Back-to-Back: The Story of the 2014 & 2015 National Champions
Herb Brooks
4/17/2020
The Florida softball program was in the midst of its 24th season and on the verge of putting together another elite year before it all abruptly ended due to a global pandemic.
Could the Gators have made a run to the Women’s College World Series for the 11th time in the last 13 years? Maybe, but that’s just speculation. However, going to the WCWS 10 times the last 12 years, making five championship series appearances and winning back-to-back NCAA titles in 2014 & 2015, well, that was real. That’s elite.
That Gators have always been a competitive Southeastern Conference program, but it’s now grown into a perennial national power.
How did Florida softball become an elite program? Adam Schick chronicled the journey in Gator Tales podcast No. 212, so here’s the story.
It started in 2006 when athletic director Jeremy Foley brought in a new coach from Wichita State who had just three years of head coaching experience under his belt, but had that critical X factor and wasn't going to shy away from a challenge.
There’re expectations here (at Florida) and probably some inherent pressures that've never phased him.Athletic Director, Jeremy Foley (1992-2016)
Before the first National Championship in 2014, Walton won the most games by any UF head coach in their first year with 43 in 2006 and the program followed up with 50 wins in 2007.
Starting in 2008, Walton led the Gators to an NCAA-record 70-win season and the program's first berth to the WCWS in Oklahoma City.
That was just the beginning, as Florida advanced to the WCWS four straight years (2008-2011) and made two championship series appearances.
(Top Left) The Gators bested California, 4-2 in nine innings, to advance to their first Women's College World Series. (Top Right) Ali Gardiner sent UF to its first WCWS championship series in 2009 with a walk-off grand slam to beat Alabama 6-4. (Bottom Left) In 2010, Stephanie Brombacher hurled a complete game in the 5-2 win against Arizona State to send the program to its third straight WCWS. (Bottom Right) The Orange & Blue cruised past Alabama again, 9-2, in 2011 to advance to its second championship series in four years.
Florida didn’t make it to Oklahoma City in 2012. The team was knocked out in the regional round of the NCAA Tournament at home.
However, when the players returned to prepare for their 2013 campaign they discovered a different approach from Walton and a renewed focus on what it meant to be a Gator. In addition to a new mental approach, there was also a physical change to the gear at the start of 2013.
When we got to school my sophomore year nothing had the Gator head on it. Absolutely nothing. So, when the four freshmen came in excited to get all of their gear, absolutely nothing had a Gator head, and he (Tim Walton) was like ‘this is something that you just don’t get. This is something that you need to earn.’Pitcher, Lauren Haeger (2012-2015)
2013 didn’t end with a national championship, but it did reestablish the expectation to end the year in Oklahoma City and it helped continue to build the foundation for future UF teams. The Gators finished the season 58-9 and won both the SEC regular season and tournament championships on the way to their fifth WCWS.
During the offseason leading into 2014, Walton delved into the book "Lone Survivor" during a long flight and it affected him enough to pull a key lesson from it, which he then shared with the players at the first official team meeting.
I have the secret ingredients - here it is. I want each one of you to give up two things for the season, just give up two things, but I also want you to do one more thing than you normally would. I'm not telling you what you have to give up. I'm telling you that if we can all give up two things and do one more thing above everything else then I think this team has a chance. I think we've got a special opportunity in front of us.Head Coach, Tim Walton
Players were first reluctant to Walton's suggestion, but the following day Walton was approached by the players ready and willing to adopt the idea.
The new strategy was working as the Gators opened 2014 with a 22-game win streak, it’s second best start in program history, but the rest of the year was similar to a roller coaster ride.
It wasn't until Florida was swept on the road by Tennessee that All America pitcher Hannah Rogers and the 2014 team turned a definitive corner.
Rogers was furious with her performance. So the following Monday, during an off day for the team, she asked freshman Delanie Gourley if she would teach her to throw a changeup, and not just any changeup; her changeup. After working in the bullpen with Aubree Munro, Taylor Fuller and Gourley, the development of a changup didn't occur that day, but a new pitch for Rogers did come to fruition later on.
Hannah and Delanie spent that day and many other days in the bullpen and the next thing you know Hannah doesn't have a changeup, but she's throwing her dropball. Instead of throwing her dropball at 68 mph, all of a sudden she is throwing it at 60 mph. So she developed what you would call an offspeed dropball.Head Coach, Tim Walton
The 2014 team finished the regular season having won 14 of its last 17 games, but hit another speed bump as they were knocked out in the first round of the SEC Tournament. While that could have been a deflating moment so late in the year, the team took it as an opportunity to get focused and locked in.
Once we saw the selection show that year, I'm not kidding - when you talk about a switch being flipped, she (Hannah) was laser-focused. I've never seen anybody like that before.Catcher, Aubree Munro (2013-2016)
The Gators steamrolled their way through the regional round behind Delanie Gourley's no-hitter against Florida A&M, a 14-0 (6) rout of Steston and a convincing 7-0 victory over UCF to advance to the Super Regional round. As the No. 6-seed in the tournament, the Orange & Blue was set to face No. 8 Washington at home in Gainesville.
