Freshman Kali Reis during her first week of practicing with the Gators.
Clubhouse Chatter: Freshmen Settle In, Classes & Individual Practices Start
Monday, September 7, 2020 | Softball
The Florida softball program started its journey towards the 2021 season Monday, Aug. 31, as fall classes and individual practices began. It also signaled the arrival of six new freshmen to the program.
Haley Pittman, Avery Goelz, Savannah Serrata, Emily Wilkie, Katie Kistler and Kali Reis of the 2020 signing class arrived and began to settle in as Gators during their first week in Gainesville.
Goelz, Kistler and Reis all hail from the state of Florida, while Wilkie and Pittman are from nearby Georgia and Alabama respectively. The Gators added Serrata, a California native, later in the signing period to round out this year's freshman class.
The group arrived in Gainesville all around the same time and were excited to get the next chapter of their lives started.
"I was really excited to finally get up here, but it was very sad to say goodbye to my parents and friends back home." Goelz said. "My family and I went out to eat with my roommate's family after we were all moved in."
However, the journey to Gainesville for Serrata was a little longer than the three-hour drive up I-75. The Hesperia, Calif. native's journey was 2,382 miles across country.
"Moving to Gainesville has been such a blur, but it's been good. I felt comfortable being here right away." Serrata said.
With the all the freshmen moved and settled into their dorms the next step was preparing for the start of classes and their first practices as Gators.
The start of a collegiate career is always filled with new experiences, but to also start it out in the middle of a global pandemic definitely makes this a unique experience for this set of freshmen.
"It's different." Wilkie said. "The teachers all teach different ways, so I'm just learning how to adapt to each one. Also, I'm keeping a list of all my assignments because I don't want to miss any."
Reis echoed Wilkie's sentiments about keeping track of academic assignments and mentioned time management as something she is working on.
"It's been a good start." Reis said. "I'm working on my time management by making a schedule and routine for myself."
Not only are these Gators having to navigate the start of their collegiate careers academically, they are also learning how a collegiate softball program operates.
However, despite the new routines and challenges of adjusting to a new way of doing things, the freshmen are finding their way around the diamond and bullpens at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium just fine.
The group also just wrapped up their first week of training with Strength & Conditioning Coordinator, Shawn Burke.
"Coach Shawn is amazing." Kistler said. "I love everything that he's been teaching us this first week. I'm new to everything, but the girls and him have been helping me figure everything out."
"I'm really sore, but it's been pretty good." Pittman said. "He pushes me and that's what I really need right now."
Despite the challenges of being a freshman, overall the adjustments to college life is something that every class has to make and it seems like the 2020 class is off to a good start.
FOLLOW THE GATORS
FloridaGators.com
Florida Softball on Twitter
Head Coach Tim Walton on Twitter
Florida Softball on Facebook
Haley Pittman, Avery Goelz, Savannah Serrata, Emily Wilkie, Katie Kistler and Kali Reis of the 2020 signing class arrived and began to settle in as Gators during their first week in Gainesville.
Goelz, Kistler and Reis all hail from the state of Florida, while Wilkie and Pittman are from nearby Georgia and Alabama respectively. The Gators added Serrata, a California native, later in the signing period to round out this year's freshman class.
The group arrived in Gainesville all around the same time and were excited to get the next chapter of their lives started.
"I was really excited to finally get up here, but it was very sad to say goodbye to my parents and friends back home." Goelz said. "My family and I went out to eat with my roommate's family after we were all moved in."
However, the journey to Gainesville for Serrata was a little longer than the three-hour drive up I-75. The Hesperia, Calif. native's journey was 2,382 miles across country.
"Moving to Gainesville has been such a blur, but it's been good. I felt comfortable being here right away." Serrata said.
With the all the freshmen moved and settled into their dorms the next step was preparing for the start of classes and their first practices as Gators.
The start of a collegiate career is always filled with new experiences, but to also start it out in the middle of a global pandemic definitely makes this a unique experience for this set of freshmen.
"It's different." Wilkie said. "The teachers all teach different ways, so I'm just learning how to adapt to each one. Also, I'm keeping a list of all my assignments because I don't want to miss any."
Reis echoed Wilkie's sentiments about keeping track of academic assignments and mentioned time management as something she is working on.
"It's been a good start." Reis said. "I'm working on my time management by making a schedule and routine for myself."
Not only are these Gators having to navigate the start of their collegiate careers academically, they are also learning how a collegiate softball program operates.
However, despite the new routines and challenges of adjusting to a new way of doing things, the freshmen are finding their way around the diamond and bullpens at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium just fine.
The group also just wrapped up their first week of training with Strength & Conditioning Coordinator, Shawn Burke.
"Coach Shawn is amazing." Kistler said. "I love everything that he's been teaching us this first week. I'm new to everything, but the girls and him have been helping me figure everything out."
"I'm really sore, but it's been pretty good." Pittman said. "He pushes me and that's what I really need right now."
Despite the challenges of being a freshman, overall the adjustments to college life is something that every class has to make and it seems like the 2020 class is off to a good start.
FOLLOW THE GATORS
FloridaGators.com
Florida Softball on Twitter
Head Coach Tim Walton on Twitter
Florida Softball on Facebook
Players Mentioned
1B/OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballKeagan Rothrock | Carwash Convos
Tuesday, February 24
Florida Softball Highlights | North Florida | February 18, 2026
Thursday, February 19
Florida vs. North Florida Highlights
Wednesday, February 18
Florida Softball | Head Coach Tim Walton Postgame Press Conference | North Florida
Wednesday, February 18
