	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NCAA WOMEN'S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

May 27, 2015

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by coaches Beth Torina, Clint Myers, Tim Walton, and Ralph Weekly. We'll open up with general comments.

COACH TORINA: Congratulations to all the teams that are here. It's so exciting to be sitting up on this panel right now with all SEC coaches. We're just honored to be part of the league. We're really proud of the season that our team put together. I think they've worked really hard from day one and we're just excited to get an opportunity to compete here in Oklahoma City.

COACH MYERS: I would just like to echo what Beth (Torina) said. This is our first time, and so it's kind of special. But I would like to thank the city of Oklahoma City and the state of Oklahoma for hosting this. It's a phenomenal affair. They've done a great job so far, especially with the weather. It's going to be an exciting time. Our kids are really excited about having the opportunity, sharing it with four other SEC teams is kind of a neat situation. But we're real excited to be here and looking forward to the tournament.

COACH R. WEEKLY: First I would like to say that I talked to Carol Hutchins yesterday and she said, it never gets old, does it, Ralph? And it never does. We've been fortunate to be here several times but this is the mecca of softball in the world right here in Oklahoma City, and we feel very fortunate to be here. We feel very fortunate to be in the league that we're in. We also thank Oklahoma City, the ASA for putting on this event, the NCAA. And we just want to be here as long as we can. We're happy to be here.

COACH WALTON: I just echo the same thing. Just really appreciate all you guys coming out and being here and showing support for our student-athletes and just we really, my first trip here was in in 2008, and to see this much exposure, this much coverage, the expansion of the facility and ESPN's coverage and all that they do for our sport, just really thank you for that platform for our young ladies, and it's a great opportunity. It's a great place to be, great place to end your season, win or lose, and just really just proud of representing the SEC and really all that we've been able to fight for and get. And everybody that's been able to support our programs and softball across the country. Just thankful for the opportunity to be here again. So thank you.

Q. For Tim and Ralph, you guys only played the one SEC game. This is a totally different setting, and whether this has any impact on what's going to happen tomorrow?
COACH R. WEEKLY: We played Florida a lot, and very seriously they're a tremendous opponent. I think we're both going to come out and give it our best shot to try to advance tomorrow. We have a lot of respect for Florida as we do for the other coaches here and the other coaches in this World Series. No, I think our kids will be ready to play tomorrow.

COACH WALTON: I think one of the things for us is, you know, Ralph (Weekly) and I have competed against each other a bunch, they beat us a bunch, we beat them a bunch. And Ralph a few years ago said we want to get where our program is hitting home runs like the Florida Gators are hitting home runs. And I jokingly told Ralph I didn't think he could do it. I didn't think he had enough patience for all the strikeouts that come with home runs. And here they are, one of the best home run-hitting teams in the country. And we try to do a little bit of what they do -- we needed a little bit more speed and we don't have as many home runs as they do. But this is fun. We actually enjoy competing against Tennessee. It's one of the toughest games we play all year just because of the preparation that their staff puts in, our staff puts in, and our kids seem to be prepared and very excited to play each other. So expecting the same thing, another good matchup, whether it's a one-game with the World Series or one game with the SEC Tournament or three-game series at our places.

Q. Coach Walton, you had some great players over the years, and you finally get your player of the year in Lauren Haeger. The season isn't over but how special has she been with how hard she worked at the end of the season?
COACH WALTON: It's special. I think all of us who have an opportunity to coach a special player. She's a special player. She's really come a long ways. To see her growth not only as a person but as a player is tremendous. She's always been a winner. She's won at every level she's played at and for her to be able to make the sacrifices that she needs to be a better player is nice, fun thing to really live. I lived that. I watched the transformation of her maturing into being who she is now. So it's been a lot of fun. We've all had special players before, and Lauren is just a very unique individual. She's funny off the field. She's competitive on the field, and she's got some tremendous God-given talents as well. So it's real exciting for me. It was special last night. I've never had, never coached the player of the year, so it was a really special moment for our program.

Q. The strength of the field, all eight seeds making it for the first time since 2006, we're talking a lot about the SEC, but just if you all could talk about the strength level of the entire field and how tough it's going to be game to game to get through?
COACH TORINA: I think once you get to this point every game is tough. I think it takes not just a talented team and a team that's got a lot of different weapons, a lot of things going for them, but it takes some luck and some breaks, too. I think you have to get some breaks. And every game here will be a battle. We've lived that life for the past couple months in the SEC. Every time we take the field it's an absolute battle. So I think all of our teams will be well prepared. I know these coaches next to me, their teams will be well prepared. I think it's going to be a lot of fun.

