Alabama Softball 2025 Season Preview

A position-by-position look at Team 29 as the Crimson Tide opens the season at the Candrea Classic in Arizona this weekend.

Alabama Softball Player Brooke Ellestad (0) in action against Itawamba at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, AL on Sunday, Oct 13, 2024. | Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama softball is coming off a disappointing regular season where the Crimson Tide finished below .500 in SEC play for the first time but was able to flip the script in the postseason and go on a run all the way to the Women's College World Series.

Now entering his 27th season as Alabama head coach, Patrick Murphy hopes his team can build on that momentum from the WCWS into a new season. There are some key pieces returning, but overall there are a lot of new faces between transfers and freshmen. The roster is almost an even split between old and new with 11 returners and nine newcomers.

Alabama was picked to finish 10th in the SEC by the league's coaches, but is currently ranked No. 11 nationally in most preseason polls. Murphy said this is the most athletic team he's ever had, and the roster is two-deep at every position. The Crimson Tide will open the season this weekend at the Candrea Classic in Arizona with games against three Power Four schools (Washington, Michigan State and No. 17 Arizona), plus Western Michigan.

"Hopefully, really good defense to start," Murphy said Tuesday. "I think our hitting's going to be better, and then I just want to see which pitcher shows us the moxie we really want in the circle against some good teams out in Tuscon."

Here's a position by position look at the Crimson Tide, starting in the circle.

Pitchers

Alabama's pitching staff runs five deep this season led by sophomore Jocelyn Briski. In her freshman campaign, Briski served as the No. 2 behind ace Kayla Beaver, but pitched in some critical moments for the Crimson Tide last season down the stretch. She finished the year with a 10-6 record and 2.20 ERA.

"Briski’s only a sophomore, but she started some of the biggest games of the year for us as a freshman," Murphy said. "I did not hesitate to put her out there either, and I think everyone saw what she could do… Her poise is great as a sophomore. She’s got a poker face— you never know if it’s good, bad or ugly. Just a really athletic pitcher, too."

Alabama also brings back junior right-handed pitcher Alea Johnson, who served mostly in relief role with the Tide last season after transferring in from LSU. She had the most appearances of any pitcher behind Beaver and Briski in 21 games, but with just three starts.

With Beaver and three other seniors in the bullpen graduating, Alabama needed to add some experience in the circle. It did so with Ole Miss transfer Catelyn Riley and former CAA pitcher of the year Emily Winstead. Riley can also be used in Alabama's batting lineup.

"I love that the two seniors have three years each," Murphy said. "So Catelyn Riley and Emily Winstead, they’ve seen a lot, they’ve played a lot. Obviously, Catelyn’s been in the SEC, so it’s almost like adopting a teammate that has three years."

The fifth and final member of the pitching staff is freshman Braya Hodges out of Dothan, Alabama. The staff will continue to work under the direction of pitching coach Lance McMahon, who is now entering his third season with the Crimson Tide and has proven that he can help develop pitchers.

"There's definitely a lot of experience that we all have," Briski said. "All the girls are so different from each other. You could ask our hitters, but they've told us this multiple times–– if you put all the pitchers together, they can throw to all different zones, all different pitches. It's just going to be really fun utilizing everyone in many different ways throughout the year."

Catchers

Both of Alabama's catchers from a season ago are back in 2025. Junior Marlie Giles was selected as a captain by her teammates and was the returner Murphy named as one he's most excited about. Giles led Alabama with seven home runs last season despite missing five weeks with a broken arm, and those power numbers should increase in her junior campaign.

Giles was one of two starters to finish the year with a batting average over .300. Junior Riley Valentine struggled at the plate for most of last year after transferring in from Texas A&M with her average hovering around .200, but she had some clutch moments for Alabama in the postseason, including the grand slam against Tennessee in super regionals that helped send the Tide back to the WCWS.

Murphy is really excited about what his catchers and their athleticism can bring to the team this season.

"Our catching crew is extremely athletic," he said. "One you might see in the infield, and one you might see in the outfield when they’re not catching, which is just a rarity. Both are green-light girls, too."

Infield

Alabama's infield will look a lot different this season with potentially new starters at every single spot around the infield. At a minimum, there will be a new face at first base, shortstop and third base with some players graduating and Kenleigh Cahalan transferring to Florida.

Junior Abby Duchscherer began the 2024 season as Alabama's starter at first base and was one of the Crimson Tide's best hitters in the opening weeks of the season. But as she struggled at the plate, she got replaced at first base the last two months of the season by Emma Broadfoot or Lauren Esman. It seems like that role is Duchsherer's to take back.

Senior Kali Heivilin started every game at second base for Alabama last season and will probably get the nod at the position to start the year because of seniority, but she is being pushed by some new faces like Mississippi State transfer Salen Hawkins, who was ranked the No. 14 second baseman in the country by D1 Softball.

Louisiana transfer Brooke Ellestad can play at shortstop or third base. She was the first transfer Murphy mentioned as someone to watch this season because of her power and speed. Ellestad hit .398 with nine home runs and 54 RBIs for Louisiana last season. (Both those numbers would have led the Crimson Tide.)

And finally the two freshman infielders, Kennedy Marceaux and Mari Hubbard, were described by Murphy as "terrific" and more mature as players than the coaching staff even expected. Both could play significant roles with Hubbard potentially starting at third base.

Outfield

Outfield is another area will Murphy will have lots of options. The only position that is probably locked up is junior Kristen White in centerfield while also returning to her role in the leadoff spot in the batting order.

But then Murphy will have to find spots and playing time for freshman Audrey Vandegriff, sophomore Lauren Johnson, juniors Larissa Preuitt and Northern Iowa transfer Alexis Pupillo and senior captain Kendal Clark.

Vandegriff is a true five-tool player and has been drawing rave reviews this offseason and could be a Day 1 starter for the Crimson Tide as a true freshman. Preuitt didn't start as much for Alabama last season and struggled at the plate, but started 53 games as a freshman and has shown her potential at times. Johnson also had to work through a crowded outfield last season and gained some valuable experience as a true freshman with some key moments at the plate for the Crimson Tide.

Murphy said Pupillo has a lot of pop in her bat as a left-handed batter. She had 35 total home runs over two seasons at Northern Iowa and is the preseason No. 54 player in the country according to Softball America. As a utility player, she could also play infield for the Crimson Tide.

"Been very, very consistent hitting, which is what we needed and what we were hoping, to be honest, out of her," Murphy said of Pupillo.

Clark started 35 games for Alabama last season but was used more as a hitter than a fielder. Junior Kinley Pate is also listed as an outfielder on the roster, but is mainly utilized in a pinch-running role. Overall, it's a stocked position group and a good problem for Murphy to have.