Some things I have noticed:
1) The theme of our athletic year is missing players. We had the big-time attrition in football, missed two expected contributors in men's basketball, one in women's basketball and lost a top softball player in the first week of the season. There are others as well but this wasn't meant to be a total list. Unless you have been following these sports, you might not now that our top male golfer has sat out the year and our #1 men's tennis player has not played this Spring. This is a big negative impact.
2) We have a shot in both men's and women's golf to beat the hated Hoos. It seem to have been overlooked by this board but the women finished ahead of the Hoos in a tournament last week. If you go back to the end of the fall season, the men's team also finished ahead of the Hoos in a tournament. Don't get me wrong, we will be underdogs in both but there is a chance to steal a Commonwealth Clash point in one or the other.
3) How about the softball team? Their improvement has been noticed by most. Consider these season-to-season improvements (keep in mind 53 games last year, 35 so far this year):
a) Last year Emma Strouth batted .286 with 3 HR; this year, .407 with 8 HR.
b) Last year Darby Trull batted .233 with no HR; this year, .448 with 4 HR.
c) Last year Caitlyn Nolan batted .236 with 5 HR; this year, .291 with 11 HR.
d) Last year MacKenzie Lawter had 2 singles in 16 AB; this year .293 with 6 HR.
In addition, let me note how freshman, Grace Chavez, has further energized our lineup. After seeing minimal at-bats earlier in the season, she is now a stud in the middle of the line-up. On a per-at-bat basis, she is our top power hitter. I don't want to leave out the freshman "Killer B's": Bennett, Bailey and Banks (or is that a law firm?) They are all key components.