The Florida Gators softball team opens its season Thursday at home in Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium against the North Florida Ospreys. UF earned top-three rankings in all four major preseason polls.
This past season, the Gators finished 54-15 and won 17 conference games, including the SEC title. The then No. 4-seeded Gators also appeared in the Women’s College World Series last season and lost to No. 2-seeded Oklahoma in the semifinals.
Coming out of the offseason, Florida took the top spot in both the Softball America and D1 Softball polls. ESPN and USA Softball gave the Gators a No. 2 ranking. Their lowest ranking was behind SEC foes No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Oklahoma in the NFCA Coaches Poll.
As they embark on their 2025 season, they won’t let the preseason hype from the media get to their heads, Florida head coach Tim Walton said.
“I always called it the ghost of expectations, the fear of the unknown,” Walton said. “When you’re comparing yourself to what you were as opposed to what yourself is, I think I’m excited to see how our players handle some of the hype.”
UF will rely on its top returning players and its new freshmen, who will make their collegiate debuts on Thursday. The Gators’ five key returning players were also part of the All-SEC Preseason Team Selections. These players include sophomore right-handed pitcher Keagan Rothrock, junior catcher Jocelyn Erickson, star senior outfielders Korbe Otis and Kendra Falby, and infielder Reagan Walsh.
“Last year is gonna stay in the past,” Otis said. “And I’m just trying to work on what I’m doing in this next moment to get better.”
All five are also on the watch list for USA Softball’s Collegiate Player of the Year. If Florida wants to claim its first National Championship since 2015, these players must play hard and be consistent in making another run in the Women’s College World Series.
With the lead veterans on the team, some impressive, fresh faces have joined. All five players made the D1 freshman watchlist: infielder Gabi Comia, outfielder Taylor Shumaker, right-handed pitcher Katlynn Oxley, infielder Layla Lamar, and outfielder Towsen Thomas.
All who had prominent success in their high school careers, Thomas spent her summer with Team USA, where she led the team to a first-place finish at the U-18 World Cup. She was also ranked the No. 1 commit in the Class of 2024 by Extra Inning Softball.
However, Shumaker will be the only freshman named as a starter for the beginning of the season. She will be guided by veteran outfielders Otis and Falby on her team as she progresses in her development.
“Having the two of them out there with as much experience as they have and as many games they have underneath their belt has been really helpful,” Shumaker said.
UF is set to deal first at 6 p.m. Thursday. Catch live coverage of the game on SEC Network.
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