Pitt Softball

[mike412]

I believe this is Clemson’s third season of softball. They are ranked #6 nationally according to the Pitt website.

How does a team go from nothing to being ranked nationally in 3 years? Their opening day roster for their first game ever had 9 pitchers on it. Based on their high school and club softball credentials, it appeared that 8 likely were on scholarship. The ninth was a local pitcher who was fairly dominant in the area but not credentialed anywhere near the other 8. I’m assuming she was a walk-on.

They had been recruiting for 3 years, so their first class had been recruited over that length of time. Their coach understood that pitching is the key to winning in softball and she zealously recruited pitchers. They don’t have 9 on the current roster. In the time they have been playing, some have been weeded out. But their pitching is pretty stacked.

Hermanek hasn’t recruited 8 pitchers in 5 years. I don’t think she has recruited 3. I don’t believe she recruited Abby Edwards; I think Holly did. I’m not even sure she recruited Dani. The last two years she has gone to the transfer portal to get desperately needed pitching and has gotten dreck. I say that with some degree of expertise. I played competitive fast pitch softball when I was younger (slightly after dinosaurs ruled the earth.) On my best day 50-plus years ago, I couldn’t have more than sporadically touched the top college pitchers; but I think today at age 76, I could hit .500 against Romano, the transfer portal arm recruited. I just wouldn’t have the power to take her deep too often. There have been many quality arms out there; Hermanek hasn’t gotten any of them.

Since Stallings left, she has been the worst coach at Pitt. White might have had a worse record, but I think he was a better coach.

If Hermanek has a plan, I would love to know what it is. Because the results have been pathetic. They play enough patsies to win some games, but she is paid to win in the ACC. She hasn’t don't that.

Clemson has proved you can win in three years. They actually were pretty good their first two seasons as well. Hermanek hasn’t won in 5. Has she built a foundation to win next year and thereafter? The pitching answers that one in the negative. She has destroyed a program that Aprile was more than decent; it was on the doorstep of being top flight.

 

[Black Panther]

Good points.Dani was hers.From my understanding she was going to go to Ohio if Jodi had stayed there.

 

[A.Donald]

Good points.Dani was hers.From my understanding she was going to go to Ohio if Jodi had stayed there.

Dani is a quality pitcher. She would be wise to go where Hermanek isn’t. Lack of pitching coach at this level isn’t gonna win many games in the ACC.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Clemson is good, but not world beaters.

They were ranked 6th in the country this week and are 42-5 overall.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Hermanek hasn’t recruited 8 pitchers in 5 years. I don’t think she has recruited 3. I don’t believe she recruited Abby Edwards; I think Holly did. I’m not even sure she recruited Dani. The last two years she has gone to the transfer portal to get desperately needed pitching and has gotten dreck.

Her pitching recruiting is actually in many ways reminiscent of White's recruiting of centers. With the caveat that pitching in softball is much more important that centers (or really, any other position) in basketball.

At some point with opening of transfer rules you'd think that you could get a good pitcher who was stuck behind someone really good somewhere else. You can sell on the fact that you are going to get to pitch in what is becoming a really good league for softball, much like White could have sold that you would be a starter on a program in one of the best women's basketball leagues in the country. But neither of them could get the job done. It cost White his job, and it would be astounding if it doesn't cost Hermanek her job here in a few weeks.

 

[FreeportPanther]

Heather needs to put this program out of its misery! On 6 game losing streak, 3-17 in Conference record.
Won't make ACC tournament for second year in a row.
Getting blown out now these games.
Whatever they're doing it ain't working.
Surely this is it, right??? Has to be a change??

 

[A.Donald]

Heather needs to put this program out of its misery! On 6 game losing streak, 3-17 in Conference record.
Won't make ACC tournament for second year in a row.
Getting blown out now these games.
Whatever they're doing it ain't working.
Surely this is it, right??? Has to be a change??

Panther one small correction to your post. She hasn’t made the Acc tourney since she was hired 5 yrs ago.

 

[Austin26]

Heather needs to put this program out of its misery! On 6 game losing streak, 3-17 in Conference record.
Won't make ACC tournament for second year in a row.
Getting blown out now these games.
Whatever they're doing it ain't working.
Surely this is it, right??? Has to be a change??

