LSU Softball Head Coach Beth Torina Shares Why Last Year’s Failures Won’t Happen Again

After posting a strong 44-win season in 2025 with a 12-12 record in the Southeastern Conference, the Louisiana State Tigers suffered nothing but disappointments in the postseason, ending the year prematurely.

Selected as the No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament and hosting a Regional, the Tigers should have had a direct route to the Super Regionals. However, they had an underwhelming finish, going 1-2 and losing to Southeastern Louisiana twice.

This unforeseen performance from the team put all the pressure on head coach Beth Torina, and several fans and critics were calling for her removal.

But with Torina’s top-ranked incoming class of recruits and continuous ability to succeed in the transfer portal, the LSU administration is willing to trust her ability to get back to the Women’s College World Series (WCWS).

"This program grew this year. This program is going to be better for it. I'm not going to be sitting here on Saturday night anymore. And we're going to be in the places this program deserves to be."@LSUsoftball Beth Torina after #LSU was eliminated from NCAA Tournament by SLU… pic.twitter.com/vI9zq6MILQ
— Jacques Doucet (@JacquesDoucet) May 18, 2025

According to Torina, she’s doing everything in her power to never let those failures happen again.

“Everybody wants to avoid that feeling,” Torina told Brady Vernon at Softball America. “On the other hand, last year’s team put together an incredible season, probably overachieved most of the season. It was a season they can be proud of, taking out the last day. Everything in our being is not to let that happen again. We’ve tried to put things in place to avoid being in that situation, such as adding more depth to handle different teams. Do we have something for everything? Plus, playing our style and trying to make ourselves a little more bulletproof for the postseason.”

With a fire ignited within them, Torina and her staff certainly got to work this offseason, pulling five of the hottest names out of the transfer portal.

While losing infielder Danieca Coffey and outfielder McKenzie Redoutey to graduation and ace Sydney Berzon to Oklahoma will be missing pieces, the newcomers are set to be just as impactful.

LSU Transfers

On the mound, Cellura and Monticeli join returners Jayden Heavener and Tatum Clopton, and three freshmen. Cellura went 19-9 last season with a 2.28 ERA and 94 strikeouts. Monticelli didn’t see much action at Oklahoma, but she is coming off an excellent summer with the Northwoods Softball League in Wisconsin, and currently plays for the Great Britain National Team.

With offensive leaders like Tori Edwards, Maci Bergeron, Jalia Lassiter, Sierra Dianiel, Avery Hodge, and Jadyn Laneaux returning, mixed with transfers Lorenz, Hutchins, and Kylee Edwards, the lineup is going to be tough to beat.

Tori Edwards hit .383 with 14 doubles and 18 home runs in her first season, while Bergeron was right behind, bringing her OPS from .702 to 1.086. Lorenz, the All-American, hit .368 with 11 doubles, five triples, nine homers, and 53 RBIs, and will fit right into the starting lineup.

“She’s a special player,” Torina told Softball America about Lorenz. “I just remember walking into our hitting facility and seeing her hit one ball, saying, ‘Wow, this one is going to be a good one.’ And she has been. She can do all these things, and she’s a great leader. She’s been a huge addition to what we’re trying to do.”

Softball America took a stab at what a 2026 LSU lineup could look like.

LSU's Projected Lineup

C Maci Bergeron
1B Tori Edwards
2B Sierra Daniel
SS Avery Hodge
3B Kylee Edwards
LF Char Lorenz
CF Jalia Lassiter
RF Jadyn Laneaux
DP Ally Hutchins

LSU Transfers

LSU's Projected Lineup

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