By LARRY VAUGHT
Senior shortstop Erin Coffel came into this season with a chance to reach historic numbers.
In 169 career games going into this season, she had 55 home runs, 179 RBI’s, 184 hits, 151 runs scored, 29 doubles, 108 walks and a slugging percentage off .762.
Her slugging percentage currently is No. 1 on UK’s all-time list and way above the .678 mark of No. 2 Abby Cheek. She hit four homers in her first 12 games this season and her 59 homers are only two behind Cheek, the all-time leader, and she’s also only 14 RBI’s from moving past Cheek into the No. 1 spot on that list.
“I actually think she is a lot better than she was at the end of last year,” Kentucky coach Rachel Lawson said. “She can hit the ball in more zones. She is doing a great job barreling up on the ball and has tightened up holes in her swing.”
Before the season started, I had a chance to talk with the All-American about her career, goals and more.
Question: How much have you enjoyed playing for coach Rachel Lawson?
Coffel: “She has challenged me in a lot of different ways but she has always been one of my biggest supporters. We have that good relationship where she challenges me but she also loves me. I think that is a special relationship. She is always going to be the first one to get on me but it is a mutual respect thing.”
Question: How do you handle the expectations of being a leader and also a great player?
Coffel: “I go into every single game one day at a time. I can’t look too far ahead. The overall goal is Oklahoma City (for the College World Series) but other than that you have to go one day at a time. By doing that you can’t look into the past, either. If you had a bad game the other day, so what. It is a new day. I think really being open minded about that and just being grateful for where I am at and playing every single game like it is my last is how I approach the season.”
Question: Does playing so many road games to open the season before playing a home game March 6 help with team bonding?
Coffel: “It is a really big thing for us. I personally always look forward to it because I love traveling and I think it does build a good relationship on the team. The days can be long and grueling sometimes but at the end of the day we are there to play and win softball games. I think this is where your mental game is made strong. You get back on Sunday night and leave again on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. You have to make sure you are taking care of yourself.”
Question: Do you think anything at all about the historic numbers you are chasing this season?
Coffel: “I don’t really think about hitting home runs or any of the records or anything like that. That has been the story of my career. I just go out there, trust myself and whatever happens, happens.”
Question: So do you have any personal goals this year?
Coffel: “For me it is more mental than physical. Every single game is such a great opportunity on the national stage and you have to be your best but at the same time don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Just be happy with where I am at and proving to everyone in the softball world we are the best and we are coming for you.”
Question: Do you ever think you would hear coach Lawson describing you as an elite defensive player?
Coffel: “It was always a goal of mine but I don’t know about other people because everyone always sees me as a power hitter and not a defensive player. So I didn’t necessarily think I would hear that but I have really, really worked hard at that because I think defense is a lot of fun. When you don’t do well it can be a lot on your mind. I have made sure these last four years I could be the best defensive player I could possibly be.”
Question: How have you improved the most defensively?
Coffel: “I think I’m really just understanding the game. As a freshman you don’t think about a lot of things that they talk to you about like setting your angles or what this girl does on this pitch. You don’t think about those things. Really digging into what a certain hitter does and trusting it without overthinking it.”
Tony Bergeron estimates he coached over 650 high school games in his 20-year coaching career in the northeast and also spent two years as an assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts under coach Matt McCall. Bergeron worked as a program director for the Five-Star Basketball Camp, a camp that has helped produce over 500 NBA and over 10,000 Division I players, for nearly 15 years.
He coached his stepson, UK center Tre Mitchell, for two years at UMass and also for two years Woodstock Academy in Woodstock, Conn.
Bergeron has known Kentucky coach John Calipari for over 30 years and saw Brad Calipari, the coach’s son, when he was born.
“John is as regular as you get. I am skewed because I have known him for so long,” Bergeron said. “I am tight with the family. I have (entry) codes so I can go to his house.
“I see him through a different lens. He will go into town for a cup of coffee. He is very cognizant of what he has done in his career but he is still just a regular guy to me.”
Bergeron had planned to be coaching this year. He took the head basketball job at Franklin County High School in Frankfort last summer after his stepson decided to transfer from West Virginia to Kentucky.
“Our school (First Love Christian Academy in Pennsylvania) closed last year. I had no idea where I was going. I interviewed for jobs but when we had to move Tre my wife said we just go where he goes,” Bergeron said. “I was lucky to get the job in Franklin County. All summer I put in a new system. I coached the first two scrimmages and then was diagnosed with cancer and had to take a medical leave.”
Bergeron is proud of what the Franklin Flyers have done this season with a young team but as much as he’s enjoyed having time to watch Tre play, he’s missed coaching.
“It’s the first time I have not coached since 1994. It was brutal and still is,” he said. “I think the cancer is behind me thank God. Maybe I will get back into coaching next year because I think there is a little bit of a spark left in me.”
