BRADENTON, Fla. – Four Virginia Tech softball players are set to play in the inaugural season of the Florida Gulf Coast League, a summer softball league for college athletes starting Thursday night.
Maddi Banks, Kelsey Bennett, Kelsey Brown and Morgan Overaitis are set to debut in the league's first season. The FGCL consists of seven teams each playing a 25-game schedule capped by an all-star gala and playoffs.
Banks and Brown will both suit up for Bradenton Slice, while Bennett will play for Impact Softball and Overaitis for Bradenton Lynx. The league's full schedule can be found in the links on the right-hand side of the page.
Fans can follow along with the league via GameChanger and there are also two streaming options. An all-access paid streaming service for the league is available through GameVision, while Stream Live Tampa will stream 23 games for free on its social media platforms throughout the season.
Fresh off another stellar season, Bennett was featured among the seven players to watch at the Florida Gulf Coast League according to Justin's World of Softball. The Buford, Georgia native led the team in RBIs this season with 25 and tied for the lead with seven home runs.
Banks had a solid year for the Hokies, starting 22 games in the infield and posting a .340 batting average. She had six extra-base hits, including three home runs, and was third on the team in runs scored with 19.
In her first year as a Hokie, Brown made an immediate impact as the leadoff hitter in the ACC's best offense. She led the Hokies with 18 stolen bases in 25 games played and was third on the team with a .378 batting average.
Yet to make her debut in maroon and orange since transferring from Michigan after this season, Overaitis will join the other three Hokies in Bradenton. This past season as a Wolverine, Overaitis started 14 games and posted a .277 batting average.
The Florida Gulf Coast League is a non-profit, summer collegiate baseball and softball league filled with unique team owners and organizations. The teams are made up of collegiate athletes from all over the United States, covering all divisions and conferences of collegiate baseball and softball.