On the first day, Florida took the opening game of the series, in run-rule fashion 9-0, but the Huskies responded the following day to take the second game 4-3 in comeback fashion and force a deciding Game 3. In a game that lasted over 7 1/2 hours, five of which were due to two separate weather delays, the Gators bested the Huskies 8-0 in five innings to head to to the WCWS.
After the defeat of Washington, the Gators embarked to Oklahoma City for the sixth time since 2008 and were set to open play against Baylor. This game set the tone for Florida's run to its first National Championship.
The key game, the turning point of the entire season or the moment where you go 'this team is going to win a National Championship' was the first game of the Women's College World Series versus Baylor.Head Coach, Tim Walton
#WCWSwednesday: 2??0??1??4??
— NCAA Softball (@NCAAsoftball) March 4, 2020
Chelsea Herndon pinch hit a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning to give @GatorsSB the run-rule win over Baylor. pic.twitter.com/tOVVw50b2Z
WCWS Opening Game - Baylor - W, 11-0 (5)
The University of Florida softball team defeated Baylor, 11-0 in five innings, on Thursday in the first game of the WCWS. Florida sealed the mercy-rule victory on a walk-off grand slam by pinch-hitter Chelsea Herndon, who went yard against former Hebron High School (Texas) teammate Heather Stearns.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baylor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Florida | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 0 |
| Win: Rogers (27-8) | Loss: Canion (31-11) | ||||||||
WCWS Quarterfinals - Oregon - May 31, 2014 - W, 4-0
The University of Florida softball team defeated No. 1 seed Oregon, 4-0, on Friday at the Women's College World Series. The Gators shut out their third straight opponent dating back to Sunday's regional final victory over Washington, and senior right-hander Hannah Rogers held the Ducks to a season-low three hits.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| Oregon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Win: Rogers (28-8) | Loss: Hawkins, C. (34-5) | ||||||||||
WCWS Semifinals - Baylor - June 1, 2014 - W, 6-3
The Gators secured a spot in the finals of the Women's College World Series with a 6-3 victory over Baylor on Sunday at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. Florida had four extra-base hits on the day, while right-hander Hannah Rogers limited the Lady Bears to just one. Rogers allowed five hits and three earned runs on the day, with one walk and two strikeouts on the way to her sixth complete game of this NCAA Tournament.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
| Baylor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| Win: Rogers (29-8) | Loss: Canion (31-12) | ||||||||||
The Gators swept their way to the championship series in convincing fashion and were set to take on SEC rival Alabama for the title. Alabama advanced with wins over Oklahoma, Kentucky and Oregon and were looking to secure its second national championship in three years.
WCWS Championship GM 1 - Alabama - June 2, 2014 - W, 5-0
Florida did something Monday night they had never done: win a game in the WCWS Championship Series. If they can win one more, they will claim their first national championship. The Gators (54-12) got it done in their 5-0 Game 1 victory over SEC-rival Alabama the way they have all postseason: solid defense, timely hitting and the right arm of starter Hannah Rogers.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| Alabama | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Win: Rogers (30-8) | Loss: Traina (26-4) | ||||||||||
WCWS Championship GM 2 - Alabama - June 3, 2014 - W, 6-3
In the biggest game of the season, Gators ace Hannah Rogers did not start. Instead, she finished with a bang. Within moments of fielding a ground ball back to the mound and throwing out Alabama's Jadyn Spencer for the final out, Rogers jumped and rolled around on the ground celebrating after Florida's 6-3 win over the Crimson Tide.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 1 |
| Florida | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | x | 6 | 12 | 4 |
| Win: Delanie Gourley (15-1) | Loss: Traina (26-5 | Save: Rogers (2) | ||||||||||
The team finished 2014 with a 55-12 record and the win over Alabama secured the program's first National Championship.
However, with 14 letterwinners and eight starters returning, the 2015 focus wouldn't be about a title defense. Instead the Gators would look to find a new identity without four-time All-American pitcher Hannah Rogers and Stephanie Toftt, who had graduated.
Each team, each year and sometimes each week, it's a new team. 2015, as much as we were prepared, was a new season and a new team with people doing it for the first time.Head Coach, Tim Walton
Looking to step up and fill the hole left by Rogers was dual-purpose player/pitcher Lauren Haeger. The Gators also returned Gourley and welcomed in a talented freshman by the name of Aleshia Ocasio.
However, the adjustment for Haeger in filling Rogers' roll as the go-to starter wasn't automatic.
Before the Christmas break Walton reset Haeger's expectations on being the Gators ace for the 2015 season during an exit interview.
Walton tasked Haeger to be more creative and accomplish something during every bullpen regardless if it was a good day or a bad one.
