One year after coming within an out of advancing to the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time in program history, preseason expectations have never been higher for Liberty softball.
On Monday, the Lady Flames earned their highest preseason ranking in program history, landing at No. 20 in Softball America's debut poll for the 2025 season. They were the highest-ranked team from the Commonwealth, with Virginia Tech at No. 22, and earned the best ranking of any non-power conference program in the country.
The distinction comes one season following Liberty's closest run-in to a berth in the Super Regionals, the round of the NCAA Tournament that has evaded the program despite strong teams in recent seasons.
Last May, after downing then-No. 11 Georgia on Saturday of the Athens Regional, Liberty advanced to its fourth regional final ever. The next day, the Bulldogs upended the Lady Flames twice, including on a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh to take the win-or-go-home finale.
Liberty led 2-1, and needed just one final out before Georgia hit its way to a 3-2 victory.
Expectations are higher for the Lady Flames to break through, however, because of what they return.
Six of the nine starting hitters from the regional final are back, including outfielder Rachel Roupe. Liberty has all of its top arms from a season ago back, including Kaylan Yoder and Elena Escobar.
The Lady Flames have become a mainstay in the NCAA Regional rounds in recent years, as only one of three programs in the non-power conferences with trips to the last four regionals. They've been in consecutive finals, yet haven't crossed the finish line under coach Dot Richardson into the Super Regionals.
"You want to be able to let that fuel you," Richardson told the Liberty Flames Sports Network in the fall, referring to the Georgia loss. "We have to learn from our past. We were right there, but the talent's there."
Liberty begins its season Feb. 7 against Radford at THE Spring Games in Leesburg, Florida.
Trio named to D1 Softball's top 100
A trio of standouts with connections to Central Virginia were recognized Monday as being among college softball's best when D1 Softball announced its top 100 players entering the 2025 season.
University of Virginia pitcher and Rustburg graduate Eden Bigham, Virginia Tech pitcher and Jefferson Forest graduate Emma Lemley, and Liberty's Roupe were all named to the outlet's preseason top 100.
Bigham led the trio at No. 39, three spots ahead of Roupe at No. 42, while Lemley came in at No. 65.
After once starring in the Seminole District, Bigham and Lemley were among the ACC's best pitchers last season.
At UVa, Bigham ranked second in the league in strikeouts with 182 and posted six complete-game shutouts during her sophomore season. She was named the player of the week twice in the ACC, and finished with a 2.44 ERA and a 16-8 record.
Before pitching for the 'Hoos, Bigham twirled Rustburg to the 2021 state championship, and posted a school record — once held by her mom and coach, Katie Bigham — for strikeouts, with 852 in her career.
Lemley pitched her way to all-ACC second-team honors last season with a 13-5 record an a 2.64 ERA. She won her 50th career game and is over 630 strikeouts in her three seasons in Blacksburg.
While at JF, Lemley held a 0.80 career ERA with an average of two strikeouts per inning.
For Liberty, Roupe was an offensive force with a Conference USA-best on-base percentage (.509) and on-base plus slugging percentage (1.273). She had 17 doubles and 17 homers in 2024, and was a first-team member on CUSA's all-conference teams.
It's the second top 100 list of the offseason for both Roupe and Bigham. The Flames outfielder was ranked No. 38 when Softball America named its top 100 last week, while Bigham came in at No. 41.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Pennix pledges to Southern Miss.
Former Appomattox County High standout Jonathan Pennix will have a new home in 2025. After two years at Virginia Tech, the defensive back announced Monday he is transferring to Southern Mississippi.
The Concord native announced his decision on X. Pennix spent the last two seasons with the Hokies, redshirting in 2023 before appearing in 11 games this past season, primarily on special teams. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.
Pennix stayed with the Hokies throughout the Dukes Mayo Bowl. He played nine snaps at cornerback in 2024, but recovered a fumble on special teams in December's bowl loss to Minnesota.
Before his two seasons in Blacksburg, Pennix was a two-way star under coach Doug Smith, helping the Raiders to back-to-back state titles as a freshman and sophomore.
As a senior, he rushed for 1,210 yards and 22 touchdowns to go with 18 catches for 335 receptions and three more scores. He was a four-time all-Region 2C selection at defensive back, and was a three-time selection at running back.