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Softball phenom Keagan Rothrock lifts Roncalli to unprecedented heights

Roncalli’s Keagan Rothrock competes during the Carmel Softball Invitational on April 23 in Carmel, Ind. (The Indianapolis Star via USA TODAY NETWORK)

Keagan Rothrock was 6 years old when she started pitching. And she admittedly wasn’t very good.

“I could not throw strikes,” Rothrock said. “I went to lessons a lot.”

But a lot has changed in 11 years.

Rothrock now boasts an impressive resume as a dual threat both in the circle and in the batter’s box. During her 2022 high school season at Roncalli (Ind.), she recorded a 0.70 ERA and a .529 batting average, earning Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year honors along the way.

It was one for the history books as the Royals shattered records in extra-base hits, total bases, slugging percentage and errorless games. They’ve won 46 consecutive games, one shy of tying the state’s record, and with Rothrock in the pitcher’s circle, the Royals became back-to-back Class 4A state champions.

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The Roncalli softball team hoists the trophy after winning a Class 4A sectional final on May 25. (The Indianapolis Star via USA TODAY NETWORK)

“It was a really good feeling knowing all of our hard work paid off in the end. It was really rewarding,” Rothrock said.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Rothrock secured the victory. She faced her last batter in what she calls a longer at-bat — five pitches. Rothrock’s first two pitches were strikes. Her third pitch — a rise ball — was a little too out of the zone. The batter fouled off the next pitch. With the count at 1-2, Rothrock delivered a fifth and final pitch. The batter swung and missed, and the Royals were once again state champs.

Roncalli fans were jubilant, as Rothrock threw off her mask and glove with a swarm of Royals enveloping her.

“She’s a fierce competitor,” Roncalli coach David Lauck said. “… The effort she puts in to be great is recognized by her teammates. She’s our hardest worker, our best player, our best leader.”

Rothrock has also shined on the international stage as well. As a member of the USA Softball U-18 Women’s National Team, Rothrock competed in the 2021 Junior Pan American Games and World Baseball Softball Confederation Women’s Softball World Cup, where she helped Team USA win a pair of gold medals. She amassed 37 strikeouts and allowed just one hit while recording an impressive 0.00 ERA throughout the two tournaments.

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Keagan Rothrock competes last year for the USA Softball U-18 Women's National Team. (Photo courtesy of USA Softball)

In the offseason, she worked to improve her batting. She led Roncalli with 14 home runs, a 366 percent increase from the year before, and she recorded 55 RBIs.

In the circle, she compiled a 28-0 record with eight no-hitters and five perfect games, but despite her eye-popping numbers on the field, Rothrock was still surprised by the award.

“It still surprises me every time I get something. I know there’s a ton of players who could get it,” she said.

Before the state championship game, Rothrock came to practice dressed for photos. As she walked up to the field, she saw big cameras everywhere and a crowd of familiar faces in the stands. The team practiced as usual, until Lauck stopped practice. Photographers made their way onto the field. Lined up for photos, Lauck delivered the good news, his voice booming over the loudspeaker.

“Keagan is not only an Indiana player of the year, she’s been named the Gatorade Player of the Year,” he said.

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Keagan Rothrock accepts the trophy for Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year. (Photy courtesy of Gatorade)

Roncalli sits 15 minutes from downtown Indianapolis. In a city known for passionate sports fans, the school’s softball team draws a crowd.

Rothrock and her teammates have become local celebrities of sorts. At the end of their games, they go out to meet the young fans. With softballs and phones in hand, the girls approach to get an autograph or picture.

“She’s kind of turned our community upside down,” Lauck said. “She’s available. She’s got open arms and a genuine personality that fans gravitate to.”

It started in 2021. After the 2020 season was canceled, the community began to buzz about the upcoming season.

“There was a lot of talk around Roncalli softball,” she said.

After fans started showing up in masses, it didn’t take long for the team to embrace their hometown fame.

“I love talking to all the little girls,” Rothrock said. “Just to be able to brighten their day, I had role models when I was younger. It’s nice to give back.”

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Roncalli pitcher Keagan Rothrock is greeted by catcher Anne Marie Meek after a strikeout on May 25 in a Class 4A sectional final. (The Indianapolis Star via USA TODAY NETWORK)

Rothrock picked up her first softball as a toddler. At age 3, she started playing tee-ball.

