2025 college softball midseason questions, WCWS predictions

The SEC Now crew highlights impressive plays from softball as they continue to show why the SEC remains the most dominant conference in the diamond.Smith: Texas Tech and Nebraska. Both teams have star pitchers that have transferred in — Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady and Nebraska’s Jordy Bahl — that most assumed would take them all the way to the WCWS. But this is a team sport, so these teams have to prove that they are ready to compete day in and day out. The Red Raiders and Cornhuskers need to show that they can defend the ball behind their ace pitchers and put runs on the board.Shipman: I am going to be keeping my eye on how the pitching is used for the rest of the season. There are quite a few teams who use four, five or even six arms consistently in the circle. Once we get closer to the postseason, will we still continue to see so many pitchers being used, or will teams turn to more of a traditional ace to carry them down the stretch?Michele Smith: LSU. This talented team has the opportunity to punch their ticket to the WCWS for the first time since 2017. The Tigers are hitting the ball better than they have in years — their .369 batting average ranks fifth in the nation — and they have some great experience in the circle. It’s interesting because they lost a lot of senior leadership and experience the past couple years, but this is a talented team that is making a statement early on in the season.

Which team has impressed you the most in the first half of the season?

There are many other interesting storylines, so we asked our experts six big questions at the midseason mark. Which teams have the most to prove? Who are the top candidates for Player of the Year? They also pick top teams, sleepers and cap things off with their 2025 Women’s College World Series picks.Tennessee’s Karlyn Pickens throws fastest pitch in NCAA softball historySmith: I think if pitcher NiJaree Canady can stay healthy and help Texas Tech make it to the WCWS, she will win back-to-back Player of the Year awards. She is also hitting well like Bahl this season, and I agree with Jenny that hitting pitchers are special if they can be elite on both sides of the ball. Canady hit over .300 and has a minuscule .64 ERA. However, she has not been hitting in March, so she may have been shut down on the offensive side to stay healthy.Dalton-Hill: Stanford. Prior experience is a huge factor in making a deep run in OKC, and the Cardinal have made trips there the past two seasons. Granted their roster won’t have the Player of the Year on it this time as Canady departed to Texas Tech, but this team only has three losses on the season. This is a group I would not want to see in Regionals or Super Regionals.

Which team has the most to prove as the season goes on?

Dalton-Hill: I am still watching the impact conference realignment has on the Power 4. Teams that were perennial powers in their respective conferences are now being challenged by the additions of displaced Pac-12 teams. FSU won’t meet Stanford until the ACC tournament. Northwestern faces UCLA in its final regular season series of the year. Oklahoma and Texas being added to the SEC makes that conference even stronger. And Arizona sits at the top of the Big-12. There are so many unique and tough matchups that we aren’t used to seeing coming up!Dalton-Hill: This feels like a loaded question because everyone still has something to prove. There is a lot of season left, so each team’s goal is to develop the consistency, grip and tenacity to make a deep run that ends with a national championship. That being said, Auburn got off to a hot start under new co-head coaches, Kate and Chris Malveaux, but has since lost 10 of its past 11 games and is winless in SEC play. The path to OKC doesn’t get any easier as the Tigers still have four SEC series to play against top 25 teams.Jenny Dalton-Hill: Florida State. This is a team that seems to have uncharacteristic losses early in the season most years, but coach Lonni Alameda is not someone to push the panic button. The Seminoles started this season with a loss to Oklahoma State and lost twice to both Texas A&M and Oregon, but this group can score in bunches with 15 run-rule wins in 2025. The latest hit parade was in Durham against ACC rival Duke.

Amanda Scarborough: South Carolina. I love the way this team fights. The Gamecocks were picked to finish last in the SEC this year. And although it’s still early in conference play, I just don’t think that’s going to happen. They play like they have something to prove every single game. This team doesn’t give up and has the talent in the circle and at the plate to back that up.

Who is your Player of the Year pick as of now and why?

Shipman: I am thinking the same as Amanda on this one; Virginia Tech is the team to watch. Lemley has been dominant in the circle with a 1.97 ERA, and the Hokies are led offensively by Cori McMillan and her 13 home runs. The other impressive piece of their game is their defense. The Hokies are currently third in the country with a .983 fielding percentage. This is a team that I would not want to face in the postseason.play