Former Lady Vol Softball Standout Signs with PSL's Florida Vibe
The Florida Vibe officially welcomed Seal Beach, Calif., native and recent Tennessee graduate Sophia Nugent to its 2026 roster on Saturday.
Nugent signed with the New York Rise for the summer of 2025 as a free agent after her college career ended in June.
Before her time with the Lady Vols, Nugent was part of Oklahoma’s historical four-peat, winning back-to-back National Championships in 2022 and 2023 to kick off her collegiate career. Upon transferring to Knoxville her junior season, Nugent made an immediate impact for Tennessee in the lineup and on the field.
#feelthevibe✌️
— Florida Vibe (@floridavibesb) January 17, 2026
Welcome to the 2026 Florida Vibe, officially ✍️ @SophiaN2021, catcher, from @Vol_Softball‼️
Sophia finished her college career at SEC powerhouse, Tennessee, .298, 18 bombs, 61RBIS. Sophia will dawn the #7 Mizuno jersey in 2026 for the Vibe#americasteam #psl pic.twitter.com/6eZS9XHmiP
In 113 career starts under head coach Karen Weekly, Nugent collected a batting average of .287, with 17 doubles, 29 home runs – a team-best 18 in her senior campaign – and just one RBI shy of 100. In the squat, Nugent boasted a .995 fielding percentage, throwing out nine on the base paths.
Nugent was behind the plate when right-handed phenom Karlyn Pickens broke her own record for fastest softball pitch ever thrown in last year’s Knoxville Super Regional.
In Game 2 of the final 2025 regular season SEC matchup, Nugent hit two bombs and tallied a game-high four RBIs to secure a 5-1 Lady Vol win over Texas A&M. It marked the third time in her career she hit two home runs in a single game.
Tennessee went on to host and sweep its Knoxville Regional and then lost Game 1 to Jordy Frahm’s Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Super Regional. Nugent and the Lady Vols battled from behind to advance to the Women’s College World Series for the ninth time in program history.
Fighting through the elimination bracket in Oklahoma City, Tennessee, ultimately fell to the 2025 WCWS Champs, the Texas Longhorns, to end its season.
My time with @Vol_Softball has come to a close. I want to say thank you to my teammates , it has been amazing taking the field with all of you. To my coaches, thank you for everything you have done to help me be the player and perso
— Sophia Nugent (@SophiaN2021) June 4, 2025
Pppn I am today. To the fans, thank you for all… pic.twitter.com/nPBQOcrz0I
Nugent was a 2024 All-SEC Second Team selection. A standout in the classroom as well, the catcher was named a 2025 College Sports Communicators (CSC) All-American alongside Pickens.
The Florida Vibe, headquartered in Bradenton, a city between Tampa and Sarasota, is set to compete in the newly established Professional Softball League (PSL) this summer.
Nugent will join former SEC opponent Kali Heivilin from Alabama and Makena Smith from Cal on the Vibe’s 2026 roster.
The Vibe is just one of seven organizations that make up the inaugural teams of the PSL, in addition to the Atlanta Smoke, Chattanooga Chill, Florida Breeze, Florida Heat, Kansas City Diamonds, and New York Rise. Each team has begun adding to its 20-woman roster, with the PSL also accepting applications from college seniors or former collegiate players. The form is available online.
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Maddy Lewis was a four-year starting infielder for UC San Diego Softball (2015–19), helping lead the Tritons to two conference championships, a West Region title, and a trip to the Division II National Championship in her senior season. She graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in Communication, where she also wrote for the student newspaper, The Guardian. After college, Maddy spent two years as a Sports Information Director, working closely with the softball, basketball and running programs, deepening her appreciation for the stories behind the stats. She has continued her playing career on the international stage as a member and captain of the Israeli Women’s National Softball Team for the past four years, facing top talent at European Championships, Canada Cups, and the Maccabi Games. Beyond competing, Maddy remains deeply committed to growing the game. She co-hosts the Jewish Softball: More Than A Game podcast, offers private instruction in the Bay Area and has coached teams at the Triple Crown Sports International Challenge and the JCC Maccabi Games. With a passion for storytelling and softball, she is dedicated to giving back to the sport that has shaped her both on and off the field and making an impact on the next generation in any way she can.
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