coach ain't smart.  If none of them find a new scholarship then coach looks like a genius.  It'll probably be somewhere in between.

[jdw]

Looking at who left, the majority weren't exactly whapping the ball or getting a lot of people out. Nine is a big number, but that's off a roster of 27. Lobo men's hoops ran about the same percentage and no one in Albuquerque is complaining about that right now.

[Bronco7454]

On 5/21/2023 at 9:20 PM, jdw said:

Looking at who left, the majority weren't exactly whapping the ball or getting a lot of people out. Nine is a big number, but that's off a roster of 27. Lobo men's hoops ran about the same percentage and no one in Albuquerque is complaining about that right now.

The first five players listed above accounted for 67 starts for New Mexico's softball team in 2023.  And those five players played in a total of 109 games in 2023 for New Mexico.

Then there's the case of Brianna Martinez who started 96 games for New Mexico in 2022 and 2021 but, for reasons unknown, did not play at all for New Mexico in 2023.

[lobo-tomy]

I've always loved NM. But being back these last three years, I'd say it's taken a nose dive in livability. I'm leaving in the next six months. 

I can't blame players for leaving, especially if they aren't playing, or want more. I don't see it changing, even with all the oil money coming in.

I think we have a historic opportunity to invest in NM over the next 20-30 years, it just won't get done. 

[Bronco7454]

By way of contrast Boise State has had six of their 2023 softball players enter the transfer portal.  The only one of these six who played in more than a six games in 2023 was 2023 Boise State graduate Kelsey Hall - the 2023 Mountain West Conference softball Player of the Year.   Half of these six players saw zero playing time in 2023.  These six are:

DP-OF-2B - Kelsey Hall - 2023 RS Junior - 2023 MWC Player of the Year in softball

1B - Zoe Karam - 2023 True Freshman - Played in 6 games with 1 start at 1B

P - Amber Thornton - 2023 True Freshman (from Boise, ID) who pitched in 4 games in 2023 and had an ERA of 14.00

C/3B - Abigail "Abby" Edwards - 2023 True Freshman who was no playing time in 2023

P - Grace Kimball - 2023 Junior pitcher who did not play at all in 2023

MIF - Bobbiann Pratt - 2023 Junior - Her name was removed from the Boise State roster earlier this year.

[Bronco7454]

Fresno State has had 4 of their 2023 softball players who have entered the transfer portal but only one of them saw significant playing time in 2023.  That being Alesia Denby.

MACKENNA STEELE

AVERY LAWLEY

ALESIA DENBY

JUIA DOAN

[FresnoFacts]

On 5/24/2023 at 6:32 AM, Bronco7454 said:

Fresno State has had 4 of their 2023 softball players who have entered the transfer portal but only one of them saw significant playing time in 2023.  That being Alesia Denby.

 

Denby was a senior this year and has played 4 seasons at Fresno State. I believe she is looking to use her COVID year somewhere else. I don't know her reason but maybe hoping for a year on a WCWS team next year or maybe even NIL deals.

[SalinasSpartan]

On 5/21/2023 at 4:29 PM, Headbutt said:

Sounds like a house cleaning gone wild.  New coach suggests to 2 or 3 players that they might want to look around.  Each of those has two or three teammates that take the signal that life is about to get hard, and so on.  No I'm not privy to anything, but that's a pretty common thing these days.  As bad as they've been, I wouldn't be surprised to see the coach feeling the need to clean house.  Coach has a job to do, and needs to show some actions towards achieving success.  If they all land on teams that are in the Natty chase next year, then the coach ain't smart.  If none of them find a new scholarship then coach looks like a genius.  It'll probably be somewhere in between.

Interesting how the discourse goes when there is a mass exodus of players and the HC isn’t polarizing. 

