Tag: Duke softball

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.

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.

Duke softball lands at No. 8 in Softball America’s preseason top 25

With spring sports around the corner, the Softball America preseason top 25 has been released. In no surprise, Duke starts in the top 10.

The spring semester is underway and, as a result, spring sports are on the way back. Basketball is going strong, but both baseball and softball will join the party soon, and the Duke Blue Devils will be well represented in both.

Softball America released its preseason top 25 on Monday and the Blue Devils, fresh off their first-ever trip to the Women’s College World, landed inside the top 10 at No. 8.

Duke led five ACC teams in the standings, with the Florida State Seminoles next at No. 10. The California Golden Bears (No. 19), Virginia Tech Hokies (No. 22), and Virginia Cavaliers (No. 24) followed suit.

The Florida Gators took the top overall spot in an SEC-dominated poll with the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners in hot pursuit.

The Blue Devils hope to recreate what was a magical season in 2024. Last season, Duke finished 52-9 and 20-4 in conference play to win the ACC. The Blue Devils rode their success all the way to Oklahoma City for the first time in program history.

Ultimately, though, they fell in back-to-back games to the Sooners and Alabama Crimson Tide, ending what was a special season.

Third-year second baseman Aminah Vega will be an early name to watch. The star junior and reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year made Softball America’s Preseason First Team All-American squad just last week after she batted .369 with 18 doubles and 12 home runs. If Duke is to recreate that magic, they’ll do so thanks to strong play from her.

Former Duke softball star Jala Wright joining Tennessee as a graduate assistant

Jala Wright, last season’s ACC Pitcher of the Year, revealed on Tuesday that she’ll serve as a graduate assistant for Tennessee.

Former Duke softball star [autotag]Jala Wright[/autotag] isn’t giving up the college game quite yet.

Wright announced through social media on Tuesday that she would join the Tennessee program as a graduate assistant for the upcoming season. She paired the announcement on X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter) with a screenshot of her acceptance into the school’s graduate program.

“This game I love continues to bless me in more ways than one,” Wright wrote. “Grateful to give back to the game in a different way!”

Wright authored one of the best pitching seasons in Duke history as a senior this past year, finishing the season with a 19-3 record and a 1.50 ERA. She averaged 8.6 strikeouts per seven innings in the circle and tossed eight complete games, and she earned ACC Pitcher of the Year honors for her work. She also contributed to Duke’s first trip to the Women’s College World Series.

Wright has also kept Duke fans updated on her new professional career with the Texas Smoke, posting about her first practice and other updates.

Duke softball adds Claire Davidson, Jala Wright, and Aminah Vega to the stadium wall

Duke’s best softball season featured career years from three Blue Devils, and the All-Americans were immortalized at Duke Softball Stadium on Sunday.

The three biggest pieces from Duke’s historic 2024 season will forever be a part of program history.

The team revealed that Claire Davidson, Jala Wright, and Aminah Vega each got an image of their jersey up on the Duke Softball Stadium wall after they each earned All-American honors last season.

Only four Duke softball players made the wall as All-Americans before this season, but each member of the 2024 trio made both the D1Softball and NFCA All-American squads.

Davidson, a senior right fielder, hit a team-high 18 home runs and set school records with 20 doubles and 67 runs batted in. The sophomore Vega, who played second base, hit 12 home runs, 18 doubles, and 52 RBIs, one of the best offensive seasons in school history aside from Davidson’s campaign.

Wright, a senior pitcher, appeared in 34 of Duke’s 61 games. She struck out 189 batters in 154.1 innings in the circle, and she tossed eight complete games. Wright finished the season with a 19-3 record and a 1.50 ERA.

Each player who earned their way onto the wall brought home some ACC hardware, too. Davidson was named the conference’s Player of the Year while Wright took ACC Pitcher of the Year honors and Vega earned the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award.

Former Duke softball star Jala Wright shares social media post about first pro practice

Jala Wright, the 2024 ACC Pitcher of the Year, began her professional career with the Texas Smoke on Wednesday.

Former Duke softball star [autotag]Jala Wright[/autotag] began the next chapter of her career on Wednesday.

Wright, the 2024 ACC Pitcher of the Year, posted on X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter) that she started her first professional practice with the Texas Smoke of the Women’s Professional Fastpitch league.

The senior star had her best collegiate season in 2024 while helping the Blue Devils to their first Women’s College World Series appearance. She finished with a 19-3 record and a 1.50 ERA after 34 appearances. She pitched eight complete games and struck out 189 batters in 154.1 innings of work.

Wright didn’t earn a run in 18 of her 34 trips to the circle, including five shutout appearances in a row from February 23 to March 8. She compiled at least 14 strikeouts in three different games, including a 14-strikeout game against Michigan State in February and another game against Virginia.

