Tampa Softball Nets Region Staff of Year Honors
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Following a record 2023 season, the University of Tampa has received South Region Coaching Staff of the Year honors, awarded by the National Fastpitch Coaches of America (NFCA) on Friday. A total of eight NCAA Division II programs were selected as the 2023 ATEC/NFCA Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year.
Head coach Leslie Kanter guided her 2023 Spartans to new heights, winning the NCAA South 1 Region title and advancing to the NCAA South Super Regional for the first time in program history. She did so alongside assistants Katie Neubauer, Denise Rubio and Jaci Davis.
With an overall record of 44-5, the Spartans set a new school record for wins in a season, passing the previous best of 39 from the 2011 season. UT also captured its second consecutive Sunshine State Conference championship and sixth in Kanter's coaching career as the lone coach in program history to do so.
The 2023 Spartans set numerous single-season records, including the highest batting average. At .311 on the season, this marks the first team in program history to finish the season with a .300-plus batting average. The previous high was .292 in the 1994 season.
Other statistical categories where the 2023 team sits at No. 1 on the school charts include slugging percentage (.442), on-base percentage (.382), runs scored (284), hits (399), triples (24), RBI (253) and walks (140).
Tampa has also had several major awards presented to members of the 2023 team, most recently a pair of All-Americans in Mariah Galhouse and Camryn Wineinger. This marks the first time in program history that multiple Spartans were named All-Americans.
Kanter, the SSC Coach of the Year for the sixth time in her career, led four first-team all-SSC performers as Wineinger, Galhouse, Lilly Kiester and Avery Perkins were each recognized.