2026 SEC Preview

The SEC claimed its first National Championship since 2015 as Texas hoisted the crown. And yet, the Longhorns finished third in the conference regular season standings, as it speaks to the depth of SEC softball. Who are the Player of the Year candidates? The rookies to watch? And the questions that will determine the SEC?

2026 SEC Softball Team Previews

Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
LSU
Oklahoma
Ole Miss
Mississippi State
Missouri
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Texas A&M

SEC Player Superlatives

5 SEC Player of the Year Candidates

• Reese Atwood, C, Texas
• Tori Edwards, 1B, LSU
• Ella Parker, UTL, Oklahoma
• Taylor Shumaker, OF, Florida
• Audrey Vandagriff, OF, Alabama

Atwood, Edwards and Parker feel strong contenders leading into the season. Shumaker and Vandagriff can add to strong freshman years, but Shumaker needs more power numbers in SEC play, and Vandagriff needs them overall.

5 SEC Pitcher of the Year Candidates

• Sydney Berzon, Oklahoma
• Jayden Heavener, LSU
• Robyn Herron, Arkansas
• Teagan Kavan, Texas
• Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee

It’s hard to pick against Pickens, who has won this award the past two seasons, but Kavan and Berzon have had very high peaks as well and could lead their teams to the top of the SEC standings, which could play a factor. I personally remain high on Heavener based on her swing-and-miss stuff, and if she nails that ceiling, she can be in the mix.

5 SEC Freshman of the Year Candidates

• Abby Carr, P/UTL, Missouri
• Elsa Morrison, C, Tennessee
• Vic Moten, RHP, Alabama
• Maddi Sauni, C, Texas A&M
• Kendall Wells, C, Oklahoma

Predicting this award can be a crapshoot, and the entire Tennessee or Oklahoma freshman class could be listed; nevertheless, Morrison and Wells have game-changing power. The door is open for Moten and Sauni to produce at a high level in roles that need to be filled for two top teams. Carr is the wild card because she can be a significant piece both in the circle and at the plate, but there are plenty of freshmen in the SEC who could take this. I will also throw in Florida’s Towsen Thomas at the end, who redshirted last season.

5 SEC Newcomers Player of the Year Candidates

• Addisen Fisher, RHP, Georgia
• Peja Goold, RHP, Mississippi State
• Ella Harrison, RHP, Auburn
• Dakota Kennedy, OF, Arkansas
• Char Lorenz, UTL, LSU

Kennedy, an All-American, has to be the preseason favorite for this award, but Lorenz could be a huge piece for a really good offense. On the flipside of that, Fisher, Goold or Harrison could become Georgia, Mississippi State or Auburn’s go-to arm.

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

• Brooke Wells, INF, Alabama
• Cam Harrison, RHP/UTL, Arkansas
• Ma’Nia Womack, OF, Auburn
• Cassidy McLellan, OF, Florida
• Delani Sullivan, OF, Georgia
• Carson Fall, RHP, Kentucky
• Sierra Daniel, INF, LSU
• Audrey Lowry, LHP, Oklahoma
• Mackenzie Pickens, INF, Ole Miss
• Alyssa Faircloth, LHP, Mississippi State
• Madison Uptegrove, INF, Missouri
• Emma Friedel, RHP, South Carolina
• Ella Dodge, INF, Tennessee
• Cambria Salmon, RHP, Texas
• Kelsey Mathis, OF, Texas A&M

5 Things I Want to Know about the SEC

1. Will Oklahoma get All-American Sydney Berzon? The Sooners have obviously made out well with transfer pitchers over the years and Berzon has an excellent resume despite dealing with injuries throughout her career, which was clear in 2025. When her dropball is at its best, she’s very hard to deal with, especially with an excellent defense behind her. If Berzon is at the top of her game, paired with the Sooners’ offense, it would be really hard to beat.
   
2. Does Texas look different without Steve Singleton? Part of the reason for Oklahoma’s sustained success is that JT Gasso and Jennifer Rocha have been right by Patty Gasso’s side since 2019. In that same timeframe, Mike White has had brain drain on his staff, with Singleton being the third assistant to take a Power Four head coaching job. Obviously, Ehren Earleywine has a track record helping programs with on-field success, but it’s still a major change for the Longhorns, who return most of their lineup.
   
3. Will the Tennessee newcomers help form a strong enough lineup? Between a talented freshman class highlighted by Ella Morrison and a trio of highly productive Mid-Major transfers, the Lady Vols’ offense will look different following the departures of Taylor Pannell, McKenna Gibson, and Sophia Nugent. Whether it’s the new faces or returners such as Ella Dodge, Gabby Leach, or Emma Clarke, they need a star in the batter’s box somewhere.
   
4. Where are the aces? Frankly, I could look you in the eye and say with certainty that only three teams, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Texas have their bona fide aces. Plenty of teams have decent depth in the bullpen, but once postseason hits, we’ve seen that having THAT arm in the circle is typically the difference between who stays alive toward the end.
   • While high on Heavener, there’s a decent shot San Diego State transfer Cece Cellura could be that arm for LSU.
   • On the same grain, SJ Geurin had good moments for Auburn last season, but she might be better position to complement an Ella Harrison, who has the stuff to beat SEC opponents.
   • Ole Miss and Mississippi State have revamped bullpens.
   • It’s not Berzon or bust for Oklahoma with Miali Guachino and Audrey Lowry.
   • Can Jocelyn Briski take her game to another level? Do Vic Moten and Kaitlyn Pallozzi have the goods to be an elite freshman arm?
   • Will Keagan Rothrock take the next step in her development for Florida?
   • Can someone like Carson Fall become a No. 1 for Kentucky?
   • Can Marissa McCann or Cierra Harrison improve to what Missouri needs? The same can be said in College Station about Sidne Peters and Sidney Lessentine.
   • Who takes the Sam Gress role for South Carolina?
     
5. Does what Arkansas or LSU do in the regular season matter? Of course, hosting a regional and, potentially, a Super Regional factors into a team’s likelihood of reaching the Women’s College World Series, and that is determined by a team’s regular-season resume. Nevertheless, it has become an annual question: will Arkansas or LSU finally break the trend to reach the Oklahoma City? Both teams have question marks, Arkansas’ power production and LSU’s ceiling in the circle, but they’re going to be firmly in the mix once again. At the end of the day, winning is hard, especially in the postseason, each program has seen its share of bad luck, an underrated factor in winning, but eventually the regular season success is no longer going to matter and it’s coming to that point soon. What needs to change? That’s something we will need to see in May.

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