LSU Softball Legend Returns to Tigers in New Role

A former LSU standout is staying in Baton Rouge.

After spending a year as a graduate assistant, the program announced on Tuesday that 2021 NFCA All-American shortstop Taylor Pleasants has been named a full-time assistant coach.

She's Staying Home 💜💛

Taylor Pleasants has been promoted to Assistant Coach!

📄 https://t.co/Qhbyioiymn | #GeauxTigers pic.twitter.com/DapccVPEI3
— LSU Softball (@LSUsoftball) August 5, 2025

The four-time NFCA All-Region selection and three-time All-SEC honoree coached first base and worked primarily with infielders during the 2025 season. Now, she’ll have the opportunity to change a program that has fallen in the NCAA Regionals for the third time in four years.

The Tigers are coming off a heartbreaking end to the 2025 season when the in-state foe Southeastern Louisiana walked off in the bottom of the seventh inning to eliminate the No.10 seed. The loss marked the second time in the past three years that LSU fell at home during Regionals.

Two women in yellow and purple uniforms clap hands on the field. — Taylor Pleasants was a graduate assistant for LSU in 2025. | LSU Athletics

With quite the collegiate resume, Pleasants should make massive impacts on both LSU’s defense and offense.

Collegiate Accomplishments:

Finished as LSU’s all-time leader in double plays turned (59)
Ranked No.2 in career assists (520)
Ranks No.3 in program history with 217 career RBIs
Ranks No.4 in program history with 47 home runs.

As a senior in 2024, she started in a career-high 61 games, finishing with a .266 batting average with 46 hits. She had a team-best 10 home runs, 46 RBIs, and 32 walks to go with a .480 slugging percentage and a .407 on-base percentage.

A woman in a white and purple uniform throws a ball on the softball field. — Taylor Pleasants finished her career as LSU's all-time leader in double plays turned. | LSU Athletics

Despite battling several injuries as a junior in 2023, the standout still went on to be named an NFCA South All-Region First Team for the second season in a row, becoming a three-time all-region selection.

Professionally, Pleasants has played two seasons with the Florida Vibe of the Association of Fastpitch Professionals from 2024 to 2025 and has a contract extension through 2026. She has also played for Team USA, leading them to capture gold medals at the 2022 World Games and the 2022 Canada Cup.

A woman smiles with a softball glove in her hands. — Taylor Pleasants led Team USA to a gold at the 2022 Canada Cup. | LSU Athletics

Her best performance for Team USA came during the Canada Cup, where she hit .313 with four home runs, eight RBIs, and nine runs scored. Most recently, she represented the Eagles in 2023 during the Japan All-Star Series.

Though LSU saw seven of its players enter the transfer portal at the end of the 2025 season, several new additions, with Pleasants assisting, will look to change the program around. Paytn Monticelli and CeCe Cellura join in the circle, Ally Hutchins and Kylee Edwards join the infield, and Char Lorenz joins in the outfield.