One thing ADHL mentioned she evaluated in discussing the need to make a coaching change for the women's basketball program was the trajectory of the team's performance. Nuff said.

 

[FreeportPanther]

One thing ADHL mentioned she evaluated in discussing the need to make a coaching change for the women's basketball program was the trajectory of the team's performance. Nuff said.

Seems she's been asleep at the switch on this one.
Probably a little cronyism at play here.............

 

[ThePanthers]

Big comeback vs NC state for the win!

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Big comeback vs NC state for the win!

 

[FreeportPanther]

Nice, but too little too late?
They won't make the ACC playoffs yet again.
Surely change coming????
I mean this is as bad as Women's BB, maybe worse? Can't finish at least in 10th place in 5 years???

 

[ThePanthers]

Just swept NC state

 

[FreeportPanther]

Just swept NC state

WE'RE NUMBER 11. YAYYYYY

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Just swept NC state

NC State needed just one win this weekend to make the ACC tournament and couldn't get it. Georgia Tech should send the Pitt players a thank you note.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

So the difference between Pitt making the tournament and not kind of comes down to the game they lost against Georgia Tech in 10 innings earlier this season. In the 7th Pitt was down one with runners on 2nd and 3rd and one out and got a single that scored one, but the runner on second was thrown out trying to score. Then in the 8th Pitt got a lead off triple but could not score. Then in the 9th Pitt had runners on 1st and 3rd with one out and the bases loaded with two outs and again did not score.

Had Pitt won that game they would have finished 7-16 and Georgia Tech would have been 6-18 and Pitt would have had a chance to lose one more game.

 

[Austin26]

So the difference between Pitt making the tournament and not kind of comes down to the game they lost against Georgia Tech in 10 innings earlier this season. In the 7th Pitt was down one with runners on 2nd and 3rd and one out and got a single that scored one, but the runner on second was thrown out trying to score. Then in the 8th Pitt got a lead off triple but could not score. Then in the 9th Pitt had runners on 1st and 3rd with one out and the bases loaded with two outs and again did not score.

Had Pitt won that game they would have finished 7-16 and Georgia Tech would have been 6-18 and Pitt would have had a chance to lose one more game.

“……and Pitt would have had a chance to lose one more game.” Exactly.

 

[CrazyPaco]

2014 15-29 (.341); 6-18 (.250); 9th ACC, 1st year in ACC
2015 37-22 (.627); 11-13 (.458) 6th ACC; ACC Tourney Runner Up; NCAA Tourney Reg Final (2nd Rnd)
2016 31-21 (.596); 8-14 (.364); 8th ACC; ACC Tournament
2017 24-23 (.511); 7-17 (.292); 10th ACC; 1st every national ranking obtained
2018 33-18-1 (.644); 16-6 (.727) Coastal Champs; ACC Champ Runner Up; ACC COY
------------- Hemanek Hired
2019 13-41 (.241); 7-17 (.292); 6th (last) Coastal
2020 8-12 (.400); 2-4 (.333); 8th-tied ACC, COVID year
2021 17-19 (.370); 12-24 (.333); 11th ACC
2022 14-27 (.341); 2-20 (.091); 13th (last) ACC
2023 24-25 (.490); 6-17 (.261); 11th ACC

Hemanek totals:
76-124 (.380); 29-82 (.261)...no ACC tournaments made

No justification for retention.

 

[FreeportPanther]

2014 15-29 (.341); 6-18 (.250); 9th ACC, 1st year in ACC
2015 37-22 (.627); 11-13 (.458) 6th ACC; ACC Tourney Runner Up; NCAA Tourney Reg Final (2nd Rnd)
2016 31-21 (.596); 8-14 (.364); 8th ACC; ACC Tournament
2017 24-23 (.511); 7-17 (.292); 10th ACC; 1st every national ranking obtained
2018 33-18-1 (.644); 16-6 (.727) Coastal Champs; ACC Champ Runner Up; ACC COY
------------- Hemanek Hired
2019 13-41 (.241); 7-17 (.292); 6th (last) Coastal
2020 8-12 (.400); 2-4 (.333); 8th-tied ACC, COVID year
2021 17-19 (.370); 12-24 (.333); 11th ACC
2022 14-27 (.341); 2-20 (.091); 13th (last) ACC
2023 24-25 (.490); 6-17 (.261); 11th ACC

Hemanek totals:
76-124 (.380); 29-82 (.261)...no ACC tournaments made

No justification for retention.

