UT softball still contenders for national championship

The 2012 version of the Tennessee softball team will have a different look after losing Kelly Grieve to graduation and parting ways with former third baseman Jessica Spigner.

Returning players such as juniors Ivy Renfroe, Lauren Gibson and Raven Chavanne, sophomore Ellen Renfroe and senior Cat Hosfield will be relied on heavily to carry the Lady Vols throughout the upcoming season.

The Big Orange began the 2011 campaign ranked No. 4 in the country and concluded the season ranked fifth in the nation after losing to Oklahoma State in the NCAA Knoxville Regional. The team finished the year with an overall record of 49-12 and a 20-8 mark in the SEC.

The Renfroe sisters (Ivy and Ellen) combined for a 45-11 record on the mound, while Chavanne and Gibson led the team at the plate. Chavanne finished her sophomore season with a .455 batting average, 90 hits, three home runs and a .551 slugging percentage, while Gibson hit .420 with 73 hits, 12 doubles, eight homers and a .667 slugging percentage. Both players will have to put together equally strong years to make up for the loss of Spigner, who left the program as its second-leading home run hitter of all-time behind former Lady Vols standout Tonya Callahan.

Hosfield, who was used as a third pitcher in 2011 and finished with a 4-1 record and 2.92 ERA, will return to her outfield position in 2012 and look to close out her Lady Vols career on a high note.

Co-head coaches Ralph and Karen Weekly will return for their 11th season at the helm of the Lady Vols after celebrating their 500th win together on April 13, 2011. Just three days earlier, Ralph collected his 1,000 coaching victory over the course of his 25-year career. Karen also celebrated an individual milestone on Feb. 25, 2011 when she picked up her 700th career win.

During the summer of 2011, Gibson and Grieve helped the USA Softball Women's Senior National Team top Japan, 6-4, to claim the the championship of the World Cup of Softball VI. Gibson totaled four starts at second base and delivered singles during preliminary round wins over Japan and Great Britain.

Gibson, along with Chavanne and Ellen Renfroe became the program's 19th, 20th and 21st All-Americans after being selected to the 2011 Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Teams.

Senior Shelby Burchell (15 HR) and junior Kat Dotson (10 HR) will also return to the Tennessee lineup as the only players other than Spigner to hit double-digit home runs in 2011.

Last year as a team, the Lady Vols out-performed their opponents in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.348-.209), runs (419-128), hits (562-301), home runs (69-25), RBI (388-117) and slugging percentage (.541-.293).