I will always be so thankful to coach Walton for being the most honest human being I have ever met in my life.Pitcher, Lauren Haeger (2012-2015)
The Gators opened the season with a school-record 28-game win streak that featured six victories over top-10 teams like Michigan, Oregon, Arizona and LSU.
That particular streak ended with a 14-10 loss to LSU and the Tigers eventually took the series 2-1 in Gainesville during SEC Opening Weekend.
The following weekend, the Gators would make the trip to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama.
Entering the series Haeger received the unexpected news from Walton that she would be the game one starter against the Crimson Tide and with an effective changeup now added to her arsenal of pitches, Haeger seized the opportunity to be the Gators ace and never looked back.
From that moment on, I couldn't lose. I felt like I was on fire.Pitcher, Lauren Haeger (2012-2015)
Florida went on to take the series against Alabama and win the remaining SEC series against Mississippi State, South Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia, Texas A&M & Missouri
The result was UF claiming it's fifth SEC Regular Season Championship with an 18-5 conference record.
The Gators fell short of an SEC Tournament Title, but rolled through NCAA Regional action with wins over Florida A&M, Hofstra and Florida Atlantic before a two-game sweep of Kentucky in the supers.
WCWS Opening Game - Tennessee - May 28, 2015 - W, 7-2
Lauren Haeger only allowed one hit in the complete-game effort and launched her 69th career home run, while Kayli Kvistad belted her sixth home run of the season and Kelsey Stewert (2-for-4) notched her 13th multi-hit game in 25 career NCAA tournament contests.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Florida | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | x | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| Win: Lauren Haeger (29-1) | Loss: R. Gaffin (17-4) | ||||||||||
WCWS Quarterfinals - LSU - May 29, 2015 - W, 4-0
Lauren Haeger made history as she joined Babe Ruth as the only player in Division I softball, baseball or Major League Baseball to reach 70 wins and 70 home runs during a career. Haeger picked up another complete-game victory and broke a scoreless tie in the 5th with her 70th career homer.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| LSU | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Win: Lauren Haeger (30-1) | Loss: Hoover (18-6) | ||||||||||
WCWS Semifinals - Auburn - May 31, 2015 - W, 3-2 (9 Innings)
Freshman Nicole DeWitt punched the Gators ticket to the championship series in the 9th inning with a walk-off single to shallow left field that scored speedy sophomore Justine McLean from second. Haeger went the distance in the circle as she improved her record to 31-1 in the complete-game effort.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0 |
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Win: Lauren Haeger (31-1) | Loss: L. Davis (26-3) | ||||||||||||
With the world expecting Haeger to be the game one starter in the circle, Walton entered the championship series with a different mindset and shocked everyone.
Walton gave Ocasio the start and eventually brought in Gourley to seal the deal.
WCWS Championship GM 1 - Michigan - June 1, 2015 - W, 3-2
Behind a dominant performance form senior Lauren Haeger (2-for-3) at the plate and a gutsy effort from Aleshia Ocasio and Delanie Gourley in the circle, the University of Florida softball team won Game 1 of the Women’s College World Series Championship Series on Monday in front of 8,329 people at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| Florida | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | x | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Win: Aleshia Ocasio (18-3) | Loss: Betsa (31-5) | Save: Delanie Gourley (5) | ||||||||||
WCWS Championship GM 2 - Michigan - June 2, 2015 - L, 1-0
Michigan scored one run on two hits in the bottom of the 1st inning, which proved to be the difference in Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series Championship Series as the Wolverines evened the series on a Tuesday night in front of 8,254 people at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Michigan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | x | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Win: Wagner (25-2) | Loss: Lauren Haeger (31-2) | ||||||||||
I felt like that second game, we just weren't ourselves. We had put all of this pressure on ourselves that we didn't need to.Pitcher, Lauren Haeger (2012-2015)
The tough love worked and the Gators entered game three with the Wolverines with a renewed focus.
WCWS Championship GM 3 - Michigan - June 3, 2015 - W, 4-1
The Gators became just the third program in NCAA softball history to win back-to-back national titles. Florida wasted no time to jump out in front of Michigan in the title game as UF took a 3-0 lead in the first with RBI base hits Lauren Haeger and Taylor Schwarz, while Stewart plated the final run of the game the following inning. Haeger hurled another complete-game for her 32nd win of the season.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Florida | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | x | 4 | 5 | 0 |
| Win: Aleshia Ocasio (18-3) | Loss: Betsa (31-5) | Save: Delanie Gourley (5) | ||||||||||
Back-to-Back???? ??
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) August 11, 2019
We won our second @NCAAsoftball National Championship June 3, 2015.#GoGators?? #GatorsMarathon pic.twitter.com/qcP9rb3Lzz
The 2015 Florida squad finished the year 60-7 and future teams would go on to make three more trips to the WCWS, win three more SEC Regular Season Championships and two more SEC Tournament titles.
Overall, Florida boasts eight SEC Regular Season Championships, five SEC Tournament Championships, 10 trips to the Women's College World Series and five appearances in the National Championship series.
