MIAMI – The FIU softball team will get off to a quick and busy start to the 2024 season with the four-team Felsberg Invitational this weekend in Miami, which will see the Panthers play five games over three days, before following with a pair of single non-conference games next week against Louisville (Feb. 13) and North Florida (Feb. 14).
 
The season gets underway on Friday, Feb. 9 with the opening day of play at the Felsberg Invitational and also includes Southeast Missouri State, Ohio State and Stony Brook.
 
The tournament will include a total of 10 games over three days, beginning on Friday, Feb. 9 and concluding Sunday, Feb. 11.
 
WATCH ON ESPN+ LINKS
2/9 - Southeast Missouri vs. FIU, 12:30 p.m. - https://bit.ly/42rA6dr
2/9 – Ohio State vs. FIU, 5:30 p.m. - https://bit.ly/3HN7imf
2/11 – TBA vs. FIU, 11:30 a.m. - https://bit.ly/3OtUIvB
 
FRIDAY, FEB. 9
Stony Brook vs. Southeast Missouri, 10 a.m. - http://statb.us/b/519907
Southeast Missouri vs. FIU, 12:30 p.m. - http://statb.us/b/510826
Ohio State vs. Stony Brook, 3 p.m. - http://statb.us/b/519906
Ohio State vs. FIU, 5:30 p.m. - http://statb.us/b/510824
 
SATURDAY, FEB. 10
Southeast Missouri vs. Ohio State, 10 a.m. - http://statb.us/b/519908
Stony Brook vs. FIU, 12:30 p.m. - http://statb.us/b/510827
2nd vs. 3rd, 3 p.m.
1st vs. 4th, 5:30 p.m.
 
SUNDAY, FEB. 11
L vs. L, 9 a.m.
W vs. W, 11:30 a.m.
 
TUESDAY, FEB. 13
Louisville vs. FIU, 5 p.m.
 
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 14
North Florida vs. FIU, 2 p.m.
 
WHAT IS BACK
The Panthers return a total of seven starters from last season's squad, including All-Conference USA First Team catcher Isabella Perez.  She led CUSA and ranked 11th among national leaders in runners caught stealing with 16
 
FIU also welcomes its top hitter from last season in Ella Whitney, who saw time at first base and in the circle as a freshman while totaling a .349 batting average and 10 extra base hits – her .349 clip ranked as the 10^th best total among league leaders.
 
Other returning starters include Ashton Lansdell (SS), Makayla Navarro (INF), Brooke McCann (OF), Kaleena Downing (INF) and Abigail Brown (INF).
 
In the circle, the Panthers welcome back all four of their primary pitchers from last season in Sydney Birling, Brooke McNichols, Megan Kruger and Whitney.
 
HEAD COACH MIKE LARABEE
ON THE NEWCOMERS
We are excited about the addition of Casey Goguts, she is going to bring added power and experience, so we are thrilled to have her join us this season.  Kally Meredith will bring more speed to the top of our lineup and will open the season in center field.  She can cover gap to gap, gets a great jump on the ball.  She has some of the best bat control of any player I have coached as far as she can chop slap, power slap, bunt and enough pop to keep the defense honest.
 
Janelle Martinez can play outfield and also can catch.  She plays on the Puerto Rican National Team and has been one of our hardest workers since her arrival.  She brings a lot of power and by playing internationally she brings a lot of savvy and experience.
 
Collier Peaden is another outfielder that is new to our program.  She is more of a power slapper and bunter and we expect her to be in the outfield rotation as well.
 
Zamya McBurrows was the Florida 4A Player of the Year as a prep senior last season and will start at second base for us on opening day.  She is a phenomenal athlete and one of the best middle infielders from the state of Florida.  We were very fortunate to have her join us.
 
Pitching wise swe added three players in Jordyn Ages, Jewelie Vanderkous and Alina Varga.  They have all been pretty steady and have brought a lot of depth to our rotation.
 
HEAD COACH MIKE LARABEE
GENERAL OUTLOOK
We have a really good lead up to the start of our season.  I am really happy, especially with out pitching in terms of how they came back. 
 
