BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
University of West Florida senior softball player Teala Howard, a 2018 Union County High School graduate, recently earned two Player of the Year awards and was also named to the Schutt Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Player and Pitcher of the Year Top 25 list.
The Gulf South Conference announced that Howard was its Player of the Year on May 4.
“Honestly, I was kind of shocked,” Howard said. “I wasn’t so impressed with the way that I was playing this year. I was doing good, but it just wasn’t how I thought I could do.”
Howard explained that she thought she could’ve been a more well-rounded player, especially when it came to how she approached batting. She said she got into “weird, mental places” where she would either just bunt, hit from a stationary position or slap without mixing it up.
She also felt like she was inside her head too much since it was her final season. Howard said instead of worrying about being the best, she wished she enjoyed the moment more and just had fun.
Still, she doesn’t take the award lightly. Howard said, “Honestly, I feel honored to be able to get that and to know that even though I don’t feel like I’m doing my best, people still look at me, and they’re like, ‘Oh, she’s doing all that she can.’”
Howard hopes that the honors she’s received will inspire the players coming behind her.
“I just hope for the next group of girls, it fires them up and makes them want to play that hard so they can get awards like that, too.”
Howard received another surprise when she was named the Division II Conference Commissioners Association South Region Player of the Year on May 11.
“I was shocked about that, too,” she said. “I can’t say I was expecting that one.”
The former UCHS Tiger led the Gulf South Conference in three categories: batting average (.435), triples (6) and stolen bases (33). Her 73 hits ranked her second in the GSC, while her 46 runs scored ranked third.
Howard had at least one hit in 41 games. Out of her team’s 45 total games, she had at least two hits in 25.
It has been quite a ride at UWF for Howard, who made an impact immediately. During her freshman season, she led the GSC in batting average (.469), hits (97), runs scored (66), stolen bases (53) and stolen-base attempts (57). She was third in total bases (113) and fourth in on-base percentage (.502). Howard’s play resulted in her being named the GSC Freshman of the Year.
She tied the UWF single-season batting record that same year with a .464 average, which also ranked her in the top 10 in GSC history.
Howard will always remember that season fondly.
“I think I’ll just never forget my freshman year when we went all the way to the World Series,” she said. “That’s probably one of my favorite memories from being here, when we played in Denver, even though it didn’t work out for us.”
The Argonauts’ run to the Division II Women’s College World Series began with winning the GSC Tournament. Howard went 8 for 14 with five RBI and four runs scored in the team’s 4-0 showing.
In the NCAA South Regionals, Howard went 3 for 3 with a double, three runs and two stolen bases in a 4-0 win over Spring Hill, but West Florida then lost 1-0 to Tampa. The Argos bounced back to defeat Valdosta State 4-3 before beating Tampa twice by scores of 1-0 and 2-1. Howard went a combined 8 for 17 in the tournament.
In the South Super Regionals, UWF swept Florida Tech by scores of 6-3 and 7-1. Howard went a combined 4 for 7 in the series.
In the World Series, the Argos defeated West Chester 5-1 before being eliminated with losses to Augustana by a score of 4-2 and to Grand Valley State by a score of 3-2. Howard went 3 for 4 with a triple, a run and two stolen bases in the loss to Grand Valley State.
“Just being with my team and just traveling to Colorado and playing by the Rocky Mountains — it’s just a memory I don’t think I’ll ever forget,” Howard said. “That team was special.”
In 2020, following the cancellation of her sophomore season due to COVID-19, Howard received first-team honors as a utility player as part of the GSC All-Decade (2011-20) Awards. She was leading the GSC in batting average (.500), hits (46), triples (5), runs scored (32) and stolen bases (20) before the season was canceled.
Howard led the GSC in batting average (.448) and hits (69) her junior season, which resulted in her earning first-team All-Conference honors. She also had the conference’s second-highest marks in runs scored (50) and stolen bases (27).
The Argos didn’t receive a bid to this year’s NCAA Tournament, so Howard’s final career game was a 7-4 loss to Valdosta State in the GSC Tournament. She went 2 for 3 with a triple, a stolen base and two runs scored.
UWF went 0-2 in the GSC Tournament, with their first game an 8-7 loss to Montevallo. In that game, Howard went 3 for 5 with a stolen base and two runs scored.
“It was probably one of the worst, weirdest feelings, knowing that I was done,” Howard said. “I was pretty upset, but now I’m kind of excited for what’s next. I majored in Healthcare Administration. I just graduated a couple of weeks ago. Now I’m trying to find an internship to try to get some experience so I can try to find a job, I guess. It’s kind of weird to say that because I have been playing softball my whole life.”
As she looks back on that life of softball, Howard appreciates the commitment her parents, Shands and Danielle Howard, and coaches put into helping her maximize her potential.
“I don’t think I’ll ever forget how much time my parents and my coaches put in to make me better,” she said. “Obviously, in the moment, like as a 10- or 12-year-old, I didn’t really understand why I was going to all these hitting practices. At the time, I did pitching lessons, too. I had never really understood the point of doing all that, but looking back, I’m thankful that my parents and my coaches drove me to do that. Obviously, it ended up working out for me.”
Howard expressed her appreciation to UWF also, saying, “I’m honestly so thankful for this opportunity I was given. I’ve made some of the best friends and the best memories here. I’m just thankful for the education I got and how this university has worked with me and all of my other friends.
“It’s definitely nice having these softball awards, but I think my greatest accomplishment is graduating.”