“Me and my mom would joke around in the backyard, she’d have me pitch,” Rothrock said.

Rothrock’s mother Laura pitched at Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne, and under Laura’s guidance, Keagan has been able to grow and perfect the craft.

At age 7, she joined her first travel team, aptly named the Indiana Gators. Soon, Rothrock will be a Florida Gator, a commitment she made in seventh grade.

“I’ve wanted to be a Gator forever. That was the initial reason. Once we got into the recruiting process, all of it was just awesome,” she said. “They’re one of the top schools in the country for education as well.”

School is also important to Rothrock. With a 4.06 GPA, Rothrock plans to pursue pre-med at Florida, with her sights set on becoming a pediatrician.

On and off the field, Rothrock is committed to succeeding. When she steps into the Gainesville locker room, she’ll be surrounded by familiar faces, having played with all but one of the girls in the 2023 class.

“She’ll have a lot of eyes when she steps onto campus,” Lauck said. “But I do feel like she’s excited, and I hope she’s a little nervous, too. That leads to her preparation. She just continues to prepare mentally, physically and spiritually.”

Lucky for Lauck, Rothrock has one final year with the Royals, and she plans to cherish every moment.

“[Memories] are going to last forever,” Rothrock said. “Not everybody gets to experience that.”

Nika Anschuetz is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @nlanschuetz.

Soccer Greats Salute USWNT Star Christen Press After Retirement Announcement

USWNT forward Christen Press celebrates a goal in a 2021 friendly.
Angel City and USWNT forward Christen Press announced her retirement at the end of the 2025 NWSL season. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Soccer's biggest names are giving Christen Press her flowers, praising the former USWNT forward's decorated career following the announcement of her impending retirement on Wednesday.

"Thank you CP23 for leading the way!! ACFC was our dream, and your commitment to the game and the club has transformed our community," USWNT '99er and Angel City investor Mia Hamm tweeted.

"On the field, a champion. Off the field, a leader and inspiration to so many. 155 caps, 64 goals, 2 World Cups, and a lasting impact in our sport that goes well beyond the numbers," echoed US Soccer CEO JT Batson.

"When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky. Congrats on your perfect career. ily," posted Press's wife, fellow retired USWNT star Tobin Heath.

While injury struggles kept Press off the international field under current head coach Emma Hayes, the USWNT boss still complimented the 36-year-old's work on and off the pitch during her Wednesday press conference.

"I remember watching Christen Press play for the first time — I went to a Stanford game — and I remember thinking, 'Who the hell is this kid?,'" Hayes said, citing Press's attacking versatility. "She could smash the ball into the top corner like nobody I know."

"What people don't really see with that generation of players is what they've had to endure to get to where they are," she continued, spotlighting the last roster's fight for equal pay. "They've had to sacrifice themselves, or put themselves in a place that positioned everybody else in a better place."

"I think it is time for my family to move on to our next chapter," said Press herself. "We're going to be a part of this game forever, but it's time for it to look different for us."

USWNT Stars Alyssa Thompson, Lily Yohannes Shine in 2025/26 Champions League Play

Chelsea forward Alyssa Thompson celebrates after scoring her first-ever Champions League goal.
Chelsea forward Alyssa Thompson scored her first-ever career UWCL goal on Wednesday. (Harriet Lander - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Two rising US stars made their European marks this week, as both OL Lyonnes midfielder Lily Yohannes and Chelsea FC forward Alyssa Thompson registered their first-ever UWCL goals in the second week of 2025/26 Champions League play on Wednesday — mere hours after earning call-ups to October's USWNT roster.

First, Yohannes launched a 57-yard screamer in the 51st minute of the French club's 3-0 win over Austrian side St. Pölten, with the 18-year-old helping lift Lyonnes over the competition after spotting the keeper out of her goal.

Later on Wednesday afternoon, recent WSL addition Thompson piled onto the Blues' eventual 4-0 thrashing of Paris FC, firing in her debut Champions League goal off a low cross from England mainstay Kiera Walsh.

"She brings a lot of speed up front," Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor said of Thompson. "She also is a player who is really comfortable on the ball."