She also took down 17 Boston College batters in just 10 innings during the ACC Tournament, earning her NCAA Pitcher of the Week honors.

Wright also spent two hours signing autographs after the Blue Devils were eliminated from the WCWS. The former Duke star will surely have Blue Devils cheering her on at the next level.

Duke softball star Gisele Tapia writes emotional reflection as collegiate softball career ends

Duke’s Gisele Tapia, who wrapped up her collegiate career at the Women’s College World Series last week, penned an emotional goodbye to the sport.

Duke softball star Gisele Tapia couldn’t leave the sport without saying goodbye.

After her collegiate career came to an end in Oklahoma City last week, Tapia wrote a ‘Dear Softball’ letter and narrated it for the NCAA account.

Tapia, a graduate student who spent the last five seasons with the Blue Devils, played in more than 250 games with Duke. She batted .362 in 2023, her first senior season (she earned an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 extension in 2020). She also set career-highs with 12 doubles and 50 RBIs that season, and she finished her career with 17 home runs.

Tapia also watched the rise of Duke’s softball program. Her freshman season in 2020 was the third season in program history. Two years later, Duke reached its first Super Regional in school history, and this past year, she helped lead the Blue Devils to their first Women’s College World Series berth.

“I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Tapia told the sport in her letter. “I truly couldn’t have imagined this life without this sport.”

Watch Tapia’s entire goodbye message to her college sport below.

Top photos from Alabama softball’s win over No. 10 Duke in WCWS elimination game

Alabama softball’s 2024 season stays alive after the Crimson Tide defeated No. 10 Duke in a Women’s College World Series elimination game.

Despite a rocky 2024 regular season, the Alabama Crimson Tide softball team has made it to Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series. After falling to the UCLA Bruins in the opening round, the Crimson Tide fought hard to take down the No. 10 Duke Blue Devils in a win-or-go-home elimination game with a final score of 2-1.

Alabama’s lack of offense throughout the season has resulted in the Crimson Tide being comfortable in low-scoring contests, relying heavily on defense and consistent pitching.

A late solo home run by Marlie Giles was the difference-maker that broke the tie and put Alabama up by one run.

Alabama will next play on Sunday against the loser of the Florida Gators vs. the Texas Longhorns in another must-win game that will end one team’s season.

Before looking ahead to the next game, relive the excitement from the Crimson Tide’s win over Duke.

Photos from Alabama softball’s win over Duke in the WCWS

The best photos from Duke softball’s Women’s College World Series games

The Blue Devils only got to play two games in Oklahoma City, but they made plenty of memories. Check out some of the team’s best WCWS photos here.

Duke softball’s first trip to the Women’s College World Series only lasted two games, but the Blue Devils still broke down program barriers all year in 2024.

The Blue Devils won 52 games this season, including their first two Super Regional victories in school history, to reach the final bracket. However, a brutal draw against an Oklahoma Sooners team with seven losses over the past two seasons led to a rough opening outing.

The Blue Devils took the field again one day later, this time needing to fend off the Alabama Crimson Tide in order to avoid elimination. Star sophomore Cassidy Curd held them to one run through the first five innings and Ana Gold mashed Duke’s second home run of the tournament, but a solo shot from Alabama catcher Marlie Giles in the sixth inning proved to be too much to overcome.

Check out the best photos from Duke’s first trip to the sport’s biggest stage below.

Duke softball star Jala Wright stays for hours after WCWS elimination to sign autographs

ACC Pitcher of the Year Jala Wright stayed for hours after Duke got eliminated from the Women’s College World Series to interact with fans.

Friday surely didn’t go how Duke softball and star pitcher Jala Wright wanted it to go, but the senior didn’t let that affect the way she treated the Oklahoma City fans.

The Blue Devils got eliminated from the Women’s College World Series after a second consecutive loss, falling 2-1 to Alabama one day after losing to Oklahoma in the opener.

After 52 wins, ACC titles in both the regular season and the conference tournament, and a Super Regional victory, Wright’s senior season came to an end at roughly 9:15 p.m. Eastern time.

At 11:00 p.m., nearly two hours after the dust settled, the ACC Pitcher of the Year was still signing autographs and talking to fans. NCAA Softball’s social media account shared a video of Wright standing before dozens of eager young fans with memorabilia in hand, and the Duke star looked determined to make time for each and every one of them.

Wright’s 2024 season ended with a 19-3 record and a 1.50 ERA in 34 appearances. She went the distance for eight complete games, and she struck out 189 batters in 154.1 innings.

She also earned two saves, and opposing batters only managed a .181 average against her for the season.