COACH MYERS: Well, it goes to show you that the NCAA and the way they rank the teams came out extremely accurate this year because all eight made it. They're all eight great teams. We're excited to be part of that eight. And like Beth said, it's a battle. When you get to this, it is the best eight teams. And every time you go on the field you have to bring your A game, because if you make a mistake or if you don't have the luck, it's tough to win. So it's great softball, like Ralph (Weekly) said, it's the mecca. We're looking forward to it.

COACH R. WEEKLY: You know, we've all been here when there have been five Pac-10, Pac-12 teams, whatever they are right now. They're very, very good. And they've been around a long time. And Michigan and Oregon and UCLA are amazing teams, too. All five of the SEC teams are strong. I've seen them all on television, as has the other coaches here. And we've played some of them. And I truly think that it is the best eight teams at this moment right now.

COACH WALTON: Yeah, I would agree. I think it also goes to show you the importance of hosting a Super Regional on your campus. I think that there's some great value into that. It's tough to go on the road. It's tough to go on the road when you have to play the best two out of three in your own league or even in the Super Regional. Again, we're thankful we're one of the top eight seeds to be able to play at home again in Gainesville in May. It's a special opportunity.

Q. Beth, the Lady Vols, as I'm sure you're aware, are going away from the Lady Vol nickname this summer. Is that prefix, the "lady" prefix, is that a source of pride for your team?
COACH TORINA: Our team is just called the Tigers. So we don't do that, unless it's a sport where it's men's or women's basketball, something like that, we don't necessarily feel that we're baseball's exact counterpart. So we're just called the Tigers, and I'm great with it. Notice I had to get that question up here. That's okay. I can handle it. (Laughter).

Q. Clint, I think you talked about this the last couple of days that Oklahoma wasn't here for the first time in a while, and each of the teams had a chance to become fan favorites. And I know you had told your team that you would like your girls to become that here. For all four of you, why should fans who aren't invested in one of these teams, a local fan, root for your team?
COACH TORINA: I just think that our sport is just so exciting and fun. I think we get so much great feedback. I know all of us do. When people come as a first-time fan how much they enjoy the sport and how much they love the fast pace. And they're amazed by the things that these women can do on a field. So I think anytime you come out I think people are really excited about this sport and everything ESPN's doing for us. And the amount of support we're gaining all over the place just shows you how this sport is growing, how much support we do have. And for my team specifically I think you'll see a lot of different things -- we have a lot of different weapons. We can run, we can hit for power. We can pitch. We have a lot of different weapons we bring to the table. Hopefully they don't all have an off day on the same day, we can bring them all. And I think that's what you'll see if you see my team.

COACH MYERS: I think when you have the crowd behind you, it gives you that 10th player. Since we're at a neutral site and Oklahoma isn't here, because when Oklahoma is here this place is entirely red. And that's not a bad thing. That speaks to the strength of what Patty (Gasso) has done at Oklahoma. But so the fans are going to root for somebody. And having them up there, hollering for Auburn or Florida, Tennessee or LSU. If they root for either one of us they can just say "Tigers," because we're right there. But it's a fun game. If you look at what we've been able to do as a sport, like Tim was talking about earlier, it's phenomenal. It's a quicker game. You're seeing great skill on the field and then you see all the dancing and the fooling around in the dugout. It just makes you smile. It is fun to go watch softball.

COACH R. WEEKLY: I can tell you firsthand being in the championship series two years ago and having 9,000 Oklahoma fans here it will be different. Again, I think fans are going to identify with the team that jumps out to them, might be colors, it may be cheers, it may be certain players on the team. I guess the only reason anybody would root for us is we're the underdog. We're the 8 seed.

COACH WALTON: I think you should root for the Gators just because my coaching staff all graduated from Oklahoma. So I think it's just natural to come root for the 1 seed. Back in our graduation state. So I say go Gators (laughter).

Q. Clint, Pac-12, you were there. And Pac-10 years. Did you see the SEC rise coming, and is it ahead of schedule of what you thought? And is the SEC now as strong as the Pac was when it was dominant?
COACH MYERS: Back when I first got there, I mean, Sue Enquist made a statement my first year there, because I was younger and naive and I asked why don't we have a conference tournament? And Sue said, we do. They just call it the College World Series. I mean, in fact in those days it was very true. However, coming from the Pac-12, and I had great memories and great friends there, the SEC is much better as far as strength of schedule, as far as the ability to play a postseason opponent every weekend in the conference play. It has bypassed. It's a lot stronger. And now the Pac-12 is wanting to be like us. Again, they're still a great conference. They have two teams here with UCLA and Oregon. Two great teams. Well coached. Great athletes. There's five here now. There could have been seven. It is a situation where the SEC has really come on. And they're going to be around for a long, long time. And they are in my opinion the strongest conference in the country.