Seeing this all listed in one place makes it even worse than imagined.
5 years is plenty of time, and there is no "uptrend" here, just consistently horrible results.

She is a terrible recruiter, just terrible. There is a good bit of talent withing a 300 mile radius of Pittsburgh, and the ACC is a decent league.

The recruiting is so bad, you wonder if she's blind?? Seems infatuated with warm weather players, but the problem there is so is everyone else, including the best programs in the country. Meanwhile there are quite a few D1 players from her area playing at other programs throughout the country.
Can't manage the portal either.
This is a Heather crony hire. We had a good coach who had it going on a bit and Heather let her walk to bring in her buddy from Ohio. Lyke needs to fix this if she's serious about excellence throughout her department.

 

[tfols]

Interesting timing on these posts, as the coach was just let go.

 

[ThePanthers]

Yep. Coach let go.

 

[CrazyPaco]

Seeing this all listed in one place makes it even worse than imagined.
5 years is plenty of time, and there is no "uptrend" here, just consistently horrible results.

She is a terrible recruiter, just terrible. There is a good bit of talent withing a 300 mile radius of Pittsburgh, and the ACC is a decent league.

The recruiting is so bad, you wonder if she's blind?? Seems infatuated with warm weather players, but the problem there is so is everyone else, including the best programs in the country. Meanwhile there are quite a few D1 players from her area playing at other programs throughout the country.
Can't manage the portal either.
This is a Heather crony hire. We had a good coach who had it going on a bit and Heather let her walk to bring in her buddy from Ohio. Lyke needs to fix this if she's serious about excellence throughout her department.

It was a bad coaching change five years ago, and you are right, appeared to be somewhat of a crony hire. Hated it at the time, and proved correct to hate it.

What I do like, is that Heather has had no problem firing her hires that fail. She's not letting these lower profile sports slide. She's extended and supported coaches that have won or made progress, and after a distinct five year period, cut loose those that haven't: Hargis last year; White, Snider, Hermanek this year.

 

[ThePittBoi]

Easily HL’s worst hire, at least two years overdue here.

 

[FreeportPanther]

Easily HL’s worst hire, at least two years overdue here.

Especially odd since Lyke is a former collegiate softball player herself.
This sport, above all others, should be right in her wheelhouse!

 

[CrazyPaco]

Especially odd since Lyke is a former collegiate softball player herself.
This sport, above all others, should be right in her wheelhouse!

Athletic directors at Pitt seem to the worst at meddling in their own sports:
Pederson->football
Barnes->basketball
Lyke->softball

 

[CrazyPaco]

Easily HL’s worst hire, at least two years overdue here.

probably, but I don't think you are going to see Pitt buy out olympic sports coaches early.

 

[FreeportPanther]

probably, but I don't think you are going to see Pitt buy out olympic sports coaches early.

Letting Aprile leave for Louisville was a monumental mistake.
3 31 win seasons at Pitt I believe.
ACC COY!
What was she thinking????

 

[Austin26]

Letting Aprile leave for Louisville was a monumental mistake.
3 31 win seasons at Pitt I believe.
ACC COY!
What was she thinking????

It almost seems like there was more to letting Aprile go than just results on the field, whatever those other factors may have been. I’ve been a big Heather Lyke fan from the beginning, but never a fan of hiring Hermanek. I like the new women’s basketball and gymnastics hires. Hopefully with the new softball coach we’ll be 3 for 3. As always with new coaches, time will tell.

 

[pittizit]

Easily HL’s worst hire, at least two years overdue here.

Lance White was hands down

 

[pittizit]

Letting Aprile leave for Louisville was a monumental mistake.
3 31 win seasons at Pitt I believe.
ACC COY!
What was she thinking????

Asleep at the wheel

 

[Chaos]

Letting Aprile leave for Louisville was a monumental mistake.
3 31 win seasons at Pitt I believe.
ACC COY!
What was she thinking????

I always assumed their personalities clashed and they just didn't work well together.

 

[FreeportPanther]

I always assumed their personalities clashed and they just didn't work well together.

Did they even have a chance to work together?? Seems like HL just got here and Aprile left.???

