June 24, 2024
FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- When Colorado comes calling, Korbe Otis picks up on the first ring.
Such was her enthusiasm earlier this year when Otis, a junior outfielder for Florida, was told she had a spot waiting for her on the Team Colorado roster being built by Dave King, founder of Triple Crown Sports and head coach for the group that will play at the Canada Cup international competition in July.
“I didn’t want to pass up on an opportunity to play at home for a week or so,” said Otis, who will be in action this week during Team Colorado’s games at the new P5 event being held in Fort Collins, CO., at the TCS field two-plex. Highlighting the schedule are two matchups featuring Team Colorado and the Canadian national team, set for 6 p.m. on June 26 and 28. The event will also feature many of the nation’s strongest club programs in a competitive game setting (all squads playing five times) that will include diving into data and analytics supplied by the new CSE Performance Lab, located on the TCS campus.
Otis excelled as a prep athlete at Columbine High School in metro Denver, leading the Rebels to the Class 5A state softball title and departing as well with school records in the 100- and 200-meter run. After two seasons at Louisville, Otis transferred to Florida and coach Tim Walton ahead of the 2024 campaign, and she blitzed the opposition all year in hitting .436 with 81 runs scored, 53RBI, 59 walks and a preposterous on-base percentage of .571.
After a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, Otis tried to catch her breath while still knowing she wanted to be sharp for her assignment in Fort Collins.
“Summer is an important time, not just to rest your body … we have a long season. It might not always seem like that when you’re in the middle of it, but playing all those games definitely tears up your body, said Oti, who was named to Softball America and NFCA All-America first teams. “You need some rest after that; it’s key. Now, I didn’t get a lot of rest because I knew I’d be playing (in Colorado), maybe about two days off before I went back into the weight room and did the things you have to do to get ready.”
Joining Otis on the Team Colorado is a wildly skilled group of softball stars who will be a daunting assignment in the summer schedule to come. These players include Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens (22-7, 1.12 ERA, 225 strikeouts in 188.1innings); Duke pitcher Cassidy Curd (13-4, 1.31 ERA, 156 strikeouts in 128.1innings); Oklahoma outfielder Kasidi Pickering (.389, 12 HR, 51 RBI); Texas infielder Katie Stewart (.369, 13 HR, 58 RBI) and Texas catcher Reese Atwood (.423, 23 HR, 90 RBI). Another potent Longhorn force, pitcher Teagan Kavan, will play for Team Colorado in the Canada Cup games only.
“What a thrill to have all these skilled and savvy student-athletes playing in Triple Crown’s own backyard,” said Dave King, TCS founder and head coach/GM of Team Colorado. “They’ll have a great facility that is a perfect setting for this moment, and it’s going to be pure fun to see all this talent hungry to achieve even more.”
Otis, meanwhile, is already gearing up to make Team Colorado time another valuable addition to her experience in the sport.
“I played at Louisville with Sarah Gordon and have played against most of the other athletes on the team, some who I haven’t met before,” she said. “It’s always cool to see where softball takes you and how many people you get to meet playing the sport you love.
“I think I speak for all super-high competitors, when we’re on a team together it’s about us. It goes all the way back with travel ball teammates you see again in college and it’s weird to see them on the other side of the field. What takes over is competing, and then we get back to the season it’ll all be about the Florida Gators for me.”
Otis had a previous commitment and will not travel to Canada. She’s got an internship set to launch July 1 in Gainesville where she will shadow doctors and work on a cardiothoracic project.
“It’s difficult, and you learn how to manage time quickly because it’s very much sink or swim,” said Otis, who envisions a career as a surgeon. “Classes do require me to put in more work, but it’s super rewarding to have those things going on. And I’m supported here, hoping to excel in the classroom and on the field, I couldn’t ask for a better support staff because they keep me going.”