Q. Coach Myers, have you decided who you're going to pitch tomorrow?
COACH MYERS: No. I mean, I don't do pitching. That's Corey (Myers). So I make out the lineup 1 through 9 and in the flex position Corey will do -- it's either going to be Marcy (Harper), Lexi (Davis) or Rachael (Walters), one of those three. He hasn't told me yet. Again, he's my son. He's the pitching coach. And I've learned not to even ask.

Q. What did you take away from the three game series you played against LSU? You won a couple of close ones, they won a lopsided one, the last one. What did you take away from that series?
COACH MYERS: They're a great team. They're well coached. They're great athletes. You saw what they did in the regional and the Super Regional. I think Beth (Torina) and I would both agree that the first two games were uncharacteristic because there wasn't a whole lot of offense and we've been known for our offense both teams. And then the third came, her offense came out and ours was still kind of hiding somewhere. But again it is the idea that we've got to go out and do it. It's not what happened in the past. It's what's going to happen Thursday at 1:30 p.m. So that's the most important thing. So we've got to go out and play good softball.

Q. Clint, why did it shift? Why has the SEC surpassed the Pac-12?
COACH MYERS: There's any number of reasons. And again this is only one old man's opinion. But, first of all, it's the people sitting at this table and the four that were in here earlier. There's great coaching. Then you start looking at the great ballparks. The Taj Mahal over here at LSU. We got to play there, it was my first experience. It's beautiful. They've got a great grounds crew. It's first class all the way. I've had the opportunity -- I haven't played at Ralph (Weekly)'s place yet. I'm still looking forward to that. I think we hook up next year. But the facilities, the athletes, you look at the national champ at Alabama and then last year with Tim (Walton). It's swinging this way. And it's because of the people that want to come to our places because we are beautiful ballparks, great coaching and now we're starting to get great athletes on a very, very consistent basis.

Q. Ralph, could we put you on the spot about what your thoughts about who might be pitching tomorrow?
COACH R. WEEKLY: All four of them. I'm serious about that. I mean, I've got four pitchers. If you look at it we're probably the only team in the country that has four pitchers with pretty even stats. And we are going against a power offense, a team that has three great quick people, as Tim (Walton) mentioned. And they've got a lot of power in the middle of the order. If we're going to have a chance to play good ball against them, we'll probably have to change it up pretty frequently.

Q. Tim, could you talk, after the Super Regional Sunday you were talking about how the pressure was off for this team. Is that an effort to try to keep this team loose, and do you sense you've got a team coming in here not feeling like defending champions?
COACH WALTON: I think the important thing is to come out here be as natural as you can, play as natural as you can. I think getting to this point, going through -- you want to be the number one, just for matchup purposes, but there are a lot of extra bags that come with that. And I think our players have handled that very well. So I would say the big reason for that statement was, after you win a championship, kind of all eyes are on you and expectations are there and to get back and now be one of eight, unless we just have one awful, awful week, we're going to be ranked ome through eight, and we're not going to be outside of that top eight. And I think that is from an exterior -- it's kind of pressure to be able to, after you go and win a championship, what are you going to do to follow up that and especially with only graduating the two kids we graduated from last year.

Q. Does it excite your team, Coach Walton, to get another crack at Tennessee, who beat you in the SEC Tournament?
COACH WALTON: Yeah, as we go through, as we all sat through the same thing, preparing for somebody in the SEC tournament, it's difficult because you play somebody. You've got a couple of days to prepare for them, and you turn around, and I think we had less than 24-hour preparation for Tennessee. I told our team I don't think we prepared as well as we should have. And they played a good game. They pitched, Erin Gabriel pitched a really good game. Rainey (Gaffin) closed it out. We just didn't show preparation. Again, I'm not saying we're going to win tomorrow, but I know we've prepared a little bit better for Tennessee and they've showed just how hard they were when we matched up with them on Friday in Baton Rouge. Now we have a little bit longer to prepare for them. But very difficult to prepare for four pitchers and all the different looks that they give you. And it's just -- especially to try to do that in less than 24 hours.

Q. Ralph, I'm sure this is a topic you've discussed at length over the years, but how special is it to be here with your wife as a co-coach getting to this point and what are some of the challenges of being married to a coach in this program?
COACH R. WEEKLY: Well, I'll tell you, first of all, it is special for me to be here with my wife. We've been married 21 years. We've been coaching together the entire time. If I were to tell you every minute was rosy, I wouldn't be the most honest person in the world. But my wife is probably the real substance to our program. She's a lawyer by trade and she's an analyst, and to be very honest with you I've never seen anybody be able to pick apart hitters like her. I remember when we were playing here against Oklahoma, two years ago, and it was like three in the morning and I told her you've looked at that film 20 plus times. And she said, well, I just might see something, I just might see something. She's a very good coach and a very good life companion. And I think the thing that keeps us going is there's a lot of love between us. And we fight and we argue and we have timeout and we go our own way for a little while (laughter).

