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2026 Softball Offseason

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CrimsonTitles

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Mar 30, 2015
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I figured I would make a thread for the softball transfer portal and recruiting, in case anyone is as interested as I am.

We just landed our first addition of the 2026 transfer portal season: left-handed pitcher Kailey Plumlee from Tennessee. She seems to have been pretty highly touted out of high school (#22 overall in the class of 2024 and Tennessee Gatorade player of the year) and this gives us a lefty arm out of the bullpen, which we didn't have this past season.

www.si.com

Alabama Softball Lands LHP Out of Portal from SEC Rival

Former Tennessee pitcher Kailey Plumlee announced her commitment to the Crimson Tide on Wednesday.
www.si.com www.si.com
 
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Also doing well for position players, including Jocelyn Briski's younger sister Ava, an infielder. List below from On 3. Note the national rankings -- #6, 40 82, 105 and 125 overall players, including the #1 catcher -- a position of need with the graduation of Marlie Giles.

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This list is HS players only, so it doesn't include the transfer pitcher from UTe, Kailey Plumlee. As CT points out, she was the overall #22 player nationally, and #9 pitcher in her HS class...and the Tennessee Gatorade POY.

Nice haul. Now have to sign and develop them.
 
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CrimsonTitles said:
I figured I would make a thread for the softball transfer portal and recruiting, in case anyone is as interested as I am.

We just landed our first addition of the 2026 transfer portal season: left-handed pitcher Kailey Plumlee from Tennessee. She seems to have been pretty highly touted out of high school (#22 overall in the class of 2024 and Tennessee Gatorade player of the year) and this gives us a lefty arm out of the bullpen, which we didn't have this past season.

www.si.com

Alabama Softball Lands LHP Out of Portal from SEC Rival

Former Tennessee pitcher Kailey Plumlee announced her commitment to the Crimson Tide on Wednesday.
www.si.com www.si.com
Click to expand...
That kid is a fine player. Nice pickup for Bama U.
 
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Krymsonman said:
I'm hoping we can retain our core from this year and add to it. Getting a #1 Catcher to replace Marlie is huge. So is the lefty pitcher. Sounds like Murphy is paying attention to the offseason.
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Yeah, softball is looking more and more like football or basketball with all the transfers and a few schools (looking at Texas Tech and a couple of others) tampering before the season even ends.

The commitment of Ava Briski would make you think the chances of big sister Jocelyn leaving are slim. I'm a bit more concerned about keeping Moten.

Will she be willing to be the #2 pitcher behind Jocelyn Briski for another year? Will we have enough money to keep her? I don't know the answer to either. She's from Daphne, so being in-state helps. But $$$$ talks louder than hometown. Guessing Murphy is working on that as this is written.

In addition to the newfound power hitters, I really want to keep the shortstop whose name escapes me at the moment. At the plate, she's only fair at best. But man is she good in the field.
 
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4Q Basket Case said:
Yeah, softball is looking more and more like football or basketball with all the transfers and a few schools (looking at Texas Tech and a couple of others) tampering before the season even ends.

The commitment of Ava Briski would make you think the chances of big sister Jocelyn leaving are slim. I'm a bit more concerned about keeping Moten.

Will she be willing to be the #2 pitcher behind Jocelyn Briski for another year? Will we have enough money to keep her? I don't know the answer to either. She's from Daphne, so being in-state helps. But $$$$ talks louder than hometown. Guessing Murphy is working on that as this is written.

In addition to the newfound power hitters, I really want to keep the shortstop whose name escapes me at the moment. At the plate, she's only fair at best. But man is she good in the field.
Click to expand...

Hawkins
 
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Krymsonman said:
I'm hoping we can retain our core from this year and add to it. Getting a #1 Catcher to replace Marlie is huge. So is the lefty pitcher. Sounds like Murphy is paying attention to the offseason.
Click to expand...
I'm still holding out hope that Marlie and Alexis will be back. I'm very confident the 5 for 5 rule will be approved, but the only question is when. I did hear talk of being voted in this month, but that was awhile ago, so I don't know where it stands now. That would be huge to get them both back.
 
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CrimsonTitles said:
I'm still holding out hope that Marlie and Alexis will be back. I'm very confident the 5 for 5 rule will be approved, but the only question is when. I did hear talk of being voted in this month, but that was awhile ago, so I don't know where it stands now. That would be huge to get them both back.
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If that happens, that team would be loaded for sure.
 
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We have just picked up another catcher in the portal: Iowa State's Karlee Ford. Looks like a pretty good get. She hit .345 with 10 HRs and 49 RBIs this past season, and was Second Team All Big 12, per Iowa State's website.

www.on3.com

Former Iowa State catcher Karlee Ford commits to Alabama

Former Iowa State catcher Karlee Ford has committed to Alabama after two seasons with the Cyclones.
www.on3.com www.on3.com

cyclones.com

Karlee Ford - Softball - Iowa State Athletics

Karlee Ford (9) Catcher/Outfielder - Awards & Honors NFCA Midwest All-Region Second Team - C (2026) All-Big 12 Second Team (2026) Big 12 Academic All-Rookie ...
cyclones.com cyclones.com
 
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4Q Basket Case said:
I’m not aware that we’ve lost anyone to the portal.

Google says it closed June 22. No losses (or at least no major ones) makes me hopeful for next year.
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That's sounds great. Quick question? Since the portal closed on 6/22, does that mean that anyone still left in the portal is out of luck, or can they still find a new team?
 
Per Co-pilot search...
"Once a player is in the portal, they can be contacted by other programs, but the NCAA does not set a separate “last day to sign” — the portal period is the only time a player can be considered for transfer aid. After June 22, the portal closes, and no new entries are accepted."

On another site I see players (Jasoni Beachum and Tori Edwards) signed about three days ago, so that would seem to corroborate Co-pilot.
 
catsbane said:
Per Co-pilot search...
"Once a player is in the portal, they can be contacted by other programs, but the NCAA does not set a separate “last day to sign” — the portal period is the only time a player can be considered for transfer aid. After June 22, the portal closes, and no new entries are accepted."

On another site I see players (Jasoni Beachum and Tori Edwards) signed about three days ago, so that would seem to corroborate Co-pilot.
Click to expand...
Good to know. You can enter the portal only during the specified time frame. Once the portal is closed, it's closed for new entries.

But once you've entered within the specified time frame, you can sign at any time, even if that's after the portal is closed to new entries.

Krymsonman touches on a way under-publicized aspect of the transfer process, really more in football and to a lesser extent basketball. We hear all about the successful additions that shore up a team's position of need. We hear about players who rejuvenate a struggling career.

What we don't hear about is the hundreds (if not thousands) of players who over-estimate their value and enter the portal with dollar signs dancing in their heads....but get no P4 or G5 offers and end up having to drop down to FCS or D2. Or don't find a team at all.

In today's world, I'm surprised that this hasn't been a ballyhooed story.
 
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