Lexie Hames and the Seneca Valley softball eyeing a deep postseason run this year
KDKA's Cassidy Wood met up with the team recently, who are led by ace pitcher and Clemson recruit Lexie Hames.
Seneca Valley is undefeated right now with hopes of winning it all this year.
The reigning WPIAL 6A champions made it all the way to the PIAA 6A Quarterfinals last spring with aspirations of gold this season.
"Ever since we made our run at states, there have been so many people in the community who come to watch these girls play," Lexie Hames said.
"Everywhere we go, we have people following us," head coach Marlesse Hames said. "We have a lot of people going to our games."
It helps to have a Clemson recruit on your team, which is where Lexie Hames will be playing in the fall.
"I mean, sometimes I have to pinch myself that that's really what has happened for her," Marlesse said. "I'm so excited and proud of her."
"It was very, very stressful, but a good kind of stress," Lexie said. "I wouldn't change it for the world."
When she started her recruitment process, Lexie had 43 calls and 30 scheduled visits.
"Went to Virginia, then Clemson," Lexie said. "And as soon as I stepped on campus, I knew that's where I needed to be."
Hames is now on the right track to accomplish the dream she's had since she was a kid -- playing in the Women's College World Series.
"That has been my biggest dream ever since I was little," Lexie said.
But first, she plans to help lead Seneca Valley to a historic run in the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
43 minutes ago
- USA Today
When does LSU football report for fall camp?
The 2025 college football season is about a month away and LSU football will begin its preparations in the coming days. The Tigers report for fall camp on July 29, with the first date of practice being July 30. They open the 2025 schedule with a top-10 road matchup at Clemson on August 30. LSU is currently a 3.5-point underdog in that contest. Following last season, head coach Brian Kelly's staff went to work in the transfer portal and signed the top class of the cycle. It included overhauls to the wide receiver and defensive end rooms, specifically, both of which benefited from an influx of proven power four talents. Garrett Nussmeier returns for his second season at the helm of LSU's offense. The quarterback is chasing the program's all-time leading passer mark in his fifth year donning the purple and gold. He's expected to be one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC and compete for the Heisman Trophy. As usual, the expectations are to compete for the College Football Playoff in Baton Rouge.
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
After successful Big Ten debut, UCLA has designs on something even bigger
It's a chaotic time in college sports, the rules seeming to change daily and some athletes making nearly as much money as their coaches. At UCLA, the revenue-sharing era officially starts Friday. Athletes will undoubtedly keep refreshing their PayPal accounts to check for that first payment from the pot of $20.5 million that will be distributed in the first year. Meanwhile, Bruins athletic director Martin Jarmond will be keeping tabs on another bottom line — following up a successful Big Ten debut with something far bigger. Having tallied 10 conference championships between the Big Ten and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation — more than any other Big Ten school — UCLA could be poised for a breakthrough in its two marquee sports as part of a potentially historic year across the board for its athletic department. The football team landed transfer Nico Iamaleava from Tennessee and the men's basketball team brought in Donovan Dent from New Mexico, giving UCLA perhaps its best quarterback-point guard combination since Josh Rosen and Lonzo Ball nearly a decade ago. 'If you look at our athletic program,' Jarmond, who recently completed his fifth year on the job, told The Times, 'there's an energy and buzz that I feel we haven't had since I've been here, and that's why I'm most positive now.' At a recent player-run practice on campus, Jarmond watched Iamaleava step up in the pocket and fire a 50-yard pass down the sideline to wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer. 