Southern Conference Announces Preseason Coaches Poll and Teams
 
SPARTANBURG, S.C. –The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team was voted to finish second and received one first-place vote in The 2025 Southern Conference (SoCon) Preseason Coaches' Poll, announced by the league office on Thursday.
 
The Spartans earned one first-place vote and 39 points, while Chattanooga was picked to finish first with six first-place votes and 48 points. Mercer, Samford, Western Carolina, Furman and ETSU fell in behind UNCG, respectively. In addition, sixth-place Western Carolina also received one first-place vote.
 
The Spartans concluded the 2024 season 33-26 overall and 13-8 in the SoCon. It was the fifth-straight season with 30 or more wins, excluding the 2020 shortened season. It was also the ninth year with 30 or more wins under the direction of Head Coach Janelle Breneman, who is in her 13th year with the Blue & Gold.

The Spartans saw another successful statistical year leading the SoCon in home runs per game (1.37), home runs (81), slugging percentage (0.490), triples per game (0.22) and walks (240). UNCG was also ranked nationally in the top 30 in four categories: sixth in walks, 11^th in home runs, 14^th in home runs per game and 30^th in slugging percentage.
 
Senior Grace Loftin was named to the Preseason First Team, while senior Jorde Chartrand and sophomore Betsy Eatmon were named to the Preseason Second Team.
 
Grace Loftin
Preseason All-SoCon First Team
Senior | OF | Conover, North Carolina

• 2024 SoCon All-Conference Second Team
• 2024 Preseason All-Conference Second Team
• Finished the 2024 season second in the conference with a 0.71 average in walks per game, fourth with a .481 on-base percentage and a 0.27 home runs per game average and fifth with a .620 slugging percentage and 13 homers
• Led the team with 40 walks last season
• In 158 at-bats, Loftin finished second on the team with 40 runs, 35 RBI, 98 total bases and 13 homers
• Finished third for the Spartans with 51 hits and fourth with a .323 batting average

Jorde Chartrand
Preseason All-SoCon Second Team
Senior | DP | Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada

• 2024 Preseason All-Conference first team
• Finished third in the SoCon with four sacrifice flies last season
• In 137 at-bats last season, she recorded 15 runs, 36 hits, six doubles, six homers, 30 RBI and reached 60 total bases
• Her 30 RBI put her at third on the team last season, while her six homers allowed her to finish fourth on the squad
• In the circle, she had 25 appearances with seven starts
• She finished the season with a 5-6 overall record
• As a pitcher, Chartrand concluded the season first on the team in sacrifice bunts allowed (2), hits allowed (71) and saves (2)

Betsy Eatmon
Preseason All-SoCon Second Team
Sophomore | C | Stanley, North Carolina

• 2024 All-Conference Second Team
• 2024 All-Conference Freshman Team
• Finished the season with a .294 batting average and recorded a total of 11 runs, 25 hits, four doubles, eight home runs, 25 RBI and reached 53 totals bases in 85 at-bats
• She led the team with a .383 batting average and 22 RBI in conference-only play. 

The Spartans are set to begin the 2025 season in the Elon Softball Classic, hosted by Elon, from February 6-9 in Elon, North Carolina. UNCG will open the tournament with North Carolina Central on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 4:00 p.m. The Spartans are also set to face Ohio State (Feb. 7 - 5 p.m.), Ohio (Feb. 8 - 9:30 a.m.), UConn (Feb. 8 - Noon) and Elon (Feb. 9 - 2:30 p.m.).
 
2025 Preseason All-SoCon Accolades
 
Preseason Poll

 
Preseason Player of the Year
Cameron Young, ETSU, Sr., IF
 
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Peja Goold, Chattanooga, Jr.
 
Preseason First-Team All-SoCon
P          Peja Goold, Chattanooga, Jr.
P          Margaret Axelson, Wofford, Jr.
C          Logan Champion, Samford, Sr.
IF         Cameron Young, ETSU, Sr.
IF         Tori Hedgecock, Mercer, Sr.
IF         Lily Bell, Western Carolina, So.
IF         Kate Platte, Wofford, R-So.
OF       Caitlin Goldwait, Furman, Sr.
OF       Grace Loftin, UNCG, Sr.
OF       Camryn Cernuto, Chattanooga, Sr.
DP       Olivia Shaw, SAM, So.
 
Preseason Second-Team All-SoCon
P          Grace Taylor, Mercer, Jr.
P          Jordyn Partain, Samford, Sr.
C          Betsy Eatmon, UNCG, So.
IF         Riley Nayadley, ETSU, Sr.
IF         Sarah Squillace, Samford, Sr.
IF         Olivia Lipari, Chattanooga, Sr.
IF         Kailey Snell, Chattanooga, Gr.
OF       Brylee Mesusan, ETSU, Jr.
OF       McKayla Cothran, Samford, Sr.
OF       Baileigh Pitts, Chattanooga, Jr.
DP       Sylvia Burroughs, Furman, Jr.
DP       Jorde Chartrand, UNCG, Sr.