Batter Up! ESPN’s All Star Division I Softball Talent Line-Up is Led by Top Contributors to the Sport
- Two-Time All American Amanda Scarborough and Two-Time Gold Medalist Michele Smith Return as Lead Analysts; Veteran Play-By-Play Voice Beth Mowins Returns
- Three-Time All American Madison Shipman Joins SEC Studio Team
- ESPN’s Industry Leading Schedule Will Include More than 650 Games This Season
ESPN’s industry leading NCAA Division I Softball television coverage is led by some of the most accomplished former players and decorated voices in the sport. Among the ranks are an Olympic gold medalist, a World Cup Champion, NCAA Women’s College World Series Champions and former All-Americans, along with a team of veteran commentators with a long history calling the sport. The schedule of more than 140 televised games begins in earnest this week on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, Longhorn Network, and will continue through ESPN’s comprehensive coverage of the post season. In addition, more than 500 games will also be available to stream on SEC Network +, ACC Network Extra, and the ESPN App through the remainder of the regular season, for a total of more than 650 softball games offered this season across ESPN’s networks.
Fearless Leaders
Amanda Scarborough and Michele Smith will return this season as ESPN’s lead analysts for the regular and post season. Two-time All-American Scarborough joined ESPN in 2009 following an impressive career at Texas A&M. During her tenure with the Aggies, Scarborough was named Big 12 Freshman Player of the Year (2005), Big 12 Player of the Year (2005), Big 12 Pitcher of the Year (2007) and helped lead the team to its first NCAA WCWS appearance in more than 20 years in 2007.
Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Michele Smith joined ESPN in 1995 and has been an integral part of the network‘s coverage and elevation of the sport ever since. In addition to Olympic gold, Smith is an ASA Hall of Fame member and former two-time All American star pitcher at Oklahoma State University. She also enjoyed a successful international professional career, playing 16 years in Japan.
The voice of softball, Beth Mowins, returns as a play-by-play commentator for the regular and post season. Mowins joined ESPN in 1994 and has called NCAA championships in basketball, softball, soccer, volleyball and has been the voice of the WCWS for 20 years. The ESPN veteran is also a staple for the network’s college football coverage and last fall became the first woman in more than 30 years to call an NFL game.
Roster Highlights for the 2018 Season
Along with Scarborough and Smith, ESPN returns many of its star analysts from previous seasons and adds former Tennessee stand-out Madison Shipman to the mix.
New This Season
- College: Tennessee
- Honors: Three-time All American (2012, 2013, 2014); 2014 SEC Player of the Year; 2014 NPF Rookie of the Year
Returning This Season
- College: Alabama
- Honors: Three-time All American (2011, 2012, 2013); NCAA WCWS Champion (2012)
- College: Iowa
- Honors: Inducted into the Iowa Softball Association Hall of Fame
- As a Division I Coach (Michigan, Purdue, Louisville): Achieved more than 700 combined wins
- As a player: Named All Big-Ten and All-Mideast Region
- College: Arizona
- Honors: Three-time NCAA WCWS Champion as a player (1993, 1994, 1996) and one as an assistant coach with Arizona (1997), Three-Time All American; National Player of the Year (1996)
- College: Missouri Western State University
- Honors: National Champion and National Championship MVP; two-time Women’s Major’s National Champion; World Cup Champion (1992)
- President/Commissioner of the National Pro Fastpitch League
- College: Oklahoma
- Honors: 2016 Co-Big 12 Player of the Year; Two-time NCAA WCWS Champion
- College: Michigan
- Honors: Two-time All-American (2004, 2005); USA Softball Player of the Year (2005); NCAA Women’s College World Series Champion (2005)
- College: Texas
- Honors: Two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2006, 2007)
In addition to Mowins, Adam Amin, Cara Capuano, Tyler Denning, Tiffany Greene, Melissa Lee, Alex Loeb, Courtney Lyle, Mark Neely, Matt Schick and Pam Ward will handle the majority of play-by-play responsibilities throughout the season.
ESPN’s NCAA Division I Softball television schedule and commentator assignments for March 2018 can be found below.
