TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 3, 2025 – It will be a classic mix of business with pleasure when the University of South Florida softball program has five games against the Puerto Rican National Team during a foreign-tour trip to the island that began with a Thursday send-off.
There will be plenty of softball — including a game in Salinas, San Lorenzo, and San Juan — with clinics provided to local citizens in Salinas and Mayaguez. Trips are planned to local beaches, restaurants, and attractions so that culture will be soaked up as well.
And there's even an ironic twist.
USF softball player
Kathy Garcia-Soto will play for Team Puerto Rico, along with USF alums
Karla Claudio Rivera (the current pitching coach) and
Alanah Rivera.
The Puerto Rico squad is coming off a silver-medal finish at the Pan American Championships to earn a spot in the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup in China, where it will head following the games against USF. Meanwhile, USF alum
Olivia Elliott will compete for Team Australia, while four-time All-American pitcher
Georgina Corrick will compete for Team Great Britain.
"We've wanted to do something like this for a while, but the affordability has limited us,'' head coach
Ken Eriksen said. "But with the popularity of our sport and our success, we've been able to generate those funds, so we're so grateful to everyone who has supported our program and made this trip possible.
"The best part is that although it's technically an 'overseas' trip, it's part of the United States. It's not an incredibly lengthy trip, but we can get away. I think the experience we'll get, and the team bonding, is going to pay off in a big way.''
USF will face the Puerto Rican National Team next Wednesday in a doubleheader at a stadium dedicated to Karla Claudio-Rivera. The Bulls will also compete at the historic Roberto Clemente Stadium in San Juan. There are trips planned to Hacienda Munoz, a coffee farm situated on a scenic hillside, and the historic district of Old San Juan.
Eriksen said the trip will give USF a head start on its upcoming season. With nine new players, the Bulls will get a realistic look at their team.
"We'll go into fall ball knowing everybody pretty well,'' Eriksen said. "A lot of the peripheral stuff will be out of the way. Something like this enhances our organizational theory. Some people call it chemistry. I call it physics.
"You're trying to put together all the dimensions and the mathematics of a team. We normally don't have these kinds of opportunities, so we want to take full advantage of this time.''
Eriksen, the former U.S. Olympic assistant coach and head coach, is quite familiar with an international travel schedule and the benefits of a softball road show.
"Not our first rodeo, but there are a lot of details, and you are responsible for 24 players out of the mainland,'' said Eriksen, who has instructed his players to explore things in groups of six to encourage camaraderie. "So, we're glad to have an organized schedule and activities. After that, it's up to our kids to handle themselves responsibly.
"Just do your job. Have fun with your teammates during the downtime. Build those relationships. Get some good competition on the field. Many opportunities for growth and experience.''
The Bulls will return to Tampa on Sunday, Aug. 10, and classes will begin Aug. 25, followed by fall workouts.
Eriksen's USF squad is coming off a 44-16-1 season, which included the American Conference Tournament championship and a spot in the NCAA Tallahassee Regional. The Bulls, with a flair for the dramatic, had 17 comeback victories, including a 12-7, nine-inning NCAA Regional win against Auburn after trailing by five runs in the first inning.
"That was a memorable team and a memorable season,'' Eriksen said. "I think we have the makings of another team that's going to accomplish some things. We'll be able to look back and say that it all started in Puerto Rico.''
Tickets:
Tickets to watch Bulls softball at the USF Softball Stadium may be purchased by calling 1-800-GoBulls or clicking
HERE.
Follow us:
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF Softball news, follow the Bulls on social media (X / Facebook / Instagram).
About USF Softball
The South Florida softball program has been one of the most successful on campus, making 18 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women's College World Series in 2012. Under head coach Ken Eriksen, who enters his 29th season in 2026 and has accumulated 1,161 wins, ranking seventh among active DI head softball coaches, USF has produced 10 NFCA All-Americans, two USA Softball Top 10 Players of the Year, and one NFCA Pitcher of the Year. In 2022, Georgina Corrick became the first player in softball history to earn the NCAA Pitching Triple Crown. She led the nation in ERA (0.51), Victories (37), and total strikeouts (418).
–
#GoBulls –
