Date Posted: 7/15/2008

Less than 48 hours after the last pitch of the Women's College World Series, recent rivals Katie Burkhart and Megan Gibson found themselves sharing the same dugout at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City as teammates on a squad assembled to play the United States Olympic team. Such is life in softball, for which the end of the college season also marks the beginning of a summer free-for-all that runs the gamut from professional play in National Pro Fastpitch to the youngest levels of Amateur Softball Association tournaments.

And already the seeds of next spring's college success stories are taking root.

From championship contenders to conference sleepers, here are eight teams worth keeping an eye on in 2009:

California
Washington won't be the only Pac-10 team looking to break up the southern stranglehold strengthened by Arizona State's first national championship. The only other conference team to break up Arizona and UCLA's hardware hogging, Cal could be ready to make its first trip to the Women's College World Series since 2005.

Multitasking newcomer Valerie Arioto was as good as advertised as a freshman in 2008, leading the team with a .324 batting average (not to mention 48 walks and a .444 on-base percentage) and striking out more than a hitter per inning on her way to a 1.93 ERA in the circle. Her presence at the plate helped solidify a lineup that will have a good returning power core in 2009 with Gina Leomiti, Sanoe Kekahuna and Bernice Masaniai. And despite losing their share of senior contributors, the Golden Bears are poised for even better things at the plate this season with the arrival of a trio of fleet-footed freshmen outfielders in sisters Jamia and Elia Reid and Frani Echavarria.

Cal, which came close to missing the NCAA tournament altogether two years ago, had to learn to crawl before it could walk with a young team that pushed Florida in the Gainesville Super Regional last season. Whether it's ready to run to Oklahoma City this season may hinge on how frequently Marissa Drewrey lets opponents walk to first base. A complete success story as a sophomore, she bounced back from an up-and-down freshman season to post 29 wins and 312 strikeouts. If she cuts down on her walk rate (156 in 314 innings), even greater achievements are ahead.

Florida Gulf Coast
No team had more wins last season without making the NCAA tournament than Florida Gulf Coast. Picked to finish sixth in their first season in the Atlantic Sun, and ineligible for postseason play after making the leap to Division I, the Eagles tied for the regular-season title with a 16-6 conference mark, part of a 48-16 record.

NCAA tournament opponents may not get away quite so easily in the upcoming season.

The Eagles have some challenges to overcome if they're going to convert on their first opportunity to play in the postseason, namely replacing pitching ace Rachael Edinger. It was Edinger who threw a five-hit shutout against South Florida in one of Florida Gulf Coast's early-season surprise performances (a stretch that also included a 6-4 loss against Florida ace Stacey Nelson). But Morgan Campen enjoyed a successful freshman season as the team's de facto No. 2, and there is depth in rising senior Dana Frantz and two newcomers for next season. And it doesn't always take a shutout for the Eagles to win.

An offensive juggernaut in Division II, coach David Deiros' lineup adjusted rather adeptly to new surroundings, hitting .310 with a .908 OPS and averaging more than six runs per game. As the performance against Florida suggests -- one of the only times all season the Gators allowed four or more runs -- the Eagles can hit quality pitching. Losing Carmen Paez will be a blow, but Cheyenne Jenks ranked third in the nation with 73 RBIs and slugged .783 for the season. Fellow rising senior and Atlantic Sun first-teamer Jessica Paez added a 1.010 OPS to go with 22 stolen bases.

By Graham Hays
Special to ESPN.com

Related Links:
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