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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.

Seattle Reign Defender Sofia Huerta Invests in USL Super League Team AC Boise

Seattle Reign defender Sofia Huerta speaks to media after a 2025 NWSL match.
Seattle Reign defender Sofia Huerta joined the ownership group of USL Super League 2026 expansion team Athletic Club Boise on Tuesday. (Elsa/NWSL via Getty Images)

NWSL veteran Sofia Huerta is expanding her investment portfolio, with the Seattle Reign defender joining the ownership group of incoming USL Super League side Athletic Club Boise this week.

"I wasn't sure something like this would ever happen in Boise — so when the opportunity came, it was an easy decision," the Idaho product said in Tuesday's USL press release. "This community is how I got where I am today."

"Soccer has given me so much, and this club is building something that will give those opportunities to others," the 32-year-old continued. "The foundation Athletic Club Boise is laying — with the men's team in 2026 and the women's Gainbridge Super League team in 2027 — makes me proud to invest in the future of soccer here at home."

"Sofia represents exactly what we want this club to be — talented, ambitious, and deeply connected to the Northwest," added the incoming club's fellow co-owner Kasey Keller.

Huerta is now the first NWSL player to directly invest in the growing USL Super League, which serves as a top-flight US pro league alongside the NWSL.

That said, some of Huerta's Reign teammates have already crossed league lines, with Lauren Barnes, Jess Fishlock, and Olivia Van der Jagt buying into the semi-pro USL W League's Seattle-based team, Salmon Bay FC, last year.

Notre Dame Star Hannah Hidalgo Vows to Step Up After “Underachieving” NCAA Season

Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo looks on during ACC media day ahead of the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season.
Notre Dame junior guard Hannah Hidalgo plans to step into a leadership role with the Irish in the upcoming 2025/26 NCAA basketball season. (William Howard/Imagn Images)

Notre Dame basketball star Hannah Hidalgo took the mic this week, telling reporters at Tuesday's ACC Media Day that she's eager to erase the memory of last season's March Madness crash-out.

"Knowing how much talent we had last year and underachieving like we did was something that was heartbreaking," the junior guard said, explaining that the one-time No. 1 Fighting Irish lost focus ahead of their Sweet 16 tournament exit.

Hidalgo, whose 23.8 points per game made her the fifth most prolific scorer in the NCAA last season, also vowed to step up as a leader this year in light of Notre Dame losing standouts Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld to the WNBA and fellow star guard Olivia Miles in a transfer to TCU.

"I know how to get the best out of my teammates, I know the steps that I need to take and the things that I need to do," said Hidalgo, dismissing questions about her rumored rift with Miles. "One of the most important things is building that relationship and that connection with my teammates off the court. It's bigger than basketball."

"I know the weight of [the spotlight] is heavy," Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey said of Hidalgo's role. "But I feel like she has done a great job of surrounding herself with the right network."

OL Lyonnes Beats Reigning Champs Arsenal in 2025/26 Champions League Opener

OL Lyonnes attacker Melchie Dumornay and midfielder Lindsey Heaps celebrate one of Dumornay's two goals during their league phase opener in 2025/26 Champions League play.
A first-half brace from attacker Melchie Dumornay secured OL Lyonnes the win over UWCL defending champions Arsenal. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

OL Lyonnes scored some UEFA Champions League revenge on Tuesday, upending reigning UWCL champs Arsenal 2-1 in the powerhouse pair's 2025/26 league phase opener in London.

In a rematch of last season's Champions League semifinal, Haiti international Melchie Dumornay sealed the OL Lyonnes result with a first-half brace for the French titans, quickly countering Arsenal forward Alessia Russo's seventh-minute strike.

"Errors happen from time to time, but if they happen too often, of course, there's something there," noted Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers, referencing the defensive mistakes that led to both OL Lyonnes goals. "Sometimes it's intangible or hard to put your finger on because it's a mixture of things."

"We won't get too high [or] too low in this situation," the Gunners manager continued, adding "the team went through hard times last year as well, and then we ended the season on a high with an amazing achievement in the Champions League."

OL Lyonnes weren't the only opening-day league phase victors, as Juventus took down Benfica 2-1 while 2024/25 runners-up Barcelona demolished Bundesliga side Bayern Munich 7-1 behind a pair of braces from attackers Ewa Pajor and Clàudia Pina.

Unlike previous iterations, the 2025/26 Champions League format does not include first-round rematches, with each team facing six different opponents before advancing to the knockouts.

How to watch 2025/26 Champions League games

UWCL league phase opening matches conclude with five games on Wednesday, with WSL winners Chelsea FC kicking off the action against Dutch side FC Twente at 12:45 PM ET.

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

WNBA Star Napheesa Collier Tells VP Kamala Harris She’s ‘Fed Up’ with League Leadership

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier looks up during a 2025 WNBA semifinal.
Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier explained the intent behind last week's viral exit interview to Kamala Harris on Monday. (Ellen Schmidt/NBAE via Getty Images)

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier was back on stage this week, opening up about her viral exit interview blasting WNBA leadership to former US Vice President Kamala Harris at the "A Day of Unreasonable Conversation" summit in LA on Monday.

"For so long, we tried to have these conversations and move the needle," she said. "And I saw nothing was changing."

"I think I just got to the point where I was fed up [with WNBA leadership]," Collier told Harris. "Whether I was going to get annihilated for this, or people were gonna support me, I felt like what I was doing was right."

Collier also doubled down on her position, publicly cancelling a meeting with Cathy Engelbert after the WNBA commissioner denied Collier's account of a past conversation regarding Caitlin Clark and rookie compensation.

"For [Engelbert] to start her speech saying she has the utmost respect for me and for the players, and then to turn around and call me a liar three minutes later... I think it just speaks to that lack of accountability and so I really have nothing further to say [to her]," Collier told Axios on Monday, confirming the meeting's cancellation.

While both Engelbert and NBA commissioner Adam Silver have committed to repairing relationships between players and league leadership, Collier's recent outspokenness shows just how much ground there is to cover.

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