Southeastern Softball Wire Podcast: Michelle LaCourse talks Scenic City Collegiate League, summer ball and the portal grind

The Southeastern Softball Wire Podcast is here, and so is Charles Mays. After a spring spent covering Vanderbilt baseball at 247Sports, Charles returns with a rebrand from Fastpitch Wire to the Southeastern Softball Wire, focusing on the footprint across region at all levels.Joining him from Chattanooga is Michelle LaCourse, who breaks down everything coming this summer in the Scenic City Collegiate League. Michelle shares her experience broadcasting Tennessee and UTC softball, calling the SoCon Tournament alongside Jill Jelnick, and the chaos of championship week at the TSSAA State Tournament in Murfreesboro.The conversation digs into the transfer portal landscape ahead of the June 8 opening, with Michelle offering candid thoughts on inflated expectations, why mid-major players should weigh every visit, and the value of putting physical evidence in front of coaches at Portal Day on June 19 at LFO High School. Last summer, every one of the league's 20-plus portal athletes found a new home.Michelle also unveils new layers for 2026: a partnership with Inner Grit for player workouts, a welcome jamboree on June 11, and the debut of the Chattanooga Chill, with league athletes lacing up in exhibition games against the Atlanta Smoke on June 18-20 at Northeast Alabama Community College and again July 13-14 in the Kennesaw area.Plus, why Chattanooga is a softball destination worth choosing over Florida or California, the Lookouts' new ballpark, and the bigger message at the heart of the league: come get your spark back and play loose again.Contact Michelle directly at [email protected] or Coach Tommy at [email protected]. League overview at americancollegiateleague.com.