There are many reasons why a player may enter the transfer portal: looking for more playing time, a coaching change, homesickness, better opportunities elsewhere, etc.

Or sometimes it may be a combination of factors.

Coming out of high school in the Class of 2024, Gracie Mahoney—who’s from Macomb, Mich.— looked like she could make an immediate impact this Spring for North Texas Univ. in Denton, Texas, a mid-major program that appeared poised to make a run in the NCAA tournament.

Gracie had been rated several times in the Line Drive HOT 100 including a No. 30 listing in the final write-ups for her grad class… here’s what it said:

T-30—Gracie Maloney, P/3B, Turnin2 National 18U – Maloney

Gracie has proven herself as one of the best two-way players in the country at the elite national level. The North Texas commit has been clocked at 69 mph and is expected to break 70 mph any day now. Powerful and intimidating at 6-foot tall, Gracie hits for both average and power and possesses a skillset that puts her in the upper echelon of athletes in the Midwest. As a pitcher, she has a chance to take over a game all by herself, striking out 21 batters in a single high school game. Gracie was selected as the Heart of America League Player of the Month as she only allowed two runs in the fall season, keeping her ERA at .025 and collecting 78 strikeouts. Batters only averaged .185 against the elite pitcher, while she herself maintained a .360 at the plate, helping the team to the Junior Olympic Cup Finals, where Gracie was recognized as the Team Tournament Most Valuable Player. 

In the very first weekend of play, the pitcher faced one batter, but a collision at first base on a freak play forced her out of action for several weeks. Fortunately, the medical tests showed no serious injury damage, but it quickly put Gracie behind on the season and in her development.

She returned well into the season, but her pitching duties were sporadic, and she saw limited action. Stille, there were many good things did happen:

• In her first American Conference appearance, Gracie pitched a scoreless inning against Wichita State.
• Against Texas A&M, which had been ranked No. 1 several weeks this Spring, the pitcher tossed one inning and recorded her first collegiate strikeout.
• Versus South Florida, Gracie entered the game with her team trailing 14-6. She pitched five innings allowing just one run, four hits, two strikeouts and no walks and the Mean Green fought back before losing 15-14 in 10 innings.
• Facing East Carolina, Gracie tossed 3.1 innings of relief and didn’t give up a run while striking out two and walking one. Most impressively, the freshman retired nine batters in a row.

Late this week, news came out that North Texas Head Coach Rodney DeLong resigned as a decent year that saw the Mean Green go 36-21 with a 16-11 conference record.

In a release published by the school on Friday, Vice President and  Director of Athletics Jared Mosley announced Friday.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing a positive and exceptional experience for our student-athletes and will work tirelessly to find the next head coach and leader of our program,” Mosley said. “

We have launched a nationwide search for the next head coach of our softball program. We will have no additional comment until a new coach is named.”

Several sources said the move was “surprising” and it makes the situation around Mean Green softball more uncertain.

Just one of the factors Gracie had to consider when looking to where her future will unfold.

She leaves excited for the next step in her softball career, but admits she’ll miss the college and the people.

“I have learned so much in my time at North Texas,” the pitcher begins. “Independence while away from home, how to bust my butt as a student-athlete and the invaluable support of friends, family, and teammates. There has been lots of change this past year, yet I have learned to embrace it and use that to become a better person and player.”

As an incoming sophomore this fall, Gracie looks back fondly on her time in Denton, Texas.

“The biggest con of being in the transfer portal is leaving the relationships that I fostered throughout the year. My teammates at UNT are some of the most supportive and caring individuals I know, and it will be hard to leave them.”

“Being the new girl on a team can be unnerving, but that being said it is exciting to know I will find new friendships at my next journey. In this time of uncertainty I am sticking to the motto, trust the process.”

Having gone through the ups and downs of the college softball experience, what advice would Gracie give to future college athletes?

“The college experience is a grind,” she says. “Between workouts, practices, games, and school, you are never bored!”

“Even though it can be overwhelming,” Gracie continues, “having your teammates with you embraces the fun of the journey. I find great joy in the business of being a student-athlete as I am playing the game I fell in love with as a young girl, while meeting lifelong friends and preparing for my future.”

The future, uncertain though it may be, has Gracie looking forward to the next chapter in her career.”

“I am excited to enter the transfer portal to find a school that feels like home,” she concludes. “I’m ecstatic to have an opportunity to grow as a competitor and thrive as a student.”

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Softball

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