'Nico made a play that I don't know how many other guys in the country could make,' Jarmond said, 'and I was like, 'whoa.' Like, that's pretty cool, you know?' There's lots of intrigue to behold in Westwood these days. Fresh off a Final Four run, the women's basketball team bolstered itself with the additions of sharpshooter Gianna Kneepkens, a highly coveted transfer from Utah, and freshman Sienna Betts, the younger sister of All-America center Lauren Betts. Oh, and don't forget that softball slugger Megan Grant will make Pauley Pavilion a second home as part of her bid to become a two-sport standout. Grant will also once again combine with Jordan Woolery as perhaps the nation's top-hitting duo in their bid to help the softball team not only make it back to the Women's College World Series but win the whole thing this time. The baseball team that just made the College World Series is bringing back shortstop Roch Cholowsky, the probable No. 1 pick in the 2026 Major League Baseball draft, and recently learned that high school pitcher Angel Cervantes will play for the Bruins next season instead of the Pittsburgh Pirates after contract negotiations ended with the recent draftee. Jarmond said he was confident the team could continue to play at Jackie Robinson Stadium in 2026 after a judge issued a stay of legal proceedings that threatened to force the Bruins to go elsewhere. The men's water polo team will try to defend its national championship with Ryder Dodd trying to top a season in which the freshman scored a MPSF-record 102 goals. After finishing as runner-up to national champion Oklahoma, the women's gymnastics team will welcome a top recruiting class plus the return of two-time Olympic medalist Jordan Chiles. Jarmond said he appreciates working for a university administration that understands the importance of supporting a strong Olympic sports program, particularly with the 2028 Summer Olympics headed to Los Angeles. 'This is the time to continue to invest in our Olympic sports and make sure that we have the excellence that UCLA is known for,' Jarmond said, 'and we're going to uphold that tradition.' Unlike other schools that have imposed student fees to help offset rising athletic department costs upon the onset of revenue sharing, UCLA officials have not discussed such a move, Jarmond said. The Bruins will instead focus on revenue generation through fundraising, ticket sales, sponsorships and new creative endeavors. The school plans to partner with an outside firm to help its athletes with content creation to boost their social media following, making them more attractive to brands that could hire them for name, image and likeness deals. Jarmond said he's not aware of any NIL deals involving UCLA athletes being rejected by the new College Sports Commission, though there remains a backlog of deals under review. Deals of $600 or more are evaluated by a clearinghouse called NIL Go to ensure they represent fair market value and a legitimate business purpose. The role of collectives in offering additional compensation to athletes beyond revenue sharing continues to evolve as part of a shift away from what was previously considered a hard cap on earnings. 'I'm optimistic that it's going to work out,' Jarmond said of maximizing earnings opportunities for athletes. 'I'm optimistic that we will adapt to whatever situation that presents itself based on hard cap, soft cap, whatever cap.' UCLA is also strengthening the infrastructure of its men's and women's basketball teams with the hiring of an assistant general manager for each sport to help with recruiting and navigating the transfer portal. When it comes to revenue sharing payments, Jarmond said he's leaving it up to coaches to dictate how much each player makes. Football coach DeShaun Foster said he divvied up his team's money based on talent, with general manager Khary Darlington and assistant general manager Steven Price assigning values for each player based on previous NFL front office experience dealing with salary structures. 'They loved that we had people explaining to them how you're getting this money or why you're not getting this money,' Foster said of his players, 'and I think that resonated with them.' Across all sports, the Bruins are seeking a strong encore after an initial Big Ten season that saw the school place fifth in the Learfield Director's Cup standings, its best finish since 2018. UCLA athletes posted what Jarmond called a 'phenomenal' 3.22 grade-point average through winter quarter (the latest for which figures are available) despite the travel challenges presented by playing in a coast-to-coast conference. For UCLA athletics to reach the heights that Jarmond wants, its football and men's basketball teams must win big, and he believes the coaches and influx of talent on each of those teams will give them a chance to do so next season. Iamaleava's arrival has generated heightened excitement about a football team that went 5-7 in Foster's debut season. Jarmond said two recruits he met with on their campus visits mentioned the quarterback as one of the reasons they wanted to come to UCLA. 'You know, we just have more interest and buzz, and it's cool,' Jarmond said. 'I think DeShaun has created that, and Nico and the guys.' What excites Jarmond most is the potential to be on a victory lap that's picking up speed. 'This is a great time for UCLA athletics,' Jarmond said, 'and I feel like it's just the beginning.'
