Category: Softball

Alabama softball lands just outside top 10 in preseason ESPN rankings

Here’s where Patrick Murphy’s 2025 team ranks in ESPN/USA Softball’s preseason Top 25.

The Alabama Crimson Tide softball team is preparing for its 2025 season opener in Tucson, Ariz., at the annual Candrea Classic.

Alabama is scheduled to open the season against the Washington Huskies on Feb. 7. They’re also scheduled to face the Michigan State Spartans, Western Michigan Broncos and host Arizona Wildcats at the tournament.

With less than two weeks until the season begins, ESPN and USA Softball recently unveiled their preseason Top 25 rankings. Patrick Murphy’s Crimson Tide were ranked No. 11, one spot behind No. 10 Texas Tech and one spot ahead of No. 12 Florida State.

Alabama was also ranked No. 11 in Softball America’s preseason Top 25 poll, released earlier this month on Jan. 13.

In ESPN’s poll, the Texas Longhorns were ranked preseason No. 1, followed by the Florida Gators at No. 2. The four-time reigning national champion Oklahoma Sooners were ranked No. 3, followed by No. 4 Oklahoma State and No. 5 Tennessee to round out the top five.

A total of 11 SEC teams were ranked in ESPN’s preseason poll, including six in the top 10. Texas A&M was No. 7, followed by LSU at No. 9. With Alabama at No. 11, Arkansas (No. 13), Georgia (No. 14), Missouri (No. 15), and Mississippi State (No. 25) were also ranked in the top 25.

Alabama finished 39-20 overall in 2024, a season that included the program’s 15th trip to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. The Crimson Tide swept their on-site regional at Rhoads Stadium before rallying past No. 3 Tennessee in the Knoxville Super Regional. Alabama was eliminated by Florida in the WCWS.

The Crimson Tide ended the 2024 season ranked No. 8 in the final USA TODAY Sports/NFCA Coaches Poll.

First pitch for Alabama’s season opener against Washington is listed as 10:30 a.m. CT from Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium.

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Duke softball tabbed as ACC favorite in preseason coaches poll

The ACC released its preseason softball coaches poll and all-conference teams on Thursday, and the Blue Devils dominated the voting.

The Duke softball program ran away with the ACC last season, only losing four conference games en route to its first Women’s College World Series appearance, and the 2025 preseason voting results seem to trust them to do it again.

The Blue Devils came in No. 1 in the ACC preseason coaches poll released on Thursday, earning 11 out of 15 possible first-place votes. The Florida State Seminoles, with the remaining four votes, still finished 10 points behind Duke in the voting.

The Virginia Tech Hokies, Stanford Cardinal, and Virginia Cavaliers finished out the top five in order. The North Carolina Tar Heels ended up ninth in the voting.

In addition to the coaches poll, the preseason All-ACC team was released. The Blue Devils were well represented with three of the 14 names on the list.

Infielder [autotag]Aminah Vega[/autotag], the reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year, joined outfielder [autotag]D’Auna Jennings[/autotag] and pitcher [autotag]Cassidy Curd[/autotag] on the expected all-conference squad.

Vega batted .369 last year with 31 extra-base hits, including 18 doubles and 12 home runs, while Jennings is a career .424 hitter through two seasons. Curd led the team with a 1.31 ERA, allowing just two earned runs in 17.1 innings against Missouri in Duke’s Super Regional victory.

Texas A&M softball land three players on the USA Softball Player of the Year Watchlist

USA Softball names Kennedy, Wooley, and Barbara to their 2025 Player of the Year Watchlist

On Wednesday, USA Softball named Texas A&M players Emiley Kennedy, Koko Wooley, and Mac Barbara to the Top 53 Watchlist for the 2025 Player of the Year,

The Aggies’ solo preseason All-America pitcher Emiley Kennedy leads the group. She ended last season as No. 2 in the SEC with nine wins and was among the country with 200 strikeouts. Coach Trisha Ford brought in additional help to relieve Kennedy, so she is fresh for a post-season run.

Wooley and Barbara will provide much-needed veteran leadership to the team. Wooley’s speed and Barbara’s power can give lighting and thunder dynamics when both are in the lineup together.

The Top 25 Finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced on April 30. While an athlete does not have to be on the Watch List to be considered for the Top 25, the eventual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will come from the Top 25 Finalists. The Top 10 Finalists will be revealed May 14, and the final three will be released May 19. The 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced prior to the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS).