 

[FreeportPanther]

FSU beats Duke in walk off fashion in South Bend to win the ACC title.
They have a flair for the dramatic.
Just like they beat Pitt a number of years back in their last at bat.

 

[FreeportPanther]

Anyone hearing any names being considered for Pitt Softball coaching vacancy?

 

[FreeportPanther]

bump

 

[FreeportPanther]

Had a long talk with a Pitt softball insider, someone who knows what is going on, and I must say it was a pretty depressing discussion.

The Pitt softball program is a bigger disaster than anyone knows. For some reason, most of the players, including most of the best players, are on one year contracts for their scholarships.
That means they are essentially ALL in the portal, and would have been regardless of the coaching change. What a way to build a program???!!!
Lurching with roster upheaval year to year.

The remaining players, those inclined to stay, have been consulted in what they would want in a coach, and they gave some very pointed recommendations. Coach Herm was NOT a popular coach, at all! Had she been retained, the team would have dissolved.

Heard a couple of names, but none that I would consider viable upgrades.
This program needs a serious jolt to jump start it, or Pitt is doomed to remain a bottom dweller in this sport.

 

[CrazyPaco]

Had a long talk with a Pitt softball insider, someone who knows what is going on, and I must say it was a pretty depressing discussion.

The Pitt softball program is a bigger disaster than anyone knows. For some reason, most of the players, including most of the best players, are on one year contracts for their scholarships.
That means they are essentially ALL in the portal, and would have been regardless of the coaching change. What a way to build a program???!!!
Lurching with roster upheaval year to year.

The remaining players, those inclined to stay, have been consulted in what they would want in a coach, and they gave some very pointed recommendations. Coach Herm was NOT a popular coach, at all! Had she been retained, the team would have dissolved.

Heard a couple of names, but none that I would consider viable upgrades.
This program needs a serious jolt to jump start it, or Pitt is doomed to remain a bottom dweller in this sport.

Multi-year athletic scholarships are a relatively new thing...primarily only in the power 5. Previously, a decade ago, all scholarship were only 1 year at a time. I'm not sure how widely used multi-year scholarships are, especially in Olympic sports and non-head count sports like softball, and I don't think it makes any difference in the use of the portal.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

Had a long talk with a Pitt softball insider, someone who knows what is going on, and I must say it was a pretty depressing discussion.

The Pitt softball program is a bigger disaster than anyone knows. For some reason, most of the players, including most of the best players, are on one year contracts for their scholarships.
That means they are essentially ALL in the portal, and would have been regardless of the coaching change. What a way to build a program???!!!
Lurching with roster upheaval year to year.

The remaining players, those inclined to stay, have been consulted in what they would want in a coach, and they gave some very pointed recommendations. Coach Herm was NOT a popular coach, at all! Had she been retained, the team would have dissolved.

Heard a couple of names, but none that I would consider viable upgrades.
This program needs a serious jolt to jump start it, or Pitt is doomed to remain a bottom dweller in this sport.

Isn’t winning in Softball as a northern school with little booster support an uphill battle for any coach?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Multi-year athletic scholarships are a relatively new thing...primarily only in the power 5. Previously, a decade ago, all scholarship were only 1 year at a time. I'm not sure how widely used multi-year scholarships are, especially in Olympic sports and non-head count sports like softball, and I don't think it makes any difference in the use of the portal.

The rule in the P5 is that scholarships cannot be revoked for athletic reasons. There basically is NOT a one year scholarship at Pitt or any of the P5 schools any more, for players who come in on scholarship as a freshman.

Here is a list of the reasons that a P5 can cancel a scholarship. If one of these does not apply, the school cannot take a player off scholarship:

• Is ruled to be ineligible for competition;
• Provides fraudulent information on an application, letter of intent, or financial aid agreement;
• Engages in serious misconduct that rises to the level of being disciplined by the university’s regular student disciplinary board;
• Voluntarily quits their team; or
• Violates a university policy or rule which is not related to athletic conditions or ability (such as a university policy on class attendance, or an athletic department policy regarding proper conduct on a team trip).

 

[FreeportPanther]

That's all interesting, but I'm passing on what I was told by someone "very close" to the team. I have no reason to doubt what I was told. There was no reason to make things up.
They specifically said "One year Contracts".