[wolfan]

On 5/21/2023 at 9:35 AM, Bronco7454 said:

Jenna Trim - 2023 JR - Pitcher / 1st Base - Started 28 games at 1B in 2023 - .222 BA - Pitched 5 innings with 11.20 ERA - 2022 transfer from Pensacola State - Native of Australia

Leslie Romero - 2023 SR - Catcher - Started 14 games & played in 25 games in 2023 - .176 BA - .446 OPS

Loran Walker - 2023 RS FR - Catcher - Started 11 games & played in 24 games in 2023 - .171 BA - .536 OPS

Emmalyn Brinka - 2023 True FR - Pitcher - Started 9 games & pitched in 21 games in 2023 - 8.72 ERA in 47 1/3 innings.

Olivia Birkinshaw - 2023 SO - 3B/RF/1B/DP - Started 5 games at 3B, 3 games in RF, 3 games as DP & 2 at 1B in 2023.   Played in 29 games in 2023.  Batted .286 in 42 AB's.

Isabella "Bella" Mitchell - 2023 True Fr - Pitcher - Pitched in 5 games - 0 starts - 18.90 ERA in 3 1/3 innings.

Brianna Martinez - 2022 JR - 3B/SS - She started all 53 games for NM in 2022.  She started 22 games at 3B and 31 games at SS.   But she - apparently - did not play at all for NM in 2023.  She also started 43 games for NM during the 2021 season.

Aysiah Gonzalez - 2022 SO - Catcher - She apparently was on the 2022 NM team but did not play at all during the 2023 season (not on their roster for 2023).  She batted only .056 in 18 at bats in 2022.  Started 5 games and played in 12 in 2022.

Seleste Compian - 2023 True FR - Outfielder - She did not play at all for NM in 2023

Just like Garza when she asked 8 girls to leave.  Your new coach is serious about building a team.  Too bad for the ladies but now they can move down & play at the level where they should have been playing all along.

[Ram1554]

On 5/22/2023 at 1:55 PM, lobo-tomy said:

I've always loved NM. But being back these last three years, I'd say it's taken a nose dive in livability. I'm leaving in the next six months. 

I can't blame players for leaving, especially if they aren't playing, or want more. I don't see it changing, even with all the oil money coming in.

I think we have a historic opportunity to invest in NM over the next 20-30 years, it just won't get done. 

What has happened in the past three years? 
 

[lobo-tomy]

 

On 5/25/2023 at 9:09 PM, Ram1554 said:

What has happened in the past three years? 
 

I'd say it took a dive sometime before I moved back. NM had some of the tightest covid restrictions. Anectdotally it was different. 

Past year homelessness is up 48%.

Recently had almost twice the rate of violent crime as the US. 2nd highest in the US. Not sure if it's related, but the prison population is down 35% amidst an increase in crime. 

21% of NM 4th graders are proficient readers, 19% in math. This DROPs in 8th grade to 18% and 13%. All indications are this drops again by 11th grade, but I can't find the numbers.

 

[Headbutt]

On 5/27/2023 at 2:00 PM, lobo-tomy said:

 

I'd say it took a dive sometime before I moved back. NM had some of the tightest covid restrictions. Anectdotally it was different. 

Past year homelessness is up 48%.

Recently had almost twice the rate of violent crime as the US. 2nd highest in the US. Not sure if it's related, but the prison population is down 35% amidst an increase in crime. 

21% of NM 4th graders are proficient readers, 19% in math. This DROPs in 8th grade to 18% and 13%. All indications are this drops again by 11th grade, but I can't find the numbers.

 

There's a whole lot of that going on nationwide.  I'm not going to get into the political debate about the causes on this board, just saying that NM shouldn't feel like the lone ranger.

[lobo-tomy]

On 5/27/2023 at 6:41 PM, Headbutt said:

There's a whole lot of that going on nationwide.  I'm not going to get into the political debate about the causes on this board, just saying that NM shouldn't feel like the lone ranger.

Just citing stats not laying blame here. Yes there are issues elsewhere, I do get around, but when you start going down from the bottom...