Willis, Leilua Begin Professional Careers With WPF’s Vipers
June 13, 2022 | Softball
STARKVILLE – Professional dreams will come true for a pair of former Mississippi State softball players this week when Women's Professional Fastpitch opens its inaugural season in Shawnee, Kansas, on June 14-17.
Annie Willis and Fa Leilua will be teammates on the Smash It Sports Vipers this summer as they meet fellow WPF squad the USSSA Pride in a series of exhibitions across the country. The franchise will also play games against the Florida Vibe in late June and Team Mexico in July.
The Vipers and Pride will meet for league's first contest on June 14 at Shawnee Mission School District Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. CT. The following three days will the see the two franchises play exhibitions against The Alliance and Team HFL.
All games will stream on usssalive.com.
Willis was the No. 7 overall pick in the WPF Draft in May just days after Leilua signed a free agent contract with the Vipers. In 82 career appearances for the Bulldogs, Willis pitched to a 2.35 ERA with 372 strikeouts in 328.1 innings. She posted a 35-19 record. Combined with her first two seasons at Troy, Willis threw 32 complete games with 11 shutouts and tossed two no-hitters for MSU.
Leilua is State's second-leading home run hitter with 51 career blasts. She is also second in career slugging percentage (.752) and fourth in career on-base percentage (.451). In three seasons in Starkville (2019-21), she batted .352 with 128 RBIs and 71 total extra-base hits and was a two-time All-Region selection and 2018 NFCA All-American.
She spent the 2021-22 academic year as the hitting coach for Long Beach City College where the Vikings went 29-13 and advanced to Super Regionals in the CCCAA State Championships.
Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF) is the official professional softball league in the United States, founded by USA Softball, USSSA, and Smash It Sports. WPF replaces the former NPF and will showcase the best athletes in softball, provide a world-class experience for fans, and connect young girls to their idols. The inaugural season will focus on highlighting the league's launch and attracting new fans and partners.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Annie Willis and Fa Leilua will be teammates on the Smash It Sports Vipers this summer as they meet fellow WPF squad the USSSA Pride in a series of exhibitions across the country. The franchise will also play games against the Florida Vibe in late June and Team Mexico in July.
The Vipers and Pride will meet for league's first contest on June 14 at Shawnee Mission School District Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. CT. The following three days will the see the two franchises play exhibitions against The Alliance and Team HFL.
All games will stream on usssalive.com.
Willis was the No. 7 overall pick in the WPF Draft in May just days after Leilua signed a free agent contract with the Vipers. In 82 career appearances for the Bulldogs, Willis pitched to a 2.35 ERA with 372 strikeouts in 328.1 innings. She posted a 35-19 record. Combined with her first two seasons at Troy, Willis threw 32 complete games with 11 shutouts and tossed two no-hitters for MSU.
Leilua is State's second-leading home run hitter with 51 career blasts. She is also second in career slugging percentage (.752) and fourth in career on-base percentage (.451). In three seasons in Starkville (2019-21), she batted .352 with 128 RBIs and 71 total extra-base hits and was a two-time All-Region selection and 2018 NFCA All-American.
She spent the 2021-22 academic year as the hitting coach for Long Beach City College where the Vikings went 29-13 and advanced to Super Regionals in the CCCAA State Championships.
Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF) is the official professional softball league in the United States, founded by USA Softball, USSSA, and Smash It Sports. WPF replaces the former NPF and will showcase the best athletes in softball, provide a world-class experience for fans, and connect young girls to their idols. The inaugural season will focus on highlighting the league's launch and attracting new fans and partners.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballSOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference vs Texas (WCWS) 5/29/26
Friday, May 29
SOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference at Oklahoma (NCAAT) 5/28/26
Thursday, May 28
SOFTBALL | Women's College World Series Media Day Press Conference
Wednesday, May 27
SOFTBALL | Super Regional at Oklahoma Game 3 Highlights - 5/24/26
Sunday, May 24