How to watch 2025/26 Champions League action on Thursday

The second matchday of the 2025/26 UWCL league phase continues on Thursday, as WSL side Manchester United — anchored by USWNT goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce — faces Spanish club Atlético Madrid at 12:45 PM ET before reigning champion Arsenal looks to bounce back from their Champions League opening loss by defeating Portugal's Benfica at 3 PM ET.

All 2025/26 Champions League matches will air live on Paramount+.

Trinity Rodman, European Club Stars Headline USWNT October Roster

USWNT veteran stars Lindsey Heaps and Trinity Rodman are all smiles entering an April 2025 training session.
OL Lyonnes midfielder Lindsey Heaps and Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman are among the returning USWNT players named to the October roster. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

The USWNT is getting the band back together this October, as manager Emma Hayes tapped a number of veteran faces in a 26-player roster for the team's upcoming three international friendlies on Wednesday morning.

The team's European-based players are stepping back into the spotlight, after Hayes chose to rest stars Lindsey Heaps, Lily Yohannes, Emily Fox, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, and Catarina Macario during the summer.

However, sidelined Chelsea defender Naomi Girma will sit this one out as she continues to recover from a calf injury.

The roster also highlights the return of favorites Trinity Rodman, Rose Lavelle, and Jaedyn Shaw, as Hayes also calls up 24-year-old San Diego Wave defender Kennedy Wesley for the first time.

As next fall's qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup quickly approach, Hayes is narrowing the field from her previous developmentally focused roster-building strategy.

"I think this was the one camp I had to make some really hard decisions, and that's the place I wanted to be in," Hayes told reporters on Wednesday morning. "It's the build for [World Cup] qualification for next year."

With an average age of 24.6, the latest squad reflects the US's youth movement, though Lavelle's return helps boost the average international experience from 18.4 caps in this summer's USWNT roster to 27.3 appearances on Hayes's October lineup.

The October 2025 USWNT roster

  • Goalkeepers: Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)
  • Defenders: Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Lilly Reale (Gotham), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave)
  • Midfielders: Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Rose Lavelle (Gotham), Sam Meza (Seattle Reign), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns), Jaedyn Shaw (Gotham), Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes)
  • Forwards: Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Catarina Macario (Chelsea), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Ally Sentnor (Kansas City Current), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea)

How to watch the October USWNT friendlies

The world No. 2 USWNT will first take on No. 23 Portugal at 7 PM ET on October 23rd and at 4 PM ET on the 26th, before closing out the international window against No. 33 New Zealand at 8 PM ET on October 29th.

All three friendlies will air live on TNT.

Chelsea Looks to Bounce Back from 2025/26 Champions League Opening Draw

Chelsea FC winger Alyssa Thompson passes the ball during a 2025/26 Champions League match.
Chelsea FC newcomer Alyssa Thompson earned her first-ever UEFA Champions League start in last week's 2025/26 league phase opener. (Marcel ter Bals/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)

The 2025/26 UEFA Women's Champions League action returns on Wednesday, kicking off another week of league-phase play as WSL titans Chelsea search for their first UWCL win of the season.

The Blues settled for a disappointing 1-1 draw with FC Twente last week, despite outshooting the Dutch club 20-9 while holding 65% of possession.

"When I analyze the games, I think we are creating a lot, which is the most important thing," said Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor. "But the most difficult thing in football is to score goals. We need to stay confident and keep trying."

"Sometimes, when you're able to be clinical, you kill the opposition’s hope a bit sooner," Bompastor continued, hoping to supercharge the Blues' offense ahead of their Wednesday afternoon clash with French side Paris FC.

Other UWCL heavy hitters will also feature on Wednesday's pitch, as Barcelona, Wolfsburg and OL Lyonnes all look to continue their winning ways after major victories in last week's opening slate.

The rest of the 18-club league phase will conclude the second matchday on Thursday, when fellow WSL powerhouses Manchester United and defending Champions League winners Arsenal return to the UWCL pitch.

How to watch Chelsea vs. Paris FC in Champions League play

Chelsea will host Paris FC in London for their second league phase match at 3 PM ET on Wednesday.

All 2025/26 Champions League matches will air live on Paramount+.

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