Softball ready for fresh start, opens season vs. FSU Feb. 12


Corinne Jenkins will return to the mound for the Panthers for her senior season. Photo courtesy of FIU Athletics Media Relations.

Corinne Jenkins will return to the mound for her senior season. Photo courtesy of FIU Athletics Media Relations.

 

By Joel Delgado ’12 MS ’17 

You wouldn’t blame senior pitcher Corrine Jenkins or junior first baseman Stephanie Texeira if they just wanted to erase from their memory how last season ended.

As if failing to secure a spot in the Conference USA Championships wasn’t enough, the university was also the host site for the tournament, forcing them to watch the tournament take place in their own backyard.

But they are not trying to ignore or pretend it never happened. Instead, they are using that painful memory as fuel and motivation to make sure it doesn’t happen again this season.

“We have to talk about it,” Jenkins says. “How we ended last season, that sets the tone for this season. That was not a good feeling, and that’s not something we want to have happen again.”

Added Texeira: “We just want people to know that it won’t be like last year. We won’t end like last year.”

The Panthers are excited to finally get back on the field, beginning the season this Friday, Feb. 12, against Florida State to kick off the Juiceblendz FIU Softball Invitational.

In order to avoid the same fate that befell the team last year, Head Coach Gator Rebhan used the offseason to stock up his roster with a new class of players who can step in and play right away.

Freshmen outfielders Jackie Schoff, Deven Kennedy and Janae Perera are expected to be in the mix for playing time while the team also adds much-needed depth to its pitching staff, a luxury the team did not have last year.

“We could possibly have four freshmen start this year,” Rebhan said. “We want to add some more speed and we did that. We’re going to be a fast team and they’re going to be a fun group to watch.”

For Jenkins, who carried the bulk of the load on the mound last season, the added depth on the pitching staff is a welcome change.

“Never in my four years here have we had a staff of five pitchers,” Jenkins notes. “They have totally bought into the program and to know you have those players there to help you and complement you, it’s a nice thing to have.”

DON’T MESS WITH TEXEIRA

While the team will certainly receive a boost from some of its newest additions, the team also brings back some of its power with junior first baseman Stephanie Texeira.

Texeira has already left her mark on the FIU softball history books. In 2015, she set a new single-season batting average record (.444) and drove in 51 runs, only behind Ashley McClain’s 56 RBI in 2010. She also has a legitimate chance to break career records in several categories, including the Panthers’ all-time home run record.

EDIT Texeira 13 (AJH_20150425_D619193)

Stephanie Texeira led the Panthers with eight home runs and 51 RBI last season. Photo appears courtesy of FIU Athletics Media Relations.

She’s become so much of a threat at the plate that teams have started to try and avoid pitching to her altogether. Last season, Texeira was walked 51 times – also a single season FIU record.

But all of that is merely background noise for the Panthers’ slugger.

“I’ve heard a lot of talk and people asking me ‘Are you going to hit 20 homeruns? What if they don’t pitch to you?’ I listen to it, but I don’t let it get to me,” Texeira says. “It’s a new season. I use last year as a stepping stone and I try not to focus on it too much.”

There’s little doubt in Rebhan’s mind, however, that she could easily shatter some of those records before her time at FIU is complete.

“Because they don’t really pitch to her, her power numbers aren’t what they should be,” Rebhan said. “But if they pitch to her, she’ll break all the records.”

Gator Rebhan is entering his second season as head coach of the FIU softball program. Photo appears courtesy of FIU Athletics Media Relations.

Gator Rebhan is entering his second season as head coach of the FIU softball program. Photo appears courtesy of FIU Athletics Media Relations.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Temperatures are still frigid in most of the country, and for the Panthers that’s a good thing. They will have an opportunity to enjoy a home field advantage for the entire month of February, hosting 16 consecutive home games at Felsberg Field at FIU Softball Stadium to open up the season.

The team will also be welcoming some big-name programs to campus as part of their early season non-conference schedule, including Illinois (Feb. 13), Indiana (Feb. 19) and a doubleheader against Notre Dame (March 9).

“Playing at home helps build confidence and helps the community get to know the team,” Rebhan says. “We want to have the stands full and last year we made big strides to do that.”

One of the hallmarks of the team has been their commitment to serving and volunteering in the community, taking part in many softball camps to help young girls learn the game’s fundamentals and develop their skills.

Those efforts have helped the team build a loyal following in the local softball community and a unique experience for many of the players on the team.

“It’s awesome being a role model for little girls that you worked with at a clinic or a camp and then seeing them come and watch us play throughout college,” Jenkins said. “That’s really special for me and it’s one of my favorite parts about playing.”

For more information on FIU softball, go to FIUSports.com.

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