LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The National Fastpitch Coaches Association is pleased to announce LSU head coach Beth Torina as the 2024 recipient of the Association’s Humanitarian Award. Torina is being recognized for her tireless work to raise awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research.
Described as a selfless advocate, Torina, whose mother Betty Dieter is an ovarian cancer survivor, has dedicated her time and talents to many initiatives surrounding this brutal disease, which is the fifth-leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States.
“Beth has rallied thousands of people over many years not to bring attention to herself or her program, but to use the sport of softball to defeat ovarian cancer,” said NFCA Executive Director Carol Bruggeman. “In doing so, her efforts have brought together not only people within the LSU community and the SEC, but also within the softball community nationwide. Her service to this cause has been an inspiration to all.”
Since 2013, LSU has hosted an annual Strikeout Ovarian Cancer Teal Game, which is preceded each year by the Geaux Teal Ovarian Cancer Awareness
walk. Torina, who is the founder of Geaux Teal, is heavily involved in the organization and implementation of these initiatives. The inaugural walk in 2013 featured 216 walkers and raised $16,000. Just six years later in 2019, it set records with 1,080 participants and $87,198 raised.
The awareness expanded to the entire Southeastern Conference softball community in 2021 with the “All For Alex” campaign to honor the legacy of Mississippi State’s Alex Wilcox, a joint effort of Torina and Mississippi State head coach Samantha Ricketts. During the 2018 collegiate softball season, Wilcox inspired a nation with her courageous fight against ovarian cancer. She fought until the end, passing away in the summer of 2018.
In a 2013 feature article on LSUsports.net written prior to the first “Strikeout Ovarian Cancer” event, Torina stated “The Teal Game is where I’m trying to start. Hopefully we can grow this into something bigger, and make this an annual event. And I think, too, on the field, we aren’t just spreading awareness, but we’re going to be celebrating people who have survived this and appreciating their strength.”
Torina’s experience with her mother’s battle paved the way for what she has accomplished up to this day. At that moment, it helped her appreciate time with family and made her more aware of how she treats her body. To this day she incorporates those lessons into her everyday life and continues to educate the young women that come through her program.
The NFCA’s Humanitarian Award recognizes a member coach who has selflessly dedicated time toward the long-term betterment of the community and/or engaged in charitable activities in the service of others. Torina will be honored in front of her peers on Dec. 7 during the NFCA Awards Brunch at the 2024 NFCA Convention in Dallas, Texas.
Past winners include:
2023: Dan Grantz, Lafayette High School (KY)
2022: Janae Shirley, East Texas Baptist University
2021: Kent Chambers, Bob Jones High School (AL)
2019: Joelle Della Volpe, Immaculate Conception High School (NJ)
2018: Melissa McElain, University of San Diego
2017: Mark Larriba, Flower Mound High School (TX)
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