Softball
Fico, Rachele
Rachele Fico
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Phone:
- 706-713-2832
With a career that boasts accolades of two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American honors and the top draft pick in the National Pro Fastpitch Draft, former LSU standout Rachele Fico joined the Georgia softball staff as an assistant coach prior to the 2016 season.
Fico guided the Georgia pitching staff to success in the shortened 2020 season. The Bulldogs’ 1.92 team ERA checked in at fourth in the SEC while its .179 opponent batting average was third. The Bulldogs struck out a league-best 252 hitters. Mary Wilson Avant’s 120 strikeouts was tops in the SEC while Lauren Mathis’ 82 was third. Avant’s 11 wins were also tied for the SEC lead in 2020. Georgia posted nine shutouts, finishing eighth-best in the country.
The 2019 season saw great success in the circle for the Bulldogs’ pitching staff. In all, Georgia recorded 18 total shutouts, the second-most in the SEC and 13th-best in NCAA softball. From Feb. 16-23, the Bulldogs tossed five-consecutive shutouts. Georgia concluded the season with a 2.54 team ERA. The trio of Kylie Bass, Alley Cutting, and Avant shared the pitching duties in 2019 with less than six innings pitched separating the three.
Following the 2019 season in Athens, Fico pitched her final season in the NPF for the Chicago Bandits. In her last campaign, she recorded a 13-4 record in 17 appearances with a 1.62 ERA in 69 innings. She fanned 62 total hitters. On July 20 at home in Rosemont, Illinois, Fico recorded her first professional perfect game in a 5-0 win over the Aussie Peppers.
In 2018, Fico guided senior All-American Brittany Gray to being the NCAA ERA leader. Gray’s season was cut short due to injury; however, her 0.48 ERA through 20 appearances and 102 innings stood as the best in college softball. Avant and Bass combined for a 27-8 record in the circle. As a staff, Georgia posted a 1.86 team ERA, finishing 13th nationally and fourth in the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs posted 22 shutouts in 2018, including two shutouts each of No. 7 Tennessee and Arkansas and also recorded six-straight shutouts, tying the program record, early in the 2018 campaign.
Gray was selected as the 14th pick of the 2018 NPF draft by the Beijing Shougang Eagles. She became the 12th Bulldog ever to be drafted in the NPF and was the highest pick out of Georgia since Chelsea Wilkenson (14th, 2016).
Following the 2018 season in Athens, Fico played her first season for the Chicago Bandits, her sixth season in the National Pro Fastpitch league. Fico shined in her first season with the Bandits, compiling a team-best seven wins over 41.2 innings of work in the circle. The right-hander ranked fourth among all NPF pitchers with a sparkling 0.51 ERA.
Under Fico’s tutelage, Gray ranked among one of the top pitchers in the SEC during the 2017 campaign. The junior held opponents to a .190 batting average in 168 innings of work in the circle. She recorded her second-straight season of 100+ strikeouts, finishing with 134.
In her first year with the Bulldogs, Fico helped the pitching staff to a 2.27 ERA, as the team collected 46 wins. Leading the way was NFCA All-Region selection Chelsea Wilkinson, who led the SEC with 28 victories, including a shutout win in game one of the Gainesville Super Regional to guide the Bulldogs to the program’s third Women’s College World Series appearance. Along with Wilkinson’s 219 strikeouts, Brittany Gray notched 100+ strikeouts on the season while Kylie Bass sported a 1.25 ERA, one of the best in the nation.
Fico served as an assistant coach at top-25 program South Alabama during the 2015 season where the Jaguars took the Sun Belt Conference crown and advanced to its fourth-straight NCAA Regional. Under Fico’s guidance, the USA pitching staff held a 2.51 ERA that was top 30 in the NCAA while the trio of pitchers was each in the top 150 individually.
Outside of ERA, Fico helped freshman Devin Brown rank fourth nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (10.9) and senior Farish Beard finish seventh in the NCAA in hits allowed per seven innings (4.04). Beard and freshman Kalen McGill earned All-SBC honors.
The Oxford, Connecticut, native was the No. 1 overall draft pick out of college, playing five seasons with the NPF’s Akron Racers. An All-NPF Team selection in 2014, Fico has pitched over 310 innings on her way to 28 wins during her professional career.
While at LSU, Fico was a two-time NFCA First Team All-American, three-time NFCA All-South Region First Team member, and three-time All-Southeastern Conference honoree. Fico still holds the record for most strikeouts in a game, tallying 22 against Mississippi State on March 8, 2013.
During her freshman season with the Tigers in 2010, Fico was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Year in addition to making the All-SEC Freshman and Defensive Team lists. A year later, she led her club to the 2011 NCAA College Station Regional where the Tigers ultimately fell to Syracuse, but not before the right-handed hurler earned a spot on the All-Regional Team behind an 18-strikeout performance against the Orange, a feat which tied for second-most in LSU history.
Fico also brings Women’s College World Series experience after leading the Tigers to Oklahoma City as a junior in 2012 when she earned both wins over No. 9 national seed Missouri at the NCAA Columbia Super Regional. Prior to that, she was unanimously named the NCAA College Station Regional MVP after compiling back-to-back shutouts versus Texas State and No. 8 national seed Texas A&M.
Fico completed her collegiate career among LSU’s top-five in appearances (149), starts (104), complete games (82), innings pitched (774.0), wins (78), saves (8), opposing batting average (.195), shutouts (32), strikeouts (797) and strikeouts per seven innings (7.21).
