You bought to like to see freshmen stars tearing it up of their very first season of faculty softball. There are such a lot of, so it wasn’t enjoyable to slim this checklist to 10. However I’ve 10 standout freshmen which have made their presence recognized to date this season.
1. Let’s begin with Taylor Shumaker at Florida. If you wish to speak about bursting onto the scene, Shumaker is the duvet woman. She began this season with a bang, main the nation in lots of offensive classes. Now Shumaker is hitting .370 however with 14 bombs and over 60 RBI. It isn’t simply her energy hitting, she provides velocity with over 15 stolen bases and might hit all around the discipline.
BOOM.💥 Outta right here! x @shumaker_taylor
Taylor Shumaker’s 14th homerun of the season places the Gators on the board.
📺: https://t.co/3dHr3vjCQ3 (SEC Community+) | #GoGators pic.twitter.com/ndPWgh8L4d
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) April 4, 2025
2. Tori Edwards at LSU is one other no-brainer. She’s hitting over .430 with 15 dwelling runs and has already grow to be an crucial a part of the Tigers’ offense. Edwards leads them in RBI (61) and at the moment has an OPS over .520.
3. Oregon’s Rylee McCoy is one other absolute star. The Geese have emerged this season — and a few freshmen are a part of the explanation. McCoy is batting practically .430 whereas slugging .893 with double-digit homers (13).
4 and 5. At Oklahoma, there’s Gabbie Garcia and Nelly McEnroe-Marinas. Garcia took over the beginning shortstop position and is bringing manufacturing to the plate as nicely. She hit a homer in 5 consecutive video games within the first week of March — and as a lefty she makes use of all her instruments. This consists of Garcia’s energy, as she’s second on the staff in homers (11). McEnroe-Marinas is the third-leading Sooner within the dwelling run class. Together with being a gradual defender on the sizzling nook, McEnroe Marinas is scorching sizzling by SEC play with 7 bombs by 14 SEC video games (as of April 14).
🥎 SEC Freshman of the Week: April 8
☝️ Gabbie Garcia@OU_Softball x #SECSB pic.twitter.com/n4ypRWjAhR
— Southeastern Convention (@SEC) April 8, 2025
6. At Ole Miss, Miali Guachino has damaged onto the scene as a star within the circle. She’s pitched over 115 innings this season and has thrown practically 160 strikeouts, which is within the prime 10 within the nation. Ole Miss depends closely on her rise ball, however Guachino has a lot spin from getting artful along with her change to her screwball that is usually a tricky monitor for hitters.
7. At Alabama, there’s freshman speedster Audrey Vandagriff doing massive issues for the Tide. Vandagriff is hitting .419 however wreaking absolute havoc on the bottom paths. Severely, catch her should you can as a result of she leads your complete nation in stolen bases (45).
Audrey Vandagriff’s 45 stolen bases is tied with present Alabama assistant Kayla Braud’s 2010 complete for essentially the most by a freshman in program historical past#Team29 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/kl2Bl4beK5
— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) April 2, 2025
There are nonetheless three extra first-year begins to checklist — and that leaves off a ton of deserving freshmen.
8. Ella Harrison at Rutgers ranks within the prime 5 in your complete NCAA — not simply freshmen — in strikeouts. She already has collected a no-hitter towards North Dakota, a lot of accolades and has pitched over 140 innings.
9. LSU’s Jayden Heavener began her profession in an enormous manner with an ideal sport and has continued that excellence by greater than 85 innings with over 120 strikeouts. Heavener has steadily grow to be a go-to and dependable arm subsequent to Sydney Berzon at LSU.
🔺1 | Absolute Gasoline ⛽
📺SECN | @JaydenHeavener pic.twitter.com/NxWMEgfAOH
— LSU Softball (@LSUsoftball) March 30, 2025
10. After which Georgia Southern’s Maddie Johnson, who has been making massive waves within the circle with over 100 strikeouts throughout 132 innings pitched, plus a sub-2 ERA. Johnson has been an enormous a part of Georgia Southern’s success and has been spectacular towards some ranked groups with heavy hitters.
OK, so thats 10 prime freshmen. I wish to rattle off some extra which can be on spectacular tears to start out their careers:
- Rylee Slimp and Addisen Fisher (UCLA)
- Ella McDowell (Arkansas)
- Ilove’a Brittingham (BYU)
- Alexis Deboer (Washington)
- Lauren Putz (Michigan)
- Mackenzie Pickens and Persy Llamas (Ole Miss)
- Mackenzie Butt (Boise State)
