The 2025 college softball season is here!
Can Oklahoma win its fifth-straight title or will another team hoist the national championship trophy? Will former Stanford ace NiJaree Canady find success at Texas Tech? Are the Florida Gators really that good after all of their offseason additions? And what about conference realignment?
There are a lot of interesting storylines in 2025, so we asked our experts — Jenny Dalton-Hill, Amanda Scarborough, Michele Smith and Madison Shipman — to answer some of the biggest questions to help you get ready for the season.
They also made early picks for Player of the Year, WCWS predictions and shared what they are watching for at the Clearwater Invitational, which starts on Feb. 13.
What is college softball’s biggest storyline for 2025?
Jenny Dalton-Hill: Which transfer class will make the biggest impact? We have seen the softball world’s attention shift to Texas Tech because of pitcher NiJaree Canady, but how will other transfers improve the trajectory of a program quickly?
Amanda Scarborough: All of the unknown. This year will be the year of the breakthrough players and teams with so many changes entering the season — teams in new conferences, many impact transfers, a ton of head coaching changes and many legacy seniors classes graduating last season!
Amanda Scarborough: All of the unknown. This year will be the year of the breakthrough players and teams with so many changes entering the season — teams in new conferences, many impact transfers, a ton of head coaching changes and many legacy seniors classes graduating last season!
Michele Smith: All the ‘newness’ many of the power conferences will have to deal with. It will be interesting to see how the conference realignment plays out with new travel issues and players competing in new stadiums. It may be a challenge for some to adjust quickly.
Madison Shipman: Adjusting to the new changes, without a doubt, is going to be one of the biggest storylines of the season. But another that comes to mind for me is following Oklahoma this year. After graduating a senior class that won four consecutive national championships, will the Sooners be able to make it five in a row?
Dalton-Hill: I feel like I stay on repeat for this question each season: How will the Sooners maintain their culture with so many player graduations last season? The player dynamic shifts with different names in positions, but can those players gel and keep the “program first” mentality and find the leader to guide them there? They will always be talented but being player-led is the magic sauce.
Scarborough: Competing without their 2024 senior class. That was a group of winners who knew how to navigate all the different challenges they faced during their time wearing the uniform. Who will step up to fill those gaps/holes leadership-wise? Also, what does this program look like without those four-year starters?
Smith: Oklahoma won’t have the dominating pitchers in the circle it once had in the past nor its veteran senior class that believed they couldn’t lose. I believe that coach Patty Gasso’s staff will get the defense and hitting in order, and coach Jennifer Rocha will use a pitching staff to compete. This is still a strong Sooner team, but they will have to win in a different way.
Shipman: Figuring out what this team’s identity is. This season will be all about identifying Oklahoma’s new strengths. Will this be a home run-hitting offense? Dominant pitching in the circle? Lights out defense?
Scarborough: UCLA freshman pitcher Addisen Fisher. A highly touted recruit, a lot of eyes have been on Fisher since she committed to UCLA in 2022. The Bruins relied heavily on Kaitlyn Terry and Taylor Tinsley last season, and they’re both back, but Fisher adds depth to a staff that should be a lot of fun to watch.
Dalton-Hill: Oklahoma State pitcher Ruby Meylan. She is a big pickup for a Cowgirls team that needed a replacement for Lexi Kilfoyl. Meylan, who played at Washington last season, joins a highly touted class of four other transfers. With Oklahoma and Texas departing the Big 12 for the SEC, that leaves the door open for a new school to reign supreme.
Smith: Jenny, am I a homer if I agree with you?! Coach Kenny Gajewski has done a great job of picking up pitchers and key hitters for Oklahoma State, and I think this year is no different. Meylan will be strong in the circle with great enthusiasm and experience. Another talented transfer to watch is outfielder Megan Delgadillo; she can hit and run, and she’s a dynamic player.
Shipman: Auburn pitcher Haley Rainey. Rainey was the 2024 Big West Pitcher of the Year and pitched in regionals the past two seasons. After graduating over 280 innings pitched from last season’s roster, Auburn needed an impact arm and it got that in Rainey.