A new day is dawning for Georgia State Softball, located in Atlanta, Ga., with three key positives to be excited about moving forward in the next year or two if you’re a Panthers fan:

• a new head coach,
• a new softball stadium,
• an influx of new and talented recruits.

Here’s a look at all three factors including the commitment this week of top players—sisters, in fact—who are ranked in the Top 15 in their class…

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VIBRANT NEW ENERGY

New Head Coach Becca Mueller Owens, hired in June, admittedly comes in with a lot of work to do to turn around asoftball program which struggled mightily in 2024 with a 11-42 record overall including a 1-23 mark in the Sun Belt Conference and a 10-game losing streak to finish the season.

Coach Owens has an impressive resume as she comes in from Central Florida where, as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, she helped UCF win 31 games and a first-round win over Auburn in the NCAA Tournament this year.

Before that, she was with the California Bears for three years where she oversaw the team’s’ 2023 offense that was best in the Pac 12 and spearheaded a 2023 recruiting class that was ranked in the Top 20 nationally.

The new softball leader has already injected the program with enthusiasm, and is openly big on team culture, often encouraging those around the program to do things “The Panther Way.”

Owens often preaches to her team to do “WIT” (Whatever It Takes) and those in and around the softball program have bought in big-time.

But her past record of successes on the field and off are not the only thing Panthers fans are excited about…

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CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS

Owens record of accomplishments is impressive enough and, on its own will attract top talent, but Owens has another strong selling point: a series of jaw-dropping campus and sports facilities upgrades that are happening… or will soon happen

A new softball stadium is being built and will have not only state-of-the-art upgrades, but also a prime location next to other sports sites on campus. It’s expected to open in time for the 2026 season and will be built right next to a new baseball stadium.

Here is an artist’s rendering of the facilities after completion in less than two years:

Additionally, School President M. Brian Blake has been blessed with an $80 million donation as part of GSU’s $107 million allocation to upgrade the school’s buildings and facilities, which will be in the international spotlight when the FIFA World Cup comes into Atlanta in 2026.

Five of the World Cup’s event’s eight matches in the city will be at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the Atlanta United (soccer) and Atlanta Falcons (football) play, and is just a mile and a half from the Georgia State campus.

Just today, President Blake announced a “major Downtown Atlanta campus transformation plan thanks to the $80 million gift from the Woodruff Foundation,” according to the school’s University Business website which noted:

“GSU President M. Brian Blake said the institution was challenged to remake the campus as a beacon for further revitalization for Downtown ahead of the 2026 World Cup.”

“’We were confronted with an opportunity to dream a dream,’ Blake said. “‘We were asked, ‘What could you do in two years?’”

*** Click HERE to read more about Georgia State’s $107 million dollars campus “transformation”

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BLUECHIPPERS ON THE WAY

It’s only been five months since the hiring of Coach Owens and her staff, but the softball world has noticed.

That includes top athletes near and far, including a pair of sisters, Catalina and Angelina Baronci who play for the Georgia Unity 16U team coached by their father Nick Baronci, and who are ranked in the Top 15 overall players in the 2026 Line Drive HOT 100.

 Here are the rankings bios released in Sept. 2024 when the strong-armed backstop and power-hitting infielder were noted as being two of the best in their class:

T-15—Angelina Baronci, C, Georgia Unity

Angelina has been playing up in age for years, including 18U tournaments and showcases while playing for the Unity this summer. She is a relentless catcher who was clocked with a pop time of 1.62 seconds at multiple college camps. This, combined with her play making abilities, positions her to be one of the top catchers in her class. One college scout, Bryan Jones, formerly a Duke University coach, said that “Angelina is one of the best 2026 catchers out there.” The catcher is beyond her years in game management behind the plate as she caught many of the top pitchers in the country who throw in the mid to upper 60s and even caught at Perfect Game in baseball. One scout said of Angelina: “That’s one arm you don’t run on.” Another club coach commented: “Framing and blocking are her middle name.”

T-15—Catalina Baronci, 1B/P, Georgia Unity

Catalina is a gap-to-gap hitter with tremendous opposite field power. She is a clutch hitter who makes things happen in many of the top tournaments and showcases. Catalina is almost always in the top in all the offensive categories and over the last year she’s produced a .491 batting average with a .507 on-base percentage and smashed 17 home runs—especially impressive stats considering a injury that held her back most of the summer. She has emerged an offensive force with her exit velo of 77 mph at multiple college camps and one coach remarked: “She has an exceptional glove and softball IQ and is one of the top first baseman in her class. Catalina already has received multiple D1 offers.

Just this week, the pair committed to the Panthers and Coach Becca… and their coach of eight years couldn’t be happier.

“The Baronci sisters are staying together!” Coach Nick told Line Drive today after the standout athletes finalized their commits to the Panthers’ program on Wednesday.

“After many offers and visits, they felt GSU and Coach Mueller is the right fit for them because that—and enjoying their four-year college experience together—was important in their decision-making. The new stadium, facilities, and $107 million in renovations was appealing to them.”

“Having all this with the opportunity to stay home truly felt like a blessing to the sisters and they plan to make a huge impact in the growth of Georgia State. Angelina and Catalina bring with them a high softball IQ and leadership on and off the field, combined with their foundation in Christ.”

Here’s how each of the sisters announced to the world via social media how excited they were to pull the trigger and commit to the Panthers:

770 🔜 404 #pantherway #committed @Becca_Mueller01 @SydneyKumzz @MooneySoph72025 @CoachAlexandraP @sonahalajian @JohneishaRowe 💙💙 pic.twitter.com/QM6LhWtAtf

— Angelina Baronci (@ABaronci13) November 20, 2024

770 🔜 404 @ExtraInningSB @LineDsoftball @los_stuff @SoftbalAmerica @Becca_Mueller01 @MooneySoph72025 @SydneyKumzz @CoachAlexandraP pic.twitter.com/lIkxAvpAi1

— Catalina Baronci (@catalinab_99) November 20, 2024

So what do the players themselves think about this opportunity to stay close to home?

“Coach Becca really drove it home for us,” the home-schooled juniors with 4.0 GPA’s told Line Drive Softball today.

“She’s the type of leader you will thrive from on and off the field.  With her top-notch standards, her commitment to build a ‘high risk high reward’ culture, her ambition to build the ‘Panther Way; and her vision built off of God’s foundation, we knew this was a perfect fit for us.”

“With the development of a new stadium, upgraded facilities, and the $107 million dollar investment into the school,” the teen athletes continued, “Georgia State is poised for an exciting future and we want to be a part of it!”

“All these ingredients,” the sisters concluded, “are a sure recipe for success.”

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Softball
Email: Brentt.Eads@LineDriveMedia.com