2026 ACC Preview

The ACC is generally regarded as the second-best softball conference. However, there was no ACC softball representative at the 2025 Women’s College World Series. Will that change? It could be based on a few of our questions we’d like to see this season.

2026 ACC Softball Team Previews

Boston College
Cal
Clemson
Duke
Florida State
Georgia Tech
Louisville
North Carolina
NC State
Notre Dame
Pitt
Stanford
Virginia
Virginia Tech

ACC Player Superlatives

10 ACC Player of the Year Candidates

• Jaysoni Beachum, INF, Florida State
• Macey Cintron, P/UTL, Clemson
• Michelle Chatfield, UTL, Virginia Tech
• Ashtyn Danley, P/UTL, Florida State
• Jade Hylton, Virginia
• Taryn Kern, INF, Stanford
• Julia Knowler, INF, Clemson
• Jess Oakland, INF, Duke
• Isa Torres, INF, Florida State
• Aminah Vega, INF, Duke

It’s hard to pick one player from a handful of the top teams, but the combination of Beachum and Torres, and Oakland and Vega, is just a pair of superstars that could have huge numbers. Cintron and Danley, who I believe could be in store for a huge year, have the benefit of being two-way players. Chatfield, Hylton, Kern and Knowler all have the potential to put up huge power numbers.

5 ACC Pitcher of the Year Candidates

• Eden Bigham, Virginia
• Cassidy Curd, Duke
• Abby Dunning, Clemson
• Jazzy Francik, Florida State
• Emma Mazzarone, Virginia Tech

Bigham, Curd, and Francik have shown high-level success in the conference. Those three are strong candidates. While Dunning is coming off an injury, she’s had experience in the conference and has good stuff to work with; she could follow a similar path to Reese Basinger. Mazzarone projects to take over more innings for Virginia Tech. She’s always been solid, but if she takes the next step, she’ll be in the mix.

5 ACC Freshman of the Year Candidates

• Lexie Hames, RHP, Clemson
• Mya McGowan, P/UTL, Cal
• Gaby Mizelle, INF, Virginia Tech
• Bella Ruggiero, C, Florida State
• Ava Zachery, INF, Notre Dame

These names stood out the most to me, but there are plenty of people, the entire Florida State class, for instance, who could be up for the award at the end. Ruggiero, a redshirt freshman, projects to be the safest because she’ll see a lot of time and has a year of watching the game first-hand. Hames, Mizelle, and Ruggiero will be a big part of Day One for their teams. McGowan could be the ace and a power bat for Cal; the two-way stats will always stand out.

5 ACC Underrated Impact Transfers

• Anya German, C, Cal
• Addison Foster, UTL, Virginia Tech
• Larissa Jacquez, RHP, Duke
• Emily LeGette, INF, North Carolina
• Sierra Maness, RHP, Clemson

German had a strong fall and the Texas Tech transfer has the tools and opportunity to be a difference-maker for Cal. Foster adds a different type of skillset to the Hokies’ lineup. Jacquez adds depth that Duke didn’t have last season in the bullpen. LeGette has had great reviews and appears primed for a big season. If Maness ended up Clemson’s ace, I wouldn’t be shocked.

1 Player from Each ACC Team That Could Take a Step Forward

• Abby Ptak, C, Boston College
• Kayli Counts, OF, Cal
• Taylor Pipkins, INF, Clemson
• Ava Bradshaw, RHP, Duke
• Shelby McKenzie, UTL, Florida State
• Emma Simon, INF, Georgia Tech
• Madison Pickens, UTL, Louisville
• Lilly Parrish, P/UTL, North Carolina
• Maia Townsend, OF, NC State
• Mickey Winchell, OF, Notre Dame
• Shelby Frazier, INF, Pitt
• Zoe Prystajko, LHP, Stanford
• Milija Seaton, INF, Syracuse
• Alex Call, INF, Virginia
• Zoe Yaeger, C, Virginia Tech

5 Things I Want to Know about the ACC

1. How fast do the Florida State freshmen grow up? Based on what we know, the Noles could have up to four or five freshmen in their starting lineup in addition to three first-year arms in the bullpen. Florida State, which was a great team last year, has all the talent to compete at the top once again, but it hinges on how quickly Bella Ruggiero, Anna Hinde, Hayley Griggs, Harlie Chism, Marin Heller and Makenna Sturgis can be impact bats the way last season’s seniors were in Tallahassee.

2. How does Clemson finally make it to the Women’s College World Series? The Tigers came the closest they’ve ever been to Oklahoma City last season before falling to the eventual national champions, the Texas Longhorns. While Maddie Moore, Alex Brown, Aby Vieira and Reese Basinger were big losses, the Tigers have a lot of young, ascending players with a group of newcomers with a high amount of upside. They’ll need one of Abby Dunning, Sierra Maness, Lexie Hames, or Keira Crosby to take an ace-type postseason role, but the offense should be good, and the defense shouldn’t skip a beat.

3. Can Cassidy Curd maintain elite-level production the whole season? When Curd is at her best, she can be one of the best pitchers in the country. Whether it’s been injuries or inconsistent control, Curd hasn’t been at her best over the course of the whole season, the way the top-end arms do. However, there’s been a focus this offseason in order to keep her in good health and Duke’s pitching staff is deeper than it was a year ago. We’ll learn a lot about where Curd is as the Blue Devils play Texas A&M, LSU, Oklahoma State, Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, UCLA, and Oregon back-to-back weekends between the Clearwater Invitational and the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

4. Will Alyssa Houston and Zoe Prystajko do enough in the circle for Stanford? The Cardinal returns nearly all of its record-setting offense from a year ago while adding Ava Gall back into the fold and a talented freshman class. Most years, Stanford would’ve been in the mix to host a regional, though that was complicated by the lack of its stadium last season. Nevertheless, Stanford lost a handful of games they probably shouldn’t have. The Cardinal were 33-3 when allowing 6 or fewer runs. Alyssa Houston and Zoe Prystajko have shown signs of growth this offseason, and they don’t need to throw at an All-American level, but they hold the cards for Stanford’s ceiling in 2026.

5. Is Virginia able to reach the next level? The Hoos have made significant progress under Joanna Hardin in the past few years, but is 2026 the season they could host a regional? As Eden Bigham and Jade Hylton, the cornerstones of the roster, enter their senior seasons, this will be Virginia’s best shot. The Hoos would’ve had a better shot at hosting a regional last season if they’d won more games against RPI Top 25 teams. Virginia should have plenty of chances to finish the season strong and cement their bid to host. The Hoos play Duke, Virginia Tech and Clemson in the month of April and host the ACC Tournament this season.

Softball America Preseason Player Rankings
Softball America 2026 Freshman Watch List
Softball America Preseason Top 25
SEC Preview
Big Ten Preview
Big 12 Preview
Mid-Major Preview