Top 25 South Carolina High School Softball Preseason State Rankings (2/14/2025)

Three 30-win teams – Gray Collegiate, Summerville and Byrnes – sit atop the preseason Top 25; Lexington and Catawba Ridge round out the Top 5

The 2025 high school softball season is on deck as we reveal our Top 25 High School Softball Preseason State Rankings. / Mary Scott

The start of the 2025 South Carolina high school softball season is just around the corner and so it’s time for our Top 25 South Carolina Softball Preseason State Rankings.

Realignment has led to significant changes, including the subdivision of Class AAAAA, while some champions find themselves in different classifications.

Each team will include last season’s record.

1. Gray Collegiate Academy (33-2)

The War Eagles move up to Class AAAA after winning the Class AA state championship and will try to run it back with some of South Carolina’s best players. Aspen Boulware, who smashed 19 home runs last year, is just a sophomore. Maddox Long, who belted 12 homers, has one more season.

2. Summerville (30-0)

Summerville swept to the Class AAAAA state championship and has plenty of talent returning to go for a repeat.

3. Byrnes (31-5)

The Rebels won 31 games last year with only three seniors on the roster.

4. Lexington (19-10)

Lexington made a great run all the way to the Class AAAAA state championship series with a very young team. 

5. Catawba Ridge (29-2)

The 2024 Class AAAA state champions move up to Class AAAAA Division 2.

6. West Florence (18-6)

Pitching is paramount in fastpitch softball and the Knights have one of the best in Anna Ruth Eliason, who struck out 256 in 135 innings.

7. Aynor (23-6)

Speaking of pitching, the Blue Jackets have two Division 1 commits in Maddie Johnson (Clemson) and Alivia Hess (Tennessee-Martin). They’re not going to give up many runs as Aynor seeks its second Class AAA state championship in the last three years.

8. Palmetto (22-7)

The Mustangs, with a roster chockful of freshmen and sophomores, won a region championship. 

9. North Augusta (24-8)

The Yellow Jackets have the bulk of their lineup returning after last year’s deep playoff run.

10. Belton-Honea Path (31-4)

BHP has some rebuilding to do on the pitching staff, but the Bears are still formidable as they seek a second consecutive Class AAA state championship.

11. Lewisville (25-4)

The Lions are going for a second straight Class A state championship.

12. Hannah-Pamplico (20-3)

Once again, pitching is everything. The Raiders have an outstanding one in the circle with Western Carolina commit Kadence Poston, who struck out 146 in 69 innings.

13. Barnwell (22-4)

The War Horses have a good chance of winning any game with Howard University commit Jayden Devore in the circle.

14. Loris (24-8)

The Lions thrived in 2024 with most of their impact players being freshmen and sophomores.

15. Midland Valley (20-7)

Midland Valley finished second to North Augusta in its region. Many of the Mustangs’ top players were freshmen.

16. Nation Ford (17-7)

The Falcons finished in their region with a roster containing no seniors.

17. Pee Dee Academy (22-2)

The Golden Eagles are going after their fourth consecutive South Carolina Independent School Association Class AAA state championship. Pee Dee’s only losses last year were to Aynor and Loris.

18. Strom Thurmond (22-6)

The Rebels entered the Class AA state playoffs on a nine-game winning streak where they were stopped by eventual state champion Gray Collegiate Academy.

19. Clover (19-7)

Clover won a region championship before being derailed by Lexington and Byrnes in the state playoffs.

20. St. James (14-6)

The Sharks have an ace in the circle with junior Raegan Tibbitts, who is a North Greenville commit.

21. Laurence Manning Academy (18-4)

The Swampcats won the SCISA Class AAAA state championship with a young team. They lost twice to Pee Dee Academy, West Florence and Orangeburg Prep.

22. South Florence (24-9)

The Bruins finished second in the region to West Florence and also fell to the Knights in the state playoffs.

23. Berkeley (20-10)

The Stags won their region and made a run in the playoffs before their season was ended by Summerville.

24. Chapin (19-8)

The Eagles won their region and ran into a tough playoff bracket featuring Summerville and Berkeley.

25. Clarendon Hall (16-3)

Clarendon Hall won the SCISA Class AA state championship and returns most of its top players.