Tag: SEC Softball

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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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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D1Softball ranks Texas A&M ace in the top five of their pitching rankings

Texas A&M ace LHP Emiley Kennedy ranked fourth in D1Softball’s pitching rankings

There weren’t many pitchers in 2024 that were in the circle in high-pressure situations compared to Texas A&M senior LHP Emiley Kennedy. On Tuesday, D1Softball released its position rankings and named Kennedy No. 4 nationwide.

Kennedy was the workhorse for the Aggies last season, with over 200 innings pitched and 200 strikeouts. Her 10 shutouts were good enough for third-most in the nation, and she posted a 24-11 record with a 1.93 ERA. On top of earning Second Team All-American honors after her junior year, the All-SEC First Team selected her.

The Aggies have a strong team this season, and with coach Trisha Ford’s help, Kennedy will have a fresh arm to make a deep run.

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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Did the Texas A&M softball team make the 2025 preseason Top 25?

Texas A&M HC Trisha Ford will have a Top 10 team heading into the 2025 season

Spring is almost upon us, heralding the beginning of Texas A&M softball. Trisha Ford faces elevated expectations in her third year with a well-rounded team ready for a successful season.

On Monday, D1Softball released its preseason Top 25 rankings, and the Aggies ranked No. 7 for the 2025 college softball season. They currently have three consensus top 100 players: Emiley Kennedy, Koko Wooley, and transfer Mac Barbara, highlighting a talented roster.

Barbara leads a top 5 transfer class, and coach Ford made a point to bring in additional proven pitchers to give her ace Kennedy some relief after pitching over 200 innings last season. They also have a strong freshman class and a team loaded with speed that will cause problems on the base path.

The Aggies would be the top-ranked team if they were in any other conference. However, they reside in the SEC, where a team from the conference played the national title game in the last 11 of 12 series. It won’t be an easy path, but A&M has the weapons to make it interesting.

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 names three Texas A&M softball players to their preseason Top 100

D1Softball names Kennedy, Wooley, and Barbara to their preseason top 100 players list

Davis Diamond will be the place to be in February when the Texas A&M softball team starts their 2025 campaign with one of the most complete teams head coach Trisha Ford since arriving a few years ago.

With the graduation of several key leaders, such as Rylan Wiggins, Trinity Cannon, and Julia Cottrill, coach Ford knew she had to plug some important holes to stay competitive in the SEC. However, she would not be starting from scratch, bringing back All-American pitch Emily Kennedy and veteran infielder Koko Wooley.

She added the powerful Mac Barbara from San Diego State through the portal and a few promising pitches to help support her ace. In any other conference, the Aggies would probably be at the top of the rankings, but this is the SEC, where softball, hands down, is the toughest in the land.

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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Texas A&M softball star pitcher named as Preseason First Team All-American

Texas A&M power LHP Emiley Kennedy named as Softball American Preseason All-American First Teamer

Texas A&M softball ace pitcher Emiley Kennedy had a breakout season last year and was coach Trisha Ford’s go-pitcher when she needed to get out of a pinch. In early January, Softball America named Kennedy to the Preseason All-American First Team.

Kennedy was the workhorse for the Aggies last season, with over 200 innings pitched and 200 strikeouts. Her 10 shutouts were good enough for third-most in the nation, and she posted a 24-11 record with a 1.93 ERA. On top of earning Second Team All-American honors after her junior year, she was selected by the All-SEC First Team.

A&M fans can expect another solid year from their top pitcher, and she will be more refreshed down the stretch as coach Ford made a concerted effort to bring more talented arms for the 2025 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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Auburn pitcher Haley Rainey among Softball America’s preseason top 100 players

Rainey transferred to Auburn last offseason after winning the Big West Pitcher of the Year award in 2024.

Auburn softball will aim to replace ace pitcher [autotag]Maddie Penta[/autotag] ahead of the 2025 season. The Tigers may have found a suitor in [autotag]Haley Rainey[/autotag].

Rainey transferred to Auburn last offseason from Cal State Fullerton and will compete for the ace role in Auburn’s pitching staff after winning Big West Pitcher of the Year in 2024.

Her transition from the Big West to the SEC will be one to watch, which is why Softball America recently included Rainey in its preseason top-100 players list. The former Cal State Fullerton Titan checks in at No. 79 in this year’s ranking.

In two seasons at Fullerton, Rainey recorded 26 wins and a 1.69 ERA in 68 appearances. She logged 151 strikeouts in 167.2 innings pitched over 37 appearances. She issued 49 walks and allowed just two home runs on the season. She never allowed more than four earned runs in a game last season and allowed zero runs in 17 games.

Rainey joins a pitching staff that features returning players [autotag]Malayna Tamborra[/autotag] and [autotag]Emmah Rolfe[/autotag], as well as Oklahoma transfer [autotag]SJ Geurin[/autotag]. Year one of the Chris and Kate Malveaux era begins Feb. 7 against Southern Illinois at Jane B. Moore Field.

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Texas A&M softball land three players on the preseason Top 100

Softball America names Kennedy, Wooley, and Barbara to their preseason top 100 players list

The excitement around Texas A&M softball is brewing as head coach Trisha Ford enters year three with one of her most complete teams.

With the graduation of several key leaders, such as Rylan Wiggins, Trinity Cannon, and Julia Cottrill, coach Ford knew she had to plug some important holes to stay competitive in the SEC. However, she would not be starting from scratch, bringing back All-American pitch Emily Kennedy and veteran infielder Koko Wooley.

She added the powerful Mac Barbara from San Diego State through the portal and a few promising pitches to help support her ace. In any other conference, the Aggies would probably be at the top of the rankings, but this is the SEC, where softball, hands down, is the toughest in the land.

The saying goes, “Iron sharpens iron,” and A&M is going to have an extremely competitive team led by three Softball America Top 100 players.

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

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.