BATON ROUGE, La. – Ten LSU student-athletes earned preseason recognition from Softball America, with six Tigers named to the Top 100 Players list and four selected to the Freshman Watch List.
Selection criteria for the Top 100 Players list included Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) and Weighted Runs Created (wRC). FIP measures a pitcher’s run prevention independent of defensive performance, while wRC estimates the total number of runs a player contributes to their team.
The SEC placed 40 athletes on the Top 100 list, with LSU ranking second in the conference behind Texas’ seven selections. Below are LSU’s Top 100 honorees, along with their positional rankings entering the season. Softball America will update position rankings monthly.
| Name | Top 100 Ranking | Position Ranking |
| Tori Edwards | No. 18 | No. 2 First Baseman |
| Maci Bergeron | No. 48 | No. 5 Catcher |
| Jayden Heavener | No. 60 | No. 14 Pitcher |
| Char Lorenz | No. 64 | No. 12 Outfielder |
| Jalia Lassiter | No. 80 | No. 18 Outfielder |
| Cece Cellura | No. 88 | No. 21 Pitcher |
Softball America’s Freshman Watch List highlights first-year players expected to make an immediate on-field impact. LSU’s four selections include pitchers Cali Deal and Lauryn Soeken, along with utility players Ashlin Mowery and Ci’ella Pickett. Of the 46 freshmen named league-wide, LSU is tied for second-most in the SEC with Kentucky, Oklahoma and Texas, while Tennessee leads with five selections.
LSU opens the 2026 season with six home games at Tiger Park during the Tiger Classic, Feb. 5–8, hosting Illinois, Lamar, Nevada and NC State. The Tigers begin SEC play on the road at Tennessee (March 6–8) and will host conference series against Texas A&M (March 14–16), Oklahoma (March 27–29), Ole Miss (April 17–19) and Auburn (April 30–May 2).
For the latest news and information on Tiger softball, visit www.lsusports.net/softball. Fans can follow the team on its social media channels, including www.facebook.com/lsusoftball and @lsusoftball, as well as on Instagram and X.