Former Kentucky standout Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has become one of the NBA’s biggest stars — he had 31 points on 7-for-10 shooting from 3-point range in the recent NBA All-Star Game — playing for Oklahoma City.
He was averaging 31.1 points, 6.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game going into the All-Star break and has averaged 22.5 points, 4.8 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in 364 NBA games since entering the league six years ago as the 11th pick in the 2018 draft.
Former NBA star Stephon Marbury has called him the best Canadian basketball player ever.
“I appreciate that, but Steve is still ahead of me. I’m going to try to catch him, but he’s still ahead of me,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after the all-star game. “Whenever somebody says good things about you, it’s a compliment. Obviously he was a heck of a basketball player, knows the game really well, and I appreciate it.
“Kids all over the world just don’t get the opportunity because of where they’re born. I don’t take that for granted. To kind of have the flag on my back, it’s a special feeling. The country means the world to me. It gave me an opportunity. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here. So fortunate to be from there.”
Gilgeous-Alexander has become one of the NBA’s very best players and becoming an All-Star starter like he did this season only gives more validity to his star status. He was asked if becoming an All-Star starter might be a turning point to a potential Hall of Fame career.
“I honestly try to stay very present, try to stay in the moment, not look too far ahead, not look back and kind of just take advantage of every moment, whether it’s me working or it’s me just being grateful for where I am today. I try to just stay in the moment, and it’s worked out pretty good thus far. So I try to continue to do so,” the NBA point guard said.
“I think I’ve learned through experience — and obviously as a young kid it’s easy to get caught up in it, just going back to high school and rankings and things like that. I’ve just found so much success from, not blocking it out, but not letting it faze me or control me. I think I’ve just learned through that experience and figured out what works for me and then try to run with it. To this point, it’s not any harder, because I’ve grown through it being hard, I think, in the past.
The NBA has featured the former UK star in promos all season and certainly did in Indianapolis before the all-star game.
“It’s one of those things that I expected to happen as I got better as a basketball player and became more consistent. It comes with it. It’s fun. It’s stuff you dream about,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I’ve been dreaming about this, this moment, this point in my career. I know what comes with it. I embrace it.”
Remember Gilgeous-Alexander played behind Quade Green at UK to start his career before working his way into the starting lineup and becoming a one-and-done lottery pick.
What advice would he give to a young player hoping to one day play in the NBA like him?
“Work on your craft as much as possible. Pretty cliche. But I would say be a star in your role — that’s also a cliche,” Gilgeous-Alexander said at the All-Star Game. “I think when guys figure out what their game is going to look like, what their roles are going to be, and then attack it with everything they’ve got, you find the most success. I’d say that.”
Kentucky baseball coach Nick Mingione has less than 12 scholarships to divide among a 40-plus player roster, so obviously NIL money could make a huge impact in recruiting for him.
“I don’t think anyone would ever say there is just too much NIL money out there (for a particular team). It is a work in progress. I don’t know if you can ever have too much,” Mingione said.
He said there are a “lot of people who love Kentucky” and want to help student-athletes.
“We just appreciate all the help and support we get,” the UK coach said. “I will never do the comparison game. If you want to give because you love football, do that. We are all a team and family trying to do the same thing.
“There is no jealousy or envy. I just want all our programs to do well. This is a challenging time but whatever they can do to help baseball is much appreciated.”
Former UK standout Karl-Anthony Towns was the leading scorer in the NBA All-Star Game with 50 points. One of his West teammates was LeBron James, perhaps the greatest player of all time.
“Like I told him on the court, GOAT. He’s one of those guys that probably will never come again,” Towns said. “The talent, his ability to overcome all adversity and his ability to exceed people’s expectations.
“Just tremendous respect for LeBron, tremendous respect for what he’s done and the impact he’s had on the game of basketball.”
Towns seldom is at a loss for words but struggled to describe exactly what playing with James meant to him.
“I’m just … it’s crazy. I’m just blessed to be with .. I have no kids, but I tell my niece and my nephew that they get to see their uncle playing with LeBron James, it’s a really cool experience for those children to have those childhood memories,” Towns said.
Quote of the Week: “We decided we’re going to prove everybody wrong. A lot of people are against Coach Cal and against our team because we’re mostly freshmen. We know we have a lot of talent on our team. I knew this was going to happen at some point,” UK freshman Zvonimir Ivisic on win over Alabama.
Quote of the Week 2: He moves really well and can be relied upon to play in space. His skill set just allows the defense to be more flexible where his presence on the field isn’t clear evidence that UK is playing with an extra man in the box or another defender in coverage,” CatsPause/247 Sports recruiting analyst Josh Edwards on linebacker Jaden Davis after his commitment to Kentucky.
Quote of the Week 3: “ I think it’s another awesome challenge. Again, I don’t look at this new age of college ball as something I’m going to complain about. You better be out in front of it. You better understand that if a guy’s playing extremely well, and maybe you’re at a certain school, there’s a chance that somebody could come get him,” new UK offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan on the transfer portal challenges.