Troy University Athletics
Friday, February 7
Troy, Ala.
2:30 p.m.
Troy University
vs
Central Michigan
Softball Opens 2025 Schedule with Trojan Classic
2/6/2025 11:13:00 AM | Softball
TROY, Ala. – After a 34-win season in 2024, the Troy softball team swings back into action this weekend at the Troy Softball Complex. The Trojans welcome Central Michigan, North Texas, Samford and Tennessee State to the Wiregrass for the annual Trojan Classic tournament.
Troy's new look roster – featuring 13 newcomers – will play its first five spring games together, starting with a matchup against Central Michigan at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7. The program follows it against Tennessee State (Friday – 5 p.m., Sunday – 2:30 p.m.), North Texas (Saturday – 2:30 p.m.) and Samford (Sunday – 5 p.m.).
"We love being able to host here in Troy on the opening weekend of the softball season," head coach Eric Newell said. "The team has been practicing hard and we are looking forward to getting to play at home against some quality competition. Five games in three days will be both a physical and mental test, but these formats have become commonplace in early-season softball tournaments."
Game Information
What: Trojan Classic
Date: Feb. 7 | Feb. 7 | Feb. 8 | Feb. 9 | Feb. 9
Time: 2:30 p.m. | 5 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. | 5 p.m.
Who: Troy (0-0) vs. Central Michigan (0-0) | Tennessee State (0-0) | North Texas (0-0) | Tennessee State | Samford (0-0)
Location: Troy Softball Complex - Troy, Ala.
TV: ESPN+ (Games 1, 2, 4, 5)
The Journey Begins
The Trojans enter the season with a very different roster than last season after losing their entire starting outfield, including Rawlings Gold Glove winner Libby Baker and All-Sun Belt member Audra Thompson. However, the team has high expectations after being tabbed to finish third in the Sun Belt Conference by D1 Softball and ranking fourth in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll.
Star second baseman Taylor McKinney is back for her senior season and has already collected multiple preseason accolades after getting on base at a .444 clip in 2024. D1 Softball named McKinney as the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year, the No. 10 second baseman in the nation, while also being tabbed to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team.
Cassidy Boltz, Sarah Beth Brake, Natalie Turner, Sissy Dunn and Kate Peters are also returning upperclassmen, but the newcomers are going to be vital to the Trojans 2025 campaign.
Ole Miss transfer Annie Orman, outfielder Megan Loftis and pitcher Esmee Ames are just a few of the transfer players that could play a significant role for Troy. The freshmen trio of Mya Holt, Reaghan Oney, and Caiden Oliva are all fighting for starting spots, along with the large freshmen class, which has nine players in total.
Know Your Opponents
Central Michigan is coming off a 2024 season where it went 17-33, finishing fifth in the MAC with a 13-12 conference record. The Chippewas have a young roster featuring just seven upperclassmen and five returning starters.
After posting a 26-25 record in 2024, Tennessee State rolls into this season, projected to finish fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference. Onnika Spencer returns to the Tigers after recording a 1.017 OPS last year.
Former Sun Belt Conference foe North Texas returns to Troy for the first time since 2013. In 2024, the Mean Green went 32-24, finishing third in the American Conference. North Texas was picked to finish third in the American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.
Although Samford went 24-32 last season, they picked up some quality wins and finished third in the SoCon. The Bulldogs went 2-2 against Troy last season and picked up an upset victory over then-No. 18 Mississippi State.
Trojan Classic Notes
• Of the 64 homers that Troy produced last season, 25 came from returners.
• Troy's 2025 roster includes 13 newcomers: four transfers and nine freshmen after losing 11 players from the 2024 roster.
• Troy's had a winning record in league play for six straight seasons - excludes 2020 due to COVID.
• Troy enters the new season with five seniors: Annie Orman, Cassidy Boltz, Sarah Beth Brake, Natalie Turner and Taylor McKinney.
• McKinney was the lone player for Troy tabbed Preseason All-Sun Belt Team while being named D1Softball Preseason Player of the Year.
• In Newell's two seasons, the Trojans are 2-0 in season openers.
• Troy has 13 newcomers to the team, four of which are transfer players.
• The Trojans have increased their home run total every year since 2019, going from 25 homers to 64 over that time.
• The Trojans are 29-19 all-time against teams competing in the Trojan Classic.
• Last season, Troy stole 51 bases as a team – the most for the Trojans in a season since 2018.
• Taylor McKinney's .444 on-base percentage in 2024 was good for 13th in the Sun Belt Conference.
• Troy was ranked No. 55 in RPI to end 2024, behind just three Sun Belt Conference programs.
• In 2024, Troy hitters got on base at a .387 clip, good for the 42nd-highest on-base percentage in the nation.
• The Trojans walked 200 times last season, which led the Sun Belt Conference.
• In four home-field tournaments under Newell, Troy has gone 14-7.
• Troy finished the 2024 season ranked second in the conference for home runs, RBIs, runs scored and sacrifice flies.
• Three pitchers return to the Trojans from last year's staff, combining for 110.1 innings pitched and 75 strikeouts.
• Troy welcomes Samford, which they went 2-2 against last season, to the Trojan Classic.
• In 2024, Troy's defense recorded a .970 fielding percentage – tied for the second-best in the Sun Belt.
