June 24, 2025
TC COLORADO’S ANALYTICS-DRIVEN APPROACH YIELDS TOP TALENT
Fort Collins, Colo. - The TC Colorado Women’s National Team was formed in 2002 to provide current Triple Crown Sports staff and returning college players from the TC 18U Club team with a summer highlight: competing in the TC College League in Fort Collins and concluding with international play at the Canada Cup. From 2002–2006, the team built a reputation as a fun and competitive opponent for national teams, despite early exits from championship contention.
After an 11-year hiatus, the program re-formed with intent to compete at the highest level. Since then, the team has featured elite collegiate undergrads, rising national team hopefuls, and future professionals. TC Colorado now boasts six USA National Team system alumni, several international team players, and five Canada Cup runner-up finishes plus one consolation championship in its last six appearances.
This culture of development and competition has laid the foundation for a modern evolution—one driven by data.
In the ever-evolving world of competitive softball, success on the diamond increasingly depends on more than just instincts and scouting reports. For TC Colorado, the winning formula now includes advanced data science. Head Coach Dave King has embraced analytics as a core component of roster construction, working closely with the CSE Data Analytics Team to identify impact players from across the country—regardless of their school pedigree or conference affiliation.
TC Colorado’s partnership with CSE Analytics has brought cutting-edge statistical modeling to the forefront. The team employs custom metrics like aWRAA (Adjusted Weighted Runs Above Average) for hitters and aFIP (Adjusted Fielding Independent Pitcher) for pitchers to evaluate players more holistically, accounting for context, competition, and underlying performance indicators.
“I spend the spring using a proprietary CSE/AI Roster Selection model we built designed for our unique game strategy and limited development time. The model uses heavy algorithms for Weighted Runs Above Average for position players and catch probability modeling for defense. For pitching, we input a number of statistical factors in the CSE/AI model weighted on game factors, innings thrown, FIP, WHIP, ERA, K’s and BB’s/7 innings, and injuries. Final confirmation is based on mental competitiveness and culture/values interviews of club and college coaches and Synergy viewing," said TC Colorado National Head Coach Dave King.
"Our CSE Portal data model gives us quick access to all four collegiate governing bodies pitch by pitch statistics. All this data is put in and a field of potential athletes is identified. This is just a snapshot of the CSE/AI Model. In the end, I error or players who have chip on their shoulder to be on a great team and win games. It has been a fun ride. I have added coaches to execute a better game execution model, and we are evolving continually in our CSE/AI Model.”
Among the biggest additions to TC Colorado’s 2025 roster is shortstop Jess Oakland, a standout who embodies the analytical approach to recruitment. Originally a Minnesota Golden Gopher (2024 Big 10 Player of the Year), Oakland transferred to Duke, but was forced to sit out the 2025 season, due to NCAA transfer rules. Oakland, a part of the 2024 TC Colorado team, earned the Canada Cup Tournament MVP. Her performance was captured in a staggering aWRAA of 53.41 in 2024 NCAA play.
Oakland’s ability to produce runs in all situations set her apart from her peers, and she was rated the #1 middle infielder in the CSE Transfer Portal Rankings before committing to Duke. "Jess isn’t just a good hitter—she’s a game-changer," says CSE Data Analyst, Jayden Stack. "Her numbers backed up everything we saw on tape and then some."
Back for her third summer with TC Colorado, Reese Atwood brings unmatched power and consistency to the heart of the lineup. A two-time First Team All-American, Atwood continues to set the standard for offensive production across the board. In the 2025 season, she posted a .393 batting average, crushed 21 home runs, drew 41 walks, and drove in an astonishing 89 RBIs—a testament to her discipline, power, and clutch hitting. Her OPS ranks among the best in the game, driven by elite on-base percentage and slugging. Whether it's launching balls over the fence or working deep counts to keep innings alive, Atwood remains one of the most dangerous hitters in the sport and a cornerstone for TC Colorado’s offensive engine.
Complementing the analytical recruitment approach is the upcoming CSE Performance Lab, a state-of-the-art facility that will revolutionize how athletes train, recover, and stay healthy. Designed with input from biomechanists, strength coaches, and sports scientists, the Lab will combine motion capture, force plate diagnostics, and workload tracking to maximize performance while minimizing injury risk.
Mark Your Calendars: TC Colorado Pro Cup Schedule
Fans won’t have to wait long to see this analytically driven roster in action. The TC Colorado Pro Cup will feature top-tier matchups across four days in northern Colorado:
• June 30 – Barnes Complex in Loveland, CO
• July 1 – Triple Crown HQ in Fort Collins, CO
• July 2 – Christopher Fields in Westminster, CO
• July 3 – Championship/3rd Place Game, Aurora Sports Park in Aurora, CO
Teams Participating:
• TC Colorado Women’s National Team
• New York Rise
• Florida Vibe
• OKC Spark
Visit cosparkfire.com/tc-colorado-pro-cup for more information.