The softball team will start the season with a doubleheader on February 6 against Utah State and Purdue at Davis Diamond.

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Karlyn Pickens named first-team All America

Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens named first-team All America.

Tennessee softball junior pitcher Karlyn Pickens was named preseason All-America by D1Softball.

She also received preseason first-team All-America honors from Softball America.

In addition, Pickens has been named to the D1Softball Top 100, ranking No. 4 in the nation. The Weaverville, North Carolina native also received preseason acclaim from USA Softball, making its top 53 watch list for collegiate player of the year. She was named to Softball America’s Top 100, ranking No. 4.

Pickens (22-7) was a consensus first-team All-America standout as a sophomore following the 2024 campaign. She recorded a 1.12 ERA and was named SEC Pitcher of the Year.

Pickens joined Monica Abbott as the only Lady Vols to earn the SEC honor.

She appeared in 38 contests in 2024, including 27 starts, recording 15 complete games, 12 shutouts, one save and 225 strikeouts.

Pickens’ ERA led the SEC and was third-best nationally.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Florida softball earns top spot in D1Softball’s preseason rankings

Like Softball America’s preseason rankings, D1Softball has also give the Gators the top spot in its early outlook.

The Florida softball program enters the 2025 campaign as D1Softball‘s top-ranked team, joining Softball America in placing the Gators on the top preseason perch.

Tim Walton’s team has a robust core of returning players despite the loss of star infielder Skylar Wallace, outfielder Katie Kistler and catcher Emily Wilkie. He compared the current roster to the one he had coming into the 2008 season, which included a freshman class that became the winningest in program history.

The Orange and Blue are accompanied by eight other Southeastern Conference schools in the top 25 to lead the nation while the Big Ten comes in second place with six.

The Texas Longhorns (No. 2), Oklahoma Sooners (No. 3), Tennessee Volunteers (No. 9), Texas A&M Aggies (No. 9), Arkansas Razorbacks (No. 10), LSU Tigers (No. 11), Georgia Bulldogs (No. 15) and Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 17) are the schools that joined the Gators in the preseason standings.

D1Softball Preseason Top 25

  1. Florida
  2. Texas
  3. Oklahoma
  4. UCLA
  5. Oklahoma State
  6. Tennessee
  7. Duke
  8. Florida State
  9. Texas A&M
  10. Arkansas
  11. LSU
  12. Arizona
  13. Texas Tech
  14. Nebraska
  15. Georgia
  16. Virginia Tech
  17. Alabama
  18. Oregon
  19. Northwestern
  20. Michigan
  21. Baylor
  22. Stanford
  23. Boston
  24. Liberty
  25. Penn State

Florida’s 2025 softball season opener

The Gators open up the 2025 campaign against the North Florida Ospreys inside Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium on Thursday, Feb. 6. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. ET while broadcast details have not yet been released.

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Duke softball opens the 2025 season at No. 7 in the D1Softball rankings

The Duke Blue Devils, fresh off their first Women’s College World Series appearance, opened the year at No. 7 in the D1Softball rankings.

The Duke softball team put together its best season in program history last year, winning 52 games to advance to the Women’s College World Series for the first time. With the 2025 slate just around the corner, D1Softball clearly thinks such a feat could be repeatable for head coach Marissa Young.

The Blue Devils slotted in at No. 7 in D1Softball’s 2025 preseason rankings released on Tuesday, leading all ACC programs.

Duke lost some key stars this offseason, most notably with ACC Player of the Year Claire Davidson (.436 batting average, 20 doubles, 18 home runs, 67 RBIs) and ACC Pitcher of the Year Jala Wright (1.50 ERA and 189 strikeouts in 154.1 innings pitched).

ACC Defensive Player of the Year Aminah Vega and All-ACC First Team pitcher Cassidy Curd both return, however. Vega even made the Preseason First Team All-American squad for Softball America.

The Florida Gators led the preseason rankings with the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners in the following two spots.

Duke’s 2025 campaign kicks off on February 7 with a double-header against the Penn State Nittany Lions and Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Nebraska softball ranked in D1 Softball Preseason Poll

The Nebraska Cornhusker softball team earned another preseason award on Tuesday.

