As a freshman, Delanie Gourley had the opportunity to pitch in the Women’s College World Series against Alabama.
She pitched through two innings, allowing no hits and tossing two strikeouts – an effort that helped Florida achieve its first-ever national championship in 2014.
Now, four years later, her consistent and dominant pitching has landed her a spot as one of thirty candidates for the Senior CLASS Award.
CLASS, an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, focuses on what being a student athlete “should” be. At least one Gator had been a Top-10 finalist every year for seven years until 2016.
Gourley has volunteered more than 70 hours for different organizations on the UF campus and the city of Gainesville, and is also touted for her leadership on the field, helping both older and younger women the past four years.
“Delanie Gourley has just grown herself into a real leader,” coach Tim Walton said. “And I’m really excited about her maturity level and just how she’s handled her process in the last three years.”
As the first left handed pitcher to sign under Walton, Gourley threw 127 strikeouts in 107.2 innings her freshman year. In 2016, she pitched 143.2 innings and totaled 206 strikeouts, demonstrating the improvement she has made at the college level. In that same season, she was named a 2016 First Team All-American and a USA Softball Player of the Year Top-10 Finalist.
In her senior campaign, she has already thrown 58 strikeouts and has an ERA of 0.75 in her nine games.
Gourley will help lead the team in California as the Gators play in the Judi Garman Classic, with their first games beginning today.
It is Florida’s second straight weekend away from Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium and will be its final tournament before SEC play begins.
“I think that’s the benefit of playing so much on the road early,” Walton said, “Is that you get to know each other a little bit more than just softball.”
No. 3 Florida will face Iowa, Long Beach State, Northwestern, No. 23 California and No. 7 UCLA.
The Gators last faced the Hawkeyes in 2015, and in their two-game series, 16 hits were recorded. Florida allowed no runs, due in part to eight strikeouts from Gourley.
They faced the Long Beach State 49ers that same season, with the Gators winning by a score of 10-1.
Florida opens up play against these two teams first. The matchup with Iowa begins at 3 p.m., followed by Long Beach State at 8:30 p.m.
Contact Cassie Amundson at camundson@alligator.org or follow her on Twitter @camundson_.
Delanie Gourley pitches during Florida's 14-10 loss to LSU on March 14, 2015, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