We have five pitchers ready to go and the rotation is wide open.  We have a lot of games early on, so that should work itself out.
 
I feel like we match up athletically with anyone that is on our schedule.  With this last recruiting class and our returners, I feel like we are going to able to put a really good group of athletes out on the field.
 
Speed is definitely improved from last year, where we had the seventh highest base steal total in program history and second in Conference USA in stolen bases.
 
We brought in some power with Casey Goguts and Janelle Martinez, so I am pretty excited about where we are offensively as well.
 
Defensively, we always talk about playing a high level of catch and out of all the teams I have coached in the last 20-plus seasons, I think we have the potential to be the best defensive team I have ever coached.
 
I feel like that our outfield can go get a ball, our middle infield and corners are strong and we have one of the best catchers in the country in Bella (Isabella) Perez.  We also have some depth, so early on there will be some different lineups used as we try to figure things out, but definitely a lot more depth that we had in the past.
 
Below is a positional breakdown of where things stand heading into opening weekend:
 
CATCHER
Bella Perez is the unquestioned starter behind the plate with Goguts or Martinez serving as the primary backup options.
 
Perez led Conference USA and ranked 11th among national leaders in runners caught stealing with 16.  She threw out 16 of 30 attempted base stealers overall (53 percent) and ranked second on the squad and 17th in CUSA with a .331 batting average during freshman campaign.
 
FIRST BASE
Top hitter Ella Whitney returns as the primary first base option.  Goguts is also expected to see time at first.  Brown and freshman Grace Hebling are expected to provide depth.
 
Whitney returns after a tremendous freshman season which saw her lead the Panthers with a .349 batting average, which also ranked 10th among leaders in Conference USA.  Whitney set an FIU record with hits in eight consecutive at bats, breaking the previous mark of six, which was accomplished five times previously.
 
She totaled 19 RBI, which ranked 37th among CUSA leaders and recorded 10 extra base hits – six doubles and four home runs, logging a .519 slugging percentage, while registering nine multiple hit games.
 
SECOND BASE
Newcomer Zamya McBurrows is expected to open the 2024 campaign as the Panthers' primary option at second base.  McBurrows is the reigning Florida State 4A Player of the Year after posting a .413 batting average during her senior prep campaign.  Also dangerous on the base paths, she swiped a total of 22 bases during her senior prep season.
 
THIRD BASE
Kaleena Downing returns after serving as the primary starter last season – she is expected to be joined by Makayla Navarro and Abigail Brown as the other primary options at the hot corner.
 
SHORTSTOP
Ashton Lansdell returns for her second season and is expected to be backed up by McBurows.  Navarro is also an option in the middle infield slots.
 
Lansdell and Navarro combined for a total of 44 stolen bases last season – which ranked as the top two totals on the squad.
 
Lansdell ranked fourth in Conference USA and 40th nationally with 26 stolen bases last season – an average of 0.51 per contest.  She was only thrown out twice on 28 total attempts and logged a .295 batting average with a total of 13 extra-base hits (six home runs, six doubles, one triple).
 
OUTFIELD
Newcomers are expected to play a large role in the FIU outfield.  Meredith is expected to be the primary center fielder and will be flanked by Bailey Grossenbacher, who missed the majority of last season due to an injury, in left and newcomer Martinez in right.  Peaden will be one of the top options off the bench.
 
HEAD COACH MIKE LARABEE
ON THE SCHEDULE
We play a lot of games early on and we are looking forward to testing our pitching depth.  I am excited about the competition.  The first month we have Florida State a couple times, Duke, Ohio State and Rutgers.  I think it is a good test to get us ready for the Conference USA opener against Liberty, who was picked as the preseason favorite.
 
I think we will see some very good pitching and the early season will be a good test for our squad.
 
UP NEXT
Following the opening seven games of the season, the Panthers will continue their current homestand, which will see them play each of their first 12 games at home with the four-team Panther Invitational – slated for Friday-Sun., Feb. 16-18 at Felsberg Field.
 
The Panthers will face Army, Rutgers and Duke over the three-day event.
 
TICKETS
For more information on FIU Softball season and individual tickets, including student ticketing, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit the FIU Athletics Online Ticket Office.
 
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