Troy University Athletics
Taylor McKinney Tabbed Preseason All-Sun Belt Team, Troy Voted Fourth in Preseason Polls
1/29/2025 10:00:00 AM | Softball
TROY, Ala. – With the 2025 season around the corner, the Sun Belt Conference announced Wednesday morning that senior Taylor McKinney joined the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team, and the Troy softball team was selected to finish fourth in the polls.
I love the recognition for Taylor," head coach Eric Newell said. "She is one of the most respected players in the conference, and this accolade comes as no surprise. We will rely heavily on her leadership, versatility and experience as this relatively young team navigates its way through the Sun Belt Conference schedule."
Over the last two weeks, McKinney has been selected as the D1Softball.com Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year and the No. 10 second baseman heading into the 2025 season. She comes off a 2024 campaign, where McKinney finished in the top five for Troy with a .343 batting average (second), .550 slugging percentage (third) and .444 on-base percentage (second) to earn All-Sun Belt Second Team and NFCA All-Region First Team.
The senior second baseman totaled 48 hits, 37 runs, 28 RBIs, six homers, 25 walks and two HBPs. She ended with 16 multi-hit games for the second-most at Troy, with her season-high three hits coming against SEC foe Auburn. She also went on a season-high eight-game hitting streak from March 9 to 19, with 14 total. On the defensive end, she had a .949 fielding percentage with 105 putouts, 61 assists and three double plays.
As a unit, the Trojans come off their first postseason victory since 2022 and in Newell's tenure on a 16-0 win over Coastal Carolina, ending at 34-22, 13-11 SBC for fifth in the SBC. The program hit its third-highest batting average of .300, the highest since 1999 (.294). They also shattered the program record in slugging percentage at .481. Troy returns 11 players from the 2024 roster while bringing in nine freshmen and four transfers to round out the 24-woman roster.
"In most cases, the preseason polls are based heavily on how you finished the previous year," Newell said. "That said, we finished fourth last season, falling in the conference tournament's semifinals, so this prediction seems very fair. Regardless of where our team is picked in the preseason, every team in the league starts the year with an unblemished record with their eyes set on an automatic bid to the national tournament. That said, our team is eager to battle this year, and we are looking forward to competing week in and week out in the Sun Belt."
2025 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Brooklyn Ulrich, Marshall (R-Jr., 2B – Mesa, Ariz.)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Madison Azua, Texas State (So., P – Round Rock, Texas)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Bella Henzler, James Madison (Jr., C – Allison Park, Pa.)
Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina (So., 1B – Mount Gambier, Australia)
Sam Roe, Louisiana (Sr., 1B – Destin, Fla.)
Brooklyn Ulrich, Marshall (R-Jr., 2B – Mesa, Ariz.)
Taylor McKinney, Troy (Sr., 2B – Montgomery, Ala.)
Delaney Keith, Coastal Carolina (Jr., 3B – Nampa, Idaho)
Cecilia Vasquez, Louisiana (Jr., SS – New Waverly, Texas)
Meagan Brown, ULM (So., OF – Katy, Texas)
Reed Butler, James Madison (Gr., OF – Pomfret, Md.)
Emma Davis, Georgia Southern (Jr., OF – Grayson, Ga.)
Maddie Hayden, Louisiana (Sr., OF – West Monroe, La.)
Ciara Trahan, Texas State (Sr., OF – Sante Fe, Texas)
Payton List, James Madison (R-So., DP – Beaver, Pa.)
Madison Azua, Texas State (So., P – Round Rock, Texas)
Maddie Nichols, ULM (Jr., P – West Monroe, La.)
2025 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
Texas State (5) – 134
Louisiana (6) – 131
South Alabama – 106
Troy – 103
James Madison (1) – 99
Coastal Carolina – 94
ULM – 76
Georgia Southern – 51
Marshall – 50
Southern Miss – 44
App State – 33
Georgia State – 13
I love the recognition for Taylor," head coach Eric Newell said. "She is one of the most respected players in the conference, and this accolade comes as no surprise. We will rely heavily on her leadership, versatility and experience as this relatively young team navigates its way through the Sun Belt Conference schedule."