• Troy promoted Nate Tompkins and hired Mackenzie Puckett as the new assistant coaches.
Troy's new look roster – featuring 13 newcomers – will play its first five spring games together, starting with a matchup against Central Michigan at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7. The program follows it against Tennessee State (Friday – 5 p.m., Sunday – 2:30 p.m.), North Texas (Saturday – 2:30 p.m.) and Samford (Sunday – 5 p.m.).
"We love being able to host here in Troy on the opening weekend of the softball season," head coach Eric Newell said. "The team has been practicing hard and we are looking forward to getting to play at home against some quality competition. Five games in three days will be both a physical and mental test, but these formats have become commonplace in early-season softball tournaments."
Game Information
What: Trojan Classic
Date: Feb. 7 | Feb. 7 | Feb. 8 | Feb. 9 | Feb. 9
Time: 2:30 p.m. | 5 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. | 5 p.m.
Who: Troy (0-0) vs. Central Michigan (0-0) | Tennessee State (0-0) | North Texas (0-0) | Tennessee State | Samford (0-0)
Location: Troy Softball Complex - Troy, Ala.
TV: ESPN+ (Games 1, 2, 4, 5)
The Journey Begins
The Trojans enter the season with a very different roster than last season after losing their entire starting outfield, including Rawlings Gold Glove winner Libby Baker and All-Sun Belt member Audra Thompson. However, the team has high expectations after being tabbed to finish third in the Sun Belt Conference by D1 Softball and ranking fourth in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll.
Star second baseman Taylor McKinney is back for her senior season and has already collected multiple preseason accolades after getting on base at a .444 clip in 2024. D1 Softball named McKinney as the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year, the No. 10 second baseman in the nation, while also being tabbed to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team.
Cassidy Boltz, Sarah Beth Brake, Natalie Turner, Sissy Dunn and Kate Peters are also returning upperclassmen, but the newcomers are going to be vital to the Trojans 2025 campaign.
Ole Miss transfer Annie Orman, outfielder Megan Loftis and pitcher Esmee Ames are just a few of the transfer players that could play a significant role for Troy. The freshmen trio of Mya Holt, Reaghan Oney, and Caiden Oliva are all fighting for starting spots, along with the large freshmen class, which has nine players in total.
Know Your Opponents
Central Michigan is coming off a 2024 season where it went 17-33, finishing fifth in the MAC with a 13-12 conference record. The Chippewas have a young roster featuring just seven upperclassmen and five returning starters.
After posting a 26-25 record in 2024, Tennessee State rolls into this season, projected to finish fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference. Onnika Spencer returns to the Tigers after recording a 1.017 OPS last year.
Former Sun Belt Conference foe North Texas returns to Troy for the first time since 2013. In 2024, the Mean Green went 32-24, finishing third in the American Conference. North Texas was picked to finish third in the American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.
Although Samford went 24-32 last season, they picked up some quality wins and finished third in the SoCon. The Bulldogs went 2-2 against Troy last season and picked up an upset victory over then-No. 18 Mississippi State.
Trojan Classic Notes
• Of the 64 homers that Troy produced last season, 25 came from returners.
• Troy's 2025 roster includes 13 newcomers: four transfers and nine freshmen after losing 11 players from the 2024 roster.
• Troy's had a winning record in league play for six straight seasons - excludes 2020 due to COVID.
• Troy enters the new season with five seniors: Annie Orman, Cassidy Boltz, Sarah Beth Brake, Natalie Turner and Taylor McKinney.
• McKinney was the lone player for Troy tabbed Preseason All-Sun Belt Team while being named D1Softball Preseason Player of the Year.
• In Newell's two seasons, the Trojans are 2-0 in season openers.
• Troy has 13 newcomers to the team, four of which are transfer players.
• The Trojans have increased their home run total every year since 2019, going from 25 homers to 64 over that time.
• The Trojans are 29-19 all-time against teams competing in the Trojan Classic.
• Last season, Troy stole 51 bases as a team – the most for the Trojans in a season since 2018.
• Taylor McKinney's .444 on-base percentage in 2024 was good for 13th in the Sun Belt Conference.
• Troy was ranked No. 55 in RPI to end 2024, behind just three Sun Belt Conference programs.
• In 2024, Troy hitters got on base at a .387 clip, good for the 42nd-highest on-base percentage in the nation.
• The Trojans walked 200 times last season, which led the Sun Belt Conference.
• In four home-field tournaments under Newell, Troy has gone 14-7.
• Troy finished the 2024 season ranked second in the conference for home runs, RBIs, runs scored and sacrifice flies.
• Three pitchers return to the Trojans from last year's staff, combining for 110.1 innings pitched and 75 strikeouts.
• Troy welcomes Samford, which they went 2-2 against last season, to the Trojan Classic.
• In 2024, Troy's defense recorded a .970 fielding percentage – tied for the second-best in the Sun Belt.
• Troy promoted Nate Tompkins and hired Mackenzie Puckett as the new assistant coaches.
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
C / UTL
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballMen's Basketball Positional Preview - The Frontcourt
Friday, October 31
Men's Basketball Positional Preview - The Backcourt
Friday, October 31
Troy vs. ULM (Full Highlights)
Friday, October 31
Women's Basketball Positional Preview - Freshmen
Thursday, October 30