FSU softball looks to climb back atop the ACC in 2025, but they are not the favorites to win, according to ACC Coaches. The Noles finished right behind the ACC defending champion Duke Blue Devils.
FSU totaled 193 points to 183 for the Noles. Duke received 11 first-place votes, and FSU had the other four, with no other teams receiving first-place votes.
Jaysoni, Jahni and Michaela earn Preseason All-ACC honors, and the Noles were picked to finish second in the league🍢
— Florida State Softball 🥎 (@FSU_Softball) January 23, 2025
🔗https://t.co/zZUZXaiHuP#Team42 pic.twitter.com/mjYHX58SXv
Duke and FSU had three players each named to the All-ACC Preseason team. FSU split the first two games against Duke, with Duke winning the rubber match in extra-innings. The Blue Devils defeated the Noles in the ACC Tournament Finals, but FSU was without one of its best pitchers, Makenna Reid.
FSU returns a lot of offensive firepower and will return a lot of experience in the circle, while Duke lost its ace pitcher, Jala Wright. It's only right that Jaysoni Beachum and Michaela Edenfield were All-ACC Preseason selections.
However, I'm dumbfounded that Isa Torres didn't make the list. She had the third-highest batting average last year (behind Beachum and Edenfield) and was solid defensively. Jahni Kerr has had a great career at FSU thus far, but Torres had a better year as a freshman in 2024.
I wrote the three biggest questions for FSU softball going into 2025 here. I don't have a problem giving Duke the nod since they took three of four games from FSU last year, but FSU was the better offensive team and might have more pitching depth than Duke in 2025.
The two teams won't matchup until late March, and won't face the No. 3 preseason team, Virginia Tech until the regular-season finale.