Q. The exposure from the SEC Network, I think a lot of people have seen a lot of SEC softball that they haven't in the past. How valuable has that been for just the growth of the sport?
COACH TORINA: I might as well start, since I start every time. The thing I thought was so cool was hosting the SEC Tournament for the first time with the network and just seeing all the things that went with that and getting the SEC Now set to be on our campus and seeing all the great feedback we got for that. The platform that the SEC Network has allowed this league, it's just unbelievable. And I guess just firsthand being the person that took a lot of the comments and the feedback from the outside world about the event, it was so well received by everyone throughout the country that I think the SEC Network has just been amazing for this league.

Q. Coach Myers, your team hasn't been here before. Walton's got the opposite problem you have. How do you keep your players focused on playing as opposed to all the stuff that's going on and being here for the first time and having it be new?
COACH MYERS: I'm still searching for the perfect answer to that question. You always remember your first time. And again, one of the things that makes these three and the other -- well, everybody but UCLA has been back here, and they have had players that have the experience that you can draw on. UCLA and us are the two teams that haven't been here, have any players with any World Series time. So we're trying to prepare them the best we can that it's a softball game. It's a different venue. It's going to be in front of thousands and thousands of fans. And it's one of those things that you just gotta go out and play the game, because if you get caught up in the peripheral stuff, it takes you out of the things like Tim (Walton) was talking about, being prepared. And it is a softball game. We're going to play LSU. We just played them. So they know us; we know them. We have to stay in tune with what we have with that. So if we can enjoy the moment but still be able to focus in the moment, I think that's going to be what we have to do.

Q. All four of you, starting with Beth, do you think we'll ever see the day that -- you think you will ever see the day that this is an eight-team tournament with all eight coming from the SEC?
COACH TORINA: I think anything's possible. I think that's probably a long shot. But I think anything is possible, and I think our league is amazing. And I think it's nice that everyone's starting to understand what our kids have to go through on a daily basis, especially the young kids in this league, and they have to go out and play against all these people every single day and they have to fail a lot and understand how to bounce back. It takes a really special kid to compete in the SEC, not just talent-wise, but a special mentality to go out and compete it in that every day. The more kids we get like that, the more I can tell you that anything's possible.

COACH MYERS: I'm amazed that we have five, but like I said earlier, could have easily been seven. The caliber of softball in the SEC is tremendous. So being an SEC school, I hope so.

COACH R. WEEKLY: Again, there are some great teams, and I know that's the political answer, but there's some great teams across the country. But I think one of the things that hasn't been talked about that separates the SEC is football. And that's what generates the money for the other sports, believe me. If you don't know that, you don't know what's happening. And we have some fantastic stadiums. Our team room alone is 10,000 square feet, with a 28-seat theater in it with Regal theater seats. Kids come in from the West Coast and they look at this team room and they look at the seven different rooms in that team room, the kitchen, the conference room, et cetera, et cetera, and then they go out into a covered batting cage and a stadium that's huge and brick and we're building all the time as are these guys building all the time. I just saw plans for the Auburn indoor that's beautiful. I know what Tim (Walton) has down there. But the money and the commitment that the SEC athletic directors have made to all sports is the difference in my opinion.

COACH WALTON: I don't think there's very much more I could say. I think it's always the same thing, the football, the BCS. I naively made a comment in my first Super Regionals in 2007 that I don't feel like our football success helped our softball program out that much. And I was, again, second year in the SEC, I was crazy wrong. Football has everything to do with the success of our softball programs in this league. That's why we have the SEC Network and we have so many things going for us. But on the flip side of that, I love the SEC. I hope not. I hope we don't have eight teams from the SEC in this event. I only say that because I do think there should be some kids from other areas of the country that have the same opportunities that our league does. And although I love the way that we don't have teams from the same conference in regional formats, I think that's great for the game, but I don't think that eight teams from the SEC would be great for the game nationwide.

Q. Before this morning, the last time you were on the field you had the national championship trophy and you were celebrating. Did any memories come flooding back when you hit the field this morning for practice or is the past in the past; it's a new year?
COACH WALTON: No, I hit a ground ball back to the circle today. And I envisioned, I don't know why, but I did envision Hannah (Rogers) making the play to end the game. I don't know how or why it came into my head. Lauren (Haeger) made a nice little jump, a little hop and made a play and it did bring back memories. And, again, a lot of us have had special memories in our lives. And that will never go away. That's one of the big things I've been trying to sell my athletes on this whole entire year. No matter if you win the national championship or you get to the College World Series, this whole season is about enjoying the moment, winning the moment, and just have fun, enjoy your teammates. Nobody is going to remember 10 years from now whether you were the star hitter or pinch runner, nobody remembers that, they know you're part of something special and that team will always be something special.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297