Richardson to Coach Florida Vibe This Summer
1/17/2025 12:52:00 PM | Softball
Liberty Softball Head Coach Dot Richardson will coach the Florida Vibe professional softball team this summer, while continuing as Liberty's head coach.
Richardson, who enters her 12th season as head coach for the Liberty softball team, was announced as head coach for the Florida Vibe.
The Vibe, a professional fastpitch team based out of Bradenton, Fla., enters its fourth season. Formed in 2021, the Vibe will open its 2025 season in the Top Gun Series in Kansas City, Mo., June 12-14. The team will compete against the New York Rise, Texas Smoke and Oklahoma City Spark, in addition to a trip to Mexico to take on the Mexican National Team.
Two former Liberty softball players are currently on the Florida Vibe roster. Emily Kirby enters her fourth season with the Vibe, while Kara Canetto returns for her third season after serving as one of the team's batting leaders each of the last two years.
During her time at Liberty, Richardson has helped guide a resurgence of the softball program. Entering the 2024 season, Richardson has led the Lady Flames to a 382-257 overall record, including five NCAA Regional appearances and the first four NCAA Regional finals appearances in program history. A two-time ASUN Coach of the Year (2021, 2022) and two-time VaSID State Coach of the Year (2018, 2023), she was also named Big South Coach of the Year in both 2018 and 2019.
In 2024, the Lady Flames (38-25) won both the Conference USA regular-season and tournament titles, becoming the first team since 2015 (WKU) to win the CUSA championship in its first year in the league. Liberty earned a program-record six victories over Top 25 opponents, including wins over No. 10 LSU and No. 11 Georgia. The Lady Flames made their fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, qualifying for the Regional final for the second year in a row and fourth time in the last six full seasons. The squad finished the season with an RPI of 31 and the second toughest nonconference strength of schedule in the nation.
Liberty has continued its ascent as a program, posting 40 or more wins for the sixth straight full season in 2023. The Lady Flames were one of just six NCAA Division I softball teams to win 40 or more games in each season from 2017-19 and 2021-23. Liberty has posted its first-ever end-of-season Top 25 rankings in program history under Coach Richardson (2021, 2023, 2024).
Richardson is considered one of the most decorated collegiate, national and international players in softball history.
She helped Team USA win Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000, hitting the game-winning home run in the gold medal game in 1996. During her time at UCLA, she helped the Bruins win the first-ever NCAA Women's College World Series in 1982.
Internationally, she also played in five Pan American Games (1979, 1983, 1987, 1995 and 1999) and five World Championships (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998). As a member of the team, the U.S. won five Pan American Game gold medals and four World Championship gold medals.
Richardson, who enters her 12th season as head coach for the Liberty softball team, was announced as head coach for the Florida Vibe.
The Vibe, a professional fastpitch team based out of Bradenton, Fla., enters its fourth season. Formed in 2021, the Vibe will open its 2025 season in the Top Gun Series in Kansas City, Mo., June 12-14. The team will compete against the New York Rise, Texas Smoke and Oklahoma City Spark, in addition to a trip to Mexico to take on the Mexican National Team.
Two former Liberty softball players are currently on the Florida Vibe roster. Emily Kirby enters her fourth season with the Vibe, while Kara Canetto returns for her third season after serving as one of the team's batting leaders each of the last two years.
During her time at Liberty, Richardson has helped guide a resurgence of the softball program. Entering the 2024 season, Richardson has led the Lady Flames to a 382-257 overall record, including five NCAA Regional appearances and the first four NCAA Regional finals appearances in program history. A two-time ASUN Coach of the Year (2021, 2022) and two-time VaSID State Coach of the Year (2018, 2023), she was also named Big South Coach of the Year in both 2018 and 2019.
In 2024, the Lady Flames (38-25) won both the Conference USA regular-season and tournament titles, becoming the first team since 2015 (WKU) to win the CUSA championship in its first year in the league. Liberty earned a program-record six victories over Top 25 opponents, including wins over No. 10 LSU and No. 11 Georgia. The Lady Flames made their fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, qualifying for the Regional final for the second year in a row and fourth time in the last six full seasons. The squad finished the season with an RPI of 31 and the second toughest nonconference strength of schedule in the nation.
Liberty has continued its ascent as a program, posting 40 or more wins for the sixth straight full season in 2023. The Lady Flames were one of just six NCAA Division I softball teams to win 40 or more games in each season from 2017-19 and 2021-23. Liberty has posted its first-ever end-of-season Top 25 rankings in program history under Coach Richardson (2021, 2023, 2024).
Richardson is considered one of the most decorated collegiate, national and international players in softball history.
She helped Team USA win Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000, hitting the game-winning home run in the gold medal game in 1996. During her time at UCLA, she helped the Bruins win the first-ever NCAA Women's College World Series in 1982.
Internationally, she also played in five Pan American Games (1979, 1983, 1987, 1995 and 1999) and five World Championships (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998). As a member of the team, the U.S. won five Pan American Game gold medals and four World Championship gold medals.
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