Over the last two weeks, McKinney has been selected as the D1Softball.com Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year and the No. 10 second baseman heading into the 2025 season. She comes off a 2024 campaign, where McKinney finished in the top five for Troy with a .343 batting average (second), .550 slugging percentage (third) and .444 on-base percentage (second) to earn All-Sun Belt Second Team and NFCA All-Region First Team.
The senior second baseman totaled 48 hits, 37 runs, 28 RBIs, six homers, 25 walks and two HBPs. She ended with 16 multi-hit games for the second-most at Troy, with her season-high three hits coming against SEC foe Auburn. She also went on a season-high eight-game hitting streak from March 9 to 19, with 14 total. On the defensive end, she had a .949 fielding percentage with 105 putouts, 61 assists and three double plays.
As a unit, the Trojans come off their first postseason victory since 2022 and in Newell's tenure on a 16-0 win over Coastal Carolina, ending at 34-22, 13-11 SBC for fifth in the SBC. The program hit its third-highest batting average of .300, the highest since 1999 (.294). They also shattered the program record in slugging percentage at .481. Troy returns 11 players from the 2024 roster while bringing in nine freshmen and four transfers to round out the 24-woman roster.
"In most cases, the preseason polls are based heavily on how you finished the previous year," Newell said. "That said, we finished fourth last season, falling in the conference tournament's semifinals, so this prediction seems very fair. Regardless of where our team is picked in the preseason, every team in the league starts the year with an unblemished record with their eyes set on an automatic bid to the national tournament. That said, our team is eager to battle this year, and we are looking forward to competing week in and week out in the Sun Belt."
2025 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Brooklyn Ulrich, Marshall (R-Jr., 2B – Mesa, Ariz.)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Madison Azua, Texas State (So., P – Round Rock, Texas)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Bella Henzler, James Madison (Jr., C – Allison Park, Pa.)
Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina (So., 1B – Mount Gambier, Australia)
Sam Roe, Louisiana (Sr., 1B – Destin, Fla.)
Brooklyn Ulrich, Marshall (R-Jr., 2B – Mesa, Ariz.)
Taylor McKinney, Troy (Sr., 2B – Montgomery, Ala.)
Delaney Keith, Coastal Carolina (Jr., 3B – Nampa, Idaho)
Cecilia Vasquez, Louisiana (Jr., SS – New Waverly, Texas)
Meagan Brown, ULM (So., OF – Katy, Texas)
Reed Butler, James Madison (Gr., OF – Pomfret, Md.)
Emma Davis, Georgia Southern (Jr., OF – Grayson, Ga.)
Maddie Hayden, Louisiana (Sr., OF – West Monroe, La.)
Ciara Trahan, Texas State (Sr., OF – Sante Fe, Texas)
Payton List, James Madison (R-So., DP – Beaver, Pa.)
Madison Azua, Texas State (So., P – Round Rock, Texas)
Maddie Nichols, ULM (Jr., P – West Monroe, La.)
2025 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
Texas State (5) – 134
Louisiana (6) – 131
South Alabama – 106
Troy – 103
James Madison (1) – 99
Coastal Carolina – 94
ULM – 76
Georgia Southern – 51
Marshall – 50
Southern Miss – 44
App State – 33
Georgia State – 13
Players Mentioned
UTL
/ SoftballEric Newell Postgame Press Conference (Louisiana SBC Tournament)
Wednesday, May 06
Eric Newell Postgame Press Conference (Coastal Carolina Games Two and Three)
Friday, May 01
Troy at Coastal Carolina Game One Highlights
Thursday, April 30
Eric Newell Postgame Press Conference (Coastal Carolina Game One)
Thursday, April 30