| Date | Time | Game | Network |
| Tues, Mar 6 | 7 p.m. | Boston College at No. 18 Ole Miss Matt Schick, Kayla Braud |
SEC Network |
| Sat, Mar 10 | 1 p.m. | Arkansas at Georgia Pam Ward, Carol Bruggeman |
SEC Network |
| 3:30 p.m. | No. 18 Ole Miss at No. 7 Texas A&M Courtney Lyle, Jenny Dalton Hill |
SEC Network | |
| 6 p.m. | Kentucky at No. 2 Florida Melissa Lee, Cheri Kempf |
SEC Network | |
| 8:30 p.m. | No. 10 Auburn at No. 8 LSU Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Amanda Scarborough |
SEC Network | |
| Sun, Mar 11 | Noon | Kentucky at No. 2 Florida Melissa Lee, Cheri Kempf |
SEC Network |
| 2 p.m. | No. 18 Ole Miss at No. 7 Texas A&M Courtney Lyle, Jenny Dalton-Hill |
SEC Network | |
| 5 p.m. | No. 10 Auburn at No. 8 LSU Beth Mowins, Michele Smith, Amanda Scarborough |
ESPN2 | |
| 6 p.m. | Arkansas at Georgia Pam Ward, Carol Bruggeman |
ESPNU | |
| Mon, Mar 12 | 7 p.m. | Arkansas at Georgia Pam Ward, Carol Bruggeman |
SEC Network |
| Tue, Mar 13 | 6 p.m. | Texas at South Carolina Matt Schick, Kayla Braud |
SEC Network |
| Wed, Mar 14 | 7 p.m. | Indiana at No. 22 Kentucky Alex Perlman, Cheri Kempf |
SEC Network |
| Sat, Mar 17 | Noon | No. 8 LSU at No. 22 Kentucky Mark Neeley, Michele Smith, Amanda Scarborough |
SEC Network |
| 5 p.m. | No. 23 Mississippi State at Missouri Trey Bender, Carol Bruggeman |
SEC Network | |
| 8 p.m. | No. 13 Alabama at No. 10 Auburn Cara Capuano, Jenny Dalton-Hill |
ESPNU | |
| Sun, Mar 18 | 1 p.m. | No. 23 Mississippi State at Missouri Trey Bender, Carol Bruggeman |
SEC Network |
| 4:30 p.m. | No. 8 LSU at No. 22 Kentucky Mark Neely, Michele Smith, Amanda Scarborough |
ESPNU | |
| 6 p.m. | No. 13 Alabama at No. 10 Auburn Cara Capuano, Jenny Dalton-Hill |
SEC Network | |
| Mon, Mar 19 | 7 p.m. | No. 8 LSU at No. 22 Kentucky Mark Neeley, Michele Smith |
SEC Network |
| Wed, Mar 21 | 7 p.m. | Central Arkansas at No. 23 Mississippi State Cara Capuano, Jenny Dalton Hill |
SEC Network |
| 7 p.m. | Texas State at Texas Tyler Denning, Megan Willis |
LHN | |
| Fri, Mar 23 | 2:00 PM | Jackson State at Texas Southern Tyler Denning, TBD |
ESPNU |
| 5:30 p.m. | Kansas at Texas Alex Loeb, Megan Willis |
LHN | |
| Sat, Mar 24 | 1 p.m. | Kansas at Texas Alex Loeb, Megan Willis |
LHN |
| 3 p.m. | No. 4 Tennessee at No. 17 South Carolina Mark Neeley Jenny Dalton-Hill |
ESPN2 | |
| 5 p.m. | No. 7 Texas A&M at No. 2 Florida Tiffany Greene, Michele Smith, Amanda Scarborough |
ESPN2 | |
| 9 p.m. | No. 22 Kentucky at No. 10 Auburn Cara Capuano, Chei Kempf |
SEC Network | |
| Sun, Mar 25 | Noon | Kansas at Texas Alex Leob, Megan Willis |
LHN |
| 2:00 p.m. | North Carolina at Notre Dame Trey Bender, Erin Miller |
ESPNU | |
| 7 p.m. | No. 7 Texas A&M at No. 2 Florida Tiffany Greene, Michele Smith, Amanda Scarborough |
ESPN2 | |
| Mon, Mar 26 | 7 p.m. | No. 7 Texas A&M at No. 2 Florida Tiffany Greene, Michele Smith, Amanda Scarborough |
SEC Network |
| Tue, Mar 27 | 7 p.m. | Stephen F. Austin at Texas Tyler Denning, Megan Willis |
LHN |
| Wed, Mar 28 | 7 p.m. | Furman at No. 17 South Carolina Matt Schick, Kayla Braud |
SEC Network |
| Sat, Mar 31 | 5 p.m. | No. 13 Alabama at No. 22 Kentucky Tiffany Greene, Amanda Scarborough |
ESPN2 |
| No. 11 Georgia at No. 4 Tennessee Courtney Lyle, Jenny Dalton-Hill |
SEC Network | ||
| 7 p.m. | No. 6 Oklahoma at No. 12 Baylor Beth Mowins, Michele Smith |
ESPN | |
| Sun, April 1 | Noon | No. 17 South Carolina at Texas A&M Mark Neely, Carol Bruggeman |
ESPNU |
| 6 p.m. | No. 11 Georgia at No. 4 Tennessee Courtney Lyle, Jenny Dalton Hill |
SEC Network | |
| Mon, April 2 | 7 p.m. | No. 11 Georgia at No. 4 Tennessee Courtney Lyle, Jenny Dalton Hill |
SEC Network |
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