WASHINGTON (April 18, 2024) - When Tori Tyson was named softball head coach at Howard University in 2018, she faced many challenges. Among them included navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic, trying to figure out how to construct the team and practicing in the lower gymnasium in that first season.
 
"It was insane," recalls Tyson. "When I came on campus, the students were getting ready to go home for the break. I had to scramble to put together a program. I could not even put faces to names. When we finally got to practice, it was in the lower gym, so I had to simulate a grass field."
 
Trying to figure things out, Tyson reached out for guidance.
 
"I reached out to some of my mentors and asked them for advice," said Tyson. "They said that I needed to stick to fundamentals."
 
Tyson, who had been a standout at Nebraska, served as an assistant at Maryland before being named the head coach. She had worked her way up the ladder with stops at Cal Fullerton and Bethune-Cookman before the Terps where she served a pitching coach.
 
In her first season (2019), Coach Tyson revitalized the program with several victories throughout the year. HU reached the postseason for the first time since 2015 while grabbing its first tourney win in eight seasons (2011). Additionally, the Bison's 19 victories are the most since 2012.  As she continued to build on the success, it paid off as the team captured the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament in 2022 for the second time and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
 
"The big thing for us was the leadership of Mackenzi Steele," Tyson expressed. "She was determined to get this team to the tournament. They picked us next to last in the preseason poll. It was a motivation as the Bison did make it to the tournament."
 
She faced yet another challenge as she had to replace several seniors. The squad finished with 19 wins in her first season, the most since 2012. Coach Tyson's first team featured several future all-conference selections, including 2019 MEAC Rookie of the Year Kalita Dennis and 2021 MEAC Player of the Year Camille Navarro.
 
This season, the team is having an outstanding season, boasting a 29-8 record, including a school record 12 straight wins. On March 11, Howard hosted nationally ranked Tennessee (UT) where they dropped a hard-fought 11-4 decision to the Lady Vols. A year ago, the program lost to UT in the season opener, 21-1.
 
Entering this weekend's matchup against rival and always tough Morgan State, the Bison have won 13-of-the-last 14 games. The teams share a 13-2 MEAC record and tied for first place.
 
The formula features a blend of two graduates, one senior, nine juniors, eight sophomores and nine freshmen.
 
"We have only one senior and two graduates to go along with juniors, sophomores and freshmen," she explains. "It gives us great depth and we have players who contribute in multiple ways. There is no one leader. The juniors were part of the championship team, the sophomores are contributing and the freshmen just feel like energetic and confident enough to know they are freshmen. It is like the perfect storm."
 
The Bison rank 10th in the country in hitting (.343), led by sophomore outfielder Maryn Jordan (San Diego) and graduate outfielder Bianca Worthy (Goodyear, Ariz.). Jordan is batting a nation-best .495 while Worthy is not far behind (.414). They have combined to receive MEAC Player of the Week honors five times and both are strong candidates for league player of the year.
 
While their contributions are essential to the team's success, there are a plethora of players who take turns stepping up.
 
Junior shortstop Sidney Fletcher (Whittier, Calif.) leads the team in homers (3). Junior catcher Alyssa Vasquez (Eastvale, Calif.) is batting a .333 and has driven in a team-leading 30 RBIs. Kenna Higa (Honolulu) is hitting .378 while freshman Angel Riggins (San Diego) is batting .346. Newcomer Merci Hart (Los Angeles) is batting .340 and juniors Lealani Ricks (Madera, Calif.) and Payton Quinonez (Tulare, Calif.) are both hitting .343.
 
The team has perhaps its best all-around pitching staff in history.
 
Mia Gonzales (Atwater, Calif.), Amelia Weber (Montclair, Calif.) and junior Jordin King (Pomona, Calif.) have combined for 26 wins among them. But the most surprising player in the team's success has been sophomore Julia Holt (Tucson, Ariz.). From playing very little as a freshman last year, Holt has emerged as one of the top relievers in the country, ranked No. 1 with a 1.10 ERA while boasting an unblemished 6-0 record.
 
Tyson, who is from Corona, Calif., has used her experience as a recruiter to find some of the best talent with California and Arizona. Majority of the team hails from those two states with one from Hawaii. If you look at the Top 25 high school softball programs, six are from either state.
 
"On the West Coast, HBCUs are not well known except Howard," Tyson stated. "They are aware of the reputation. Someone whom they know, or work for has ties with Howard. So, when it comes to recruiting, that gets me in the door."
 
Recently, Howard Athletics hosted a reception for alums of the sports while also paying special tribute to the teams of 2007 and 2022, which won the MEAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA with the automatic bid.
 
The former players talked to the current group about what it means to represent Howard University as women leaders of impact following their careers.
 
One such alums was Courtney Young, a member of the team and a Howard Hall of Famer.  Young, from Arkansas, graduated in 2011 and currently owns several businesses as an entrepreneur.
 
"To see the program come to this point is very rewarding," says Young, who owns several school records for hits, home runs and batting average. "When I first got here, the program was a joke to some people. So, to see the program grow to this is very exciting. I watched them and have followed them. This is a very talented team. Coach Tyson has done a great job with the program."
 
Tyson says that alums like Young serving as great role models makes it easy to recruit.
 
"When a Courtney Young speaks to the team about being a woman from Howard and going out and represent, it makes it a lot easier to sell during the recruiting process. They hear me pitch what Howard has to offer but when they see it from some of the graduates, it gives it a special meaning."
 
Tyson added that she is especially proud that the team's GPA is over 3.0. In 2020, the program had a conference-best 15 Bison named to the MEAC Softball All-Academic Team. Currently, several of her former players are now attorneys, directors and have successful careers.
 
Derek W. Bryant, Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations & Sports Information, contributed to this story.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.