Fico guided the Georgia pitching staff to success in the shortened 2020 season. The Bulldogs’ 1.92 team ERA checked in at fourth in the SEC while its .179 opponent batting average was third. The Bulldogs struck out a league-best 252 hitters. Mary Wilson Avant’s 120 strikeouts was tops in the SEC while Lauren Mathis’ 82 was third. Avant’s 11 wins were also tied for the SEC lead in 2020. Georgia posted nine shutouts, finishing eighth-best in the country.
The 2019 season saw great success in the circle for the Bulldogs’ pitching staff. In all, Georgia recorded 18 total shutouts, the second-most in the SEC and 13th-best in NCAA softball. From Feb. 16-23, the Bulldogs tossed five-consecutive shutouts. Georgia concluded the season with a 2.54 team ERA. The trio of Kylie Bass, Alley Cutting, and Avant shared the pitching duties in 2019 with less than six innings pitched separating the three.
Following the 2019 season in Athens, Fico pitched her final season in the NPF for the Chicago Bandits. In her last campaign, she recorded a 13-4 record in 17 appearances with a 1.62 ERA in 69 innings. She fanned 62 total hitters. On July 20 at home in Rosemont, Illinois, Fico recorded her first professional perfect game in a 5-0 win over the Aussie Peppers.
In 2018, Fico guided senior All-American Brittany Gray to being the NCAA ERA leader. Gray’s season was cut short due to injury; however, her 0.48 ERA through 20 appearances and 102 innings stood as the best in college softball. Avant and Bass combined for a 27-8 record in the circle. As a staff, Georgia posted a 1.86 team ERA, finishing 13th nationally and fourth in the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs posted 22 shutouts in 2018, including two shutouts each of No. 7 Tennessee and Arkansas and also recorded six-straight shutouts, tying the program record, early in the 2018 campaign.
Gray was selected as the 14th pick of the 2018 NPF draft by the Beijing Shougang Eagles. She became the 12th Bulldog ever to be drafted in the NPF and was the highest pick out of Georgia since Chelsea Wilkenson (14th, 2016).
Following the 2018 season in Athens, Fico played her first season for the Chicago Bandits, her sixth season in the National Pro Fastpitch league. Fico shined in her first season with the Bandits, compiling a team-best seven wins over 41.2 innings of work in the circle. The right-hander ranked fourth among all NPF pitchers with a sparkling 0.51 ERA.
Under Fico’s tutelage, Gray ranked among one of the top pitchers in the SEC during the 2017 campaign. The junior held opponents to a .190 batting average in 168 innings of work in the circle. She recorded her second-straight season of 100+ strikeouts, finishing with 134.
In her first year with the Bulldogs, Fico helped the pitching staff to a 2.27 ERA, as the team collected 46 wins. Leading the way was NFCA All-Region selection Chelsea Wilkinson, who led the SEC with 28 victories, including a shutout win in game one of the Gainesville Super Regional to guide the Bulldogs to the program’s third Women’s College World Series appearance. Along with Wilkinson’s 219 strikeouts, Brittany Gray notched 100+ strikeouts on the season while Kylie Bass sported a 1.25 ERA, one of the best in the nation.
Fico served as an assistant coach at top-25 program South Alabama during the 2015 season where the Jaguars took the Sun Belt Conference crown and advanced to its fourth-straight NCAA Regional. Under Fico’s guidance, the USA pitching staff held a 2.51 ERA that was top 30 in the NCAA while the trio of pitchers was each in the top 150 individually.
Outside of ERA, Fico helped freshman Devin Brown rank fourth nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (10.9) and senior Farish Beard finish seventh in the NCAA in hits allowed per seven innings (4.04). Beard and freshman Kalen McGill earned All-SBC honors.
The Oxford, Connecticut, native was the No. 1 overall draft pick out of college, playing five seasons with the NPF’s Akron Racers. An All-NPF Team selection in 2014, Fico has pitched over 310 innings on her way to 28 wins during her professional career.
While at LSU, Fico was a two-time NFCA First Team All-American, three-time NFCA All-South Region First Team member, and three-time All-Southeastern Conference honoree. Fico still holds the record for most strikeouts in a game, tallying 22 against Mississippi State on March 8, 2013.
During her freshman season with the Tigers in 2010, Fico was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Year in addition to making the All-SEC Freshman and Defensive Team lists. A year later, she led her club to the 2011 NCAA College Station Regional where the Tigers ultimately fell to Syracuse, but not before the right-handed hurler earned a spot on the All-Regional Team behind an 18-strikeout performance against the Orange, a feat which tied for second-most in LSU history.
Fico also brings Women’s College World Series experience after leading the Tigers to Oklahoma City as a junior in 2012 when she earned both wins over No. 9 national seed Missouri at the NCAA Columbia Super Regional. Prior to that, she was unanimously named the NCAA College Station Regional MVP after compiling back-to-back shutouts versus Texas State and No. 8 national seed Texas A&M.
Fico completed her collegiate career among LSU’s top-five in appearances (149), starts (104), complete games (82), innings pitched (774.0), wins (78), saves (8), opposing batting average (.195), shutouts (32), strikeouts (797) and strikeouts per seven innings (7.21).
Georgia Softball vs Florida NCAA Super Regional Game 3 Postgame Press Conference
Monday, May 26
Georgia Softball vs Florida NCAA Super Regional Game 2 Postgame Press Conference
Saturday, May 24
Georgia Softball vs Florida NCAA Super Regional Game 2 TV Highlights
Saturday, May 24
Georgia Softball vs Florida NCAA Super Regional Postgame Press Conference
Friday, May 23
