BATON ROUGE, La. – With just over a week before the first pitch of the 2025 season, the LSU softball team is ranked in the top four preseason national polls.
LSU comes in at No. 9 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Preseason Top 25 poll, No. 10 in the NFCA/GoRoute Division I Top 25 Preseason Poll, No. 11 in the D1Softball Preseason Top 25 Poll and No. 12 in the Softball America Division I Preseason Top 25 Poll.
The Tigers have opened the season as a top 10 team for the sixth time under Head Coach Beth Torina in the USA Softball Preseason Top 25 Poll and for the fifth time in the NFCA Preseason Top 25 Poll.
Last season, LSU reached the NCAA Tournament for the 18th consecutive year, marking the program’s 25th appearance overall. The Tigers were 44-17 in 2024 to log the program’s seventh 40-plus win season in 10 years.
LSU returns 17 players from the 2024 roster, including four starters, highlighted by two-time All-American pitcher Sydney Berzon. Third baseman Danieca Coffey will return for the 2025 season after suffering a season-ending injury 16 games into the 2024 campaign. Catcher Maci Bergeron and outfielder McKenzie Redoutey round out the Tigers’ returning starters.
Nine newcomers, including three transfers, will join the Tigers in 2025. Two-time National Champion infielder Avery Hodge (Oklahoma), two-time NFCA All-Region selection Jalia Lassiter (Ole Miss) and the 2022 Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year Ashley Vallejo (McNeese) changed their colors to Purple & Gold. The freshman class comprises outfielder Zoe Calvez, infielder Alix Franklin, outfielder Destiny Harris, utility pitcher Jayden Heavener, infielder Sa’Mya Jones and catcher/utility Jada Phillips.
LSU opens the season with the Tiger Classic at Tiger Park on Feb. 7-9. The Tigers will host Central Arkansas, Charlotte, and Southeastern Louisiana. The Tiger Classic tournament schedule can be found here.
For the latest news and information on Tiger softball, visit www.lsusports.net/softball. Fans can follow the team on its social media outlets, such as www.facebook.com/lsusoftball and @lsusoftball, as well as on Instagram and X.