The Nebraska softball team earned a preseason ranking on Tuesday. The Huskers were ranked No. 14 by D1 Softball. They were one of six Big Ten Conference teams to crack the poll. The Big Red were joined by the No. 4 UCLA Bruins, the No. 18 Oregon Ducks, the No. 19 Northwestern Wildcats, the No. 20 Michigan Wolverines, and the No. 25 Penn State Nittany Lions.

D1 Softball Top 25
1. Florida Gators
2. Texas Longhorns
3. Oklahoma Sooners
4. UCLA Bruins
5. Oklahoma State Cowboys
6. Tennessee Volunteers
7. Duke Blue Devils
8. Florida State Seminoles
9. Texas A&M Aggies
10. Arkansas Razorbacks
11. LSU Tigers
12. Arizona Wildcats
13. Texas Tech Red Raiders
14. Nebraska Cornhuskers
15. Georgia Bulldogs
16. Virginia Tech Hokies
17. Alabama Crimson Tide
18. Oregon Ducks
19. Northwestern Wildcats
20. Michigan Wolverines
21. Baylor Bears
22. Stanford Cardinal
23. Boston Terriers
24. Liberty Lady Flames
25. Penn State Nittany Lions

Nebraska opens the 2025 softball season on Thursday, Feb. 6, at the NFCA Leadoff Classic against the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers. The first pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. CT in Clearwater, FL.

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D1Softball ranks Texas A&M transfer in the top five of their UT/DP rankings

Texas A&M transfer Mac Barbara ranked fifth in D1Softball’s UT/DP rankings

Texas A&M had a decent turnover rate with the team due to the graduation of several key players. One of the players she brought in was power hitter Mac Barbara from San Diego State.

On Friday, D1Softball released the position rankings for UT/DP, and Barbara landed in the top five at No .5 in the nation. With Trinity Cannon, Jaz Hill, and Aiyana Coleman graduating and transferring, coach Trisha Ford needed to bring in an experienced player with some pop in her bat. Mac will fill that role perfectly for the 2025 softball season.

Before arriving at A&M, she was a two-time Mountain West Player of the Year and has career marks of a .746 slugging percentage, 1.235 OPS, and 45 home runs.

Her veteran presence and big bat are just what the Aggies need to compete in the SEC this season.

The softball team will start the season with a doubleheader at Davis Diamond on February 6 against Utah State and Purdue.

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D1Softball includes Auburn third baseman in preseason power rankings

One of the nation’s top “hot corners” resides on Auburn’s roster.

One of the nation’s best “hot corners” resides on Auburn Softball’s roster.

Auburn senior [autotag]Anna Wohlers[/autotag] was recently recognized as one of the nation’s best third basemen in D1Softball’s preseason power rankings released this week. Wohlers is one of four SEC third basemen to make the 15-member squad, joining Texas‘ Mia Dunn, LSU‘s Daneica Coffey, and Alabama‘s Brooke Ellestad.

Wohlers started every game during Auburn’s 2024 season, where she split time at catcher and third base. She earned 29 starts at third base, where she fielded at a .979 clip and committed just five errors. She was responsible for 173 putouts and assisted with 173 recorded outs. She notched career highs in putouts, fielding percentage, and assists.

At the plate, Wohlers led the team in average at .309. In 136 at-bats, Wohlers logged 42 hits, eight doubles, and six home runs while driving in 23 runs. She walked 23 times and was hit by seven pitches.

Wohlers and the Auburn Tigers will begin the 2025 season on Feb. 7 against Southern Illinois as part of the Tiger Invitational at Jane B. Moore Field. Opening weekend for Auburn softball will feature games against Southern Illinois, Appalachian State, and North Carolina.

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D1Softball ranks Texas A&M veteran in the top five of their shortstop rankings

Texas A&M veteran Koko Wooley ranked fourth in D1Softball’s shortstop rankings

Texas A&M will be an extremely athletic team this year, and I expect them to set a record for stolen bases. Senior shortstop Koko Wooley will lead them in that category.

On Wednesday, D1Softball released the position rankings for shortstop, and Wooley landed in the top five at No .4 in the nation. She is one of the most entertaining players in college softball and has been holding down the SS spot since her freshman year. Being a career .358 batting average with 64 stolen bases makes her one of coach Trisha Ford’s most dangerous offensive weapons.

Wooley also improved her defensive jumping from a .898 fielding % to .950 since her freshman season. She will be looking to help lead the next generation of Aggies as they hope to make some noise in the postseason.

The softball team will start the season with a doubleheader at Davis Diamond on February 6 against Utah State and Purdue.

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