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Who has the best college football stadium? We ranked our top 25
Talent and coaching will take you places in college football, but only so far. The best programs in the Bowl Subdivision play for conference and national championships in part because of mesmerizing home-field advantages that have etched many Power Four and Group of Five venues into the very fabric of the sport. While home teams have won about 60% of games during the past 20 years, some programs are nearly unbeatable on their home field. As examples, think of the reception visitors receive at Death Valley (LSU or Clemson), or the intimidation factor at Big Ten icons such as Ohio Stadium and Beaver Stadium. But let's try and tackle this controversial debate: Which Bowl Subdivision stadium is the unfriendliest? With no shortage of options, USA TODAY Sports tracked records, traditions and environments to list the 25 most inhospitable stadiums in the FBS. The list begins with LSU's version of Death Valley and is stocked with the biggest names in the Big Ten, SEC and elsewhere: 1. Tiger Stadium, LSU Former Arkansas running back and two-time Heisman Trophy finalist Darren McFadden once said of Death Valley: "The fans are relentless.' That's especially true for night games, when "the sun has found its home in the western sky," as the public address announcer says inside Tiger Stadium. After LSU fans spend the day sucking down hooch, they're in no mood to take prisoners. 2. Beaver Stadium, Penn State Few sights are more intimidating to visitors than Penn State's annual "White Out" games, when fans dress up in white tops to provide visitors with an unsettling, eye-popping backdrop. Combined with the deafening roar provided by 100,000-plus fans, this makes Beaver Stadium one of the elite settings in the FBS. 3. Ohio Stadium, Ohio State The Buckeyes have long made the Horseshoe one of the most hostile venues in the FBS. (Unless you're Michigan, which has won two in a row in Columbus.) Since the stadium opened in 1922, OSU has been dominant at home, including a remarkable 55-3 record (94.9%) since 2016. 4. Autzen Stadium, Oregon While Autzen's official capacity of 54,000 makes it cozier than most Power Four stadiums, it became an utter house of horrors for opponents in the late 1990s before reaching a peak during the Chip Kelly era, when the Ducks rolled off a 21-game winning streak. Oregon has lost just once at home since hiring Dan Lanning in 2022 and gone unbeaten the past two years. 5. Memorial Stadium, Clemson To some, this is the "other" Death Valley. That's way underselling how Memorial Stadium can wobble the knees of any visiting opponent. Clemson recently had a 40-game home winning streak, the longest in ACC history, before it was snapped late in the 2022 season. The program also has a memorable tradition of running down The Hill toward the field and rubbing Howard's Rock to gain "the mystical powers it is supposed to give Clemson players," the school says. 6. Neyland Stadium, Tennessee In a conference with no shortage of nasty environments, Tennessee fans are seen as particularly ruthless. Neyland Stadium is "a different type of loud," described former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield. And when 'Rocky Top' plays on a loop, it's pure psychological torture. 7. Sanford Stadium, Georgia The environment "Between the Hedges" has made the Bulldogs nearly unbeatable at home under coach Kirby Smart. While the literally barking from Georgia fans doesn't always rattle your eardrums, Sanford Stadium can rumble when challenged. 8. Bryant-Denny Stadium, Alabama Alabama fans don't always roar as fiercely as others listed above. But last season's game against Georgia showed how Tide fans can bring the noise when they feel they must. Alabama is nearly unbeatable at home the past 20 years. 9. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Florida As former coach Steve Spurrier aptly said, 'only Gators get out alive' from The Swamp. Florida has won 71.4% of its home games against SEC opponents the past 10 years, compared to 47.6% on the road in conference games. That's the definition of home-field advantage. 10. Kyle Field, Texas A&M Yeah, there are some odd chants, routines and hand signs from the school's Aggie Yell Leaders. But don't be mistaken: Kyle Field towers like no other and literally shakes when the noise swells (as it often does). The Aggies entering to 'POWER' is one of college football's best intros. 11. Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Oklahoma A touch smaller than other SEC colossuses with a capacity of 80,126, the "Palace on the Prairie" still more than holds its own. (Seven national title banners hanging inside help deliver that message.) The Sooner Schooner cruising the field paints a scene fit for one of the nation's premier football conferences. 12. Michigan Stadium, Michigan The largest venue by capacity in college sports? Check. But that's selling Michigan Stadium short: This is the largest stadium by total seating in the Western Hemisphere and the third-largest in the world. Though their current digs were completed in 1927, the Wolverines are 662-154-21 at home since 1883. 13. Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn Some say Jordan-Hare uncorks a strange voodoo magic on opponents. (See the "Prayer in Jordan-Hare" and the 2012 Iron Bowl, held just two weeks apart, for one example.) It may also just be that Auburn fans create a tough environment that lends itself to late-game meltdowns or heroics. Find someone who loves you the way Auburn fans love to 'Swag Surf.' 14. Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame "The House that Rockne Built" is iconic enough to essentially be a pictorial stand-in for college football itself. There's the "Touchdown Jesus" mural. Lines and lines of some of the sport's most memorable coaches and players. National championships galore. While the vibe might be different than that seen at some of the larger SEC fields, no one can deny that Notre Dame Stadium occupies a special place in the NCAA landscape. 15. Husky Stadium, Washington When things are going right for Washington, Husky Stadium easily counts among the loudest spots in the FBS. It also may be the most picturesque venue as well: There may be no more aesthetically pleasing scene in college football than a packed, rocking-and-rolling Husky Stadium with sailboats dotting Lake Washington – what locals call 'sailgating.' (While in Seattle, former Washington coach Steve Sarkisian named his boat "Noah Sark.") 16. Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Texas Admittedly, the Texas fans at DKR (often derided by detractors as a "wine and cheese" crowd) don't always produce a decibel level to match the 100,119-person capacity. But you have to also admit that the Longhorn faithful can turn it up for big games. Texas has won 14 of 15 at home. 17. Williams-Brice Stadium, South Carolina The Gamecocks peck above their weight at Williams-Brice, long one of the SEC's and broader college football's most underrated venues. The place roars to life when Darude's 'Sandstorm' plays and fans wave white towels chanting, 'U-S-C! U-S-C!' 18. Rice-Eccles Stadium, Utah The beautiful panorama in the background belies the electric game-day atmosphere inside Rice-Eccles. On a pound-for-pound (or decibel-for-decibel) level, RES is tough to beat. Utah won 18 home games in a row before losing to Oregon in 2023 19. Camp Randall Stadium, Wisconsin Don't leave your seat at the end of the third quarter. That's when Wisconsin fans "Jump Around' to the 1992 House of Pain classic of the same name, often causing Camp Randall to shake and vibrate. The tradition started in 1998, took a very brief, highly controversial hiatus in 2003 and became a rallying cry during the Badgers' development into a Big Ten powerhouse under former coaches Barry Alvarez and Bret Bielema. 20. Doak S. Campbell Stadium, Florida State Doak can be listless, as during last year's dismal 2-10 finish. But it's also been the site of several legendary wins against some of the most high-profile opponents in the country and continues to rank among the unfriendliest venues for visitors when the Seminoles are rolling. Overall, FSU is 322-109-4 at Doak Campbell (74.5%). 21. Lane Stadium, Virginia Tech Start with the best introduction in college football: Virginia Tech takes the field to Metallica's "Enter Sandman," quickly setting the tone for what can often be the scariest place to play in the ACC. While the home-field advantage has taken a hit this decade, the edge provided by Lane Stadium helped put Tech on the map under legendary coach Frank Beamer. 22. LaVell Edwards Stadium, Brigham Young Provo's towering mountaintops gives LaVell Edwards Stadium some of the most beautiful scenery in college football this side of the Rose Bowl. A noisy, intense and intimidating home crowd is supported by the nearly mile-high elevation that can wear down opponents. BYU is 25-6 at home since 2020. 23. Albertsons Stadium, Boise State The bane of opposing coaches and defenders for decades, the program's legendary blue turf is enough to land Boise on this list. But don't forget the Broncos have gone 212-45 at home since installing the turf in 1986, developing the finest home-field advantage in the Group of Five and helping the program establish itself among the most consistently successful in the sport. 24. Kinnick Stadium, Iowa The environment at Kinnick has helped Iowa go 22-6 at home since 2021. It's also home to the best new tradition in the sport: Since 2017, players and fans turn at the end of the first quarter and wave to the patients at Stead Family Children's Hospital. 'The Hawkeye Wave' is already an indelible part of the college football fabric. 25. Boone Pickens Stadium, Oklahoma State The oldest stadium in the Big 12 and one of the few in the country to run in an east-west direction received a major facelift and reboot with Oklahoma State's development into a regional and national player in the 2000s, resulting in all 10 of the most-attended games in program history occurring since 2011. While things ran off the rails last season, Mike Gundy's teams dropped only three home games from 2020-23. (The stadium gets bonus points for having the nicest press-box restroom experience in the Power Four.)
