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SB: 2026 Season Preview

With the 2026 Georgia Softball season set to kick off this weekend, please review the information below for a season outlook and guide to coverage.

SEASON OUTLOOK

The 2026 season will be the 30th of Georgia softball in Athens and the fifth under the direction of head coach Tony Baldwin. The Bulldogs have 12 returners from last season’s Super Regional team but still field a young roster, with 13 of the 24 student-athletes freshmen or sophomores. 

Emily Digby returns to the infield for her junior year after starting 57 games at shortstop in 2025. She hit .299, scattering 46 hits in 154 at-bats before batting .500 in the NCAA Tournament (9-for-18). Senior Tyler Ellison will also defend the middle after making 45 starts at second and hitting .273 on the year. Sophomore Mua Williams secured a starting spot at third as a true freshman last season, but Texas Tech transfer Bailey Lindemuth joins the Bulldogs this year after she hit .395 with 50 hits and 32 RBIs in 68 starts. Transfer Keirstin Roose will likely start at the opposite corner after playing four years at Coastal Carolina. Roose started in 61 games for the Chanticleers last season, batting .368 on the year with 67 hits — including 15 home runs — 46 runs and 54 RBIs. 

The outfield will likely be filled by veterans Jaydyn Goodwin and Sarah Gordon in the corners, as well as transfer Delani Sullivan. Goodwin led last year’s team with 189 at-bats, 65 hits, 46 runs, 12 home runs and 122 total bases while Gordon led the Bulldogs with 48 RBIs, scattering 59 hits and 100 total bases. Junior Emma Castorri, transfer senior Natalie Ray and freshman Natalie Donaldson will also see time.

Georgia will have a lot of experience behind the plate with returning seniors Marisa Miller and Gordon. Miller made a huge impact behind the dish last season, starting in 49 games and committing just one error for a .996 fielding percentage. She also led the SEC in runners caught stealing with 10 and finished the season with nine multi-hit games and four multi-RBI games.

With the departure of left-handed pitcher Lilli Backes, returning junior Randi Roelling will return in the circle this season. In her first season with the Bulldogs, the left-handed pitcher made 25 starts and finished the season with a 3.53 ERA, 11-9 record, and four saves. Right-handed pitcher Destin Howard also returns to Athens and will look for more time this season as she appeared in 14 games with one start last season. The Bulldogs added transfer right-handed pitchers Addisen Fisher (UCLA) and Maddie Johnson (Georgia Southern). Fisher posted a 16-2 record with a 2.59 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 100 strikeouts in her freshman campaign. She also competed for Team USA at the WBSC U-18 World Cup where she was the only Team USA pitcher to throw a complete game. Johnson, an Athens, Ga. native, made 30 appearances in her freshman season with a conference-best 2.03 ERA in 145.0 innings of work. Freshman Presley Harrison and Ada Little could also see time in the circle this season. 

PRESEASON RANKINGS

The Bulldogs have checked into the top 20 of every major collegiate softball preseason poll listed below:

NFCA/GoRout Division 1 Coaches Poll: 20
ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25: 15
D1Softball Poll: 17
Softball America Poll: 15

Several Bulldogs also featured in both the D1Softball and Softball America preseason player rankings.

ADDISEN FISHER // Sophomore // RHP

• Ranked as the No. 93 player in the Softball America preseason Top 100 player rankings
• Ranked as the No. 74 player in the D1Softball preseason D100 player rankings
• Ranked as the No. 23 pitcher in the Softball America preseason pitcher rankings
• Ranked as the No. 25 pitcher in the D1Softball preseason pitcher rankings
• Named to the 2026 USA Softball preseason Player of the Year watch list

JAYDYN GOODWIN // Senior // INF/OF

• Ranked as the No. 52 player in the D1Softball preseason D100 player rankings
• Ranked as the No. 12 outfielder in the D1Softball preseason outfielder rankings
• Ranked as the No. 20 outfielder in the Softball America preseason outfielder rankings

SARAH GORDON // Senior // UTL/C

• Ranked as the No. 78 player in the Softball America preseason Top 100 player rankings
• Ranked as the No. 67 player in the D1Softball preseason D100 player rankings
• Ranked as the No. 8 utility player in the Softball America preseason utility player rankings
• Ranked as the No. 14 outfielder in the D1Softball preseason outfielder rankings

PRESLEY HARRISON // Freshman // RHP

• Named to D1Softball’s D100 preseason freshman watch list
• Named to Softball America’s preseason SEC freshman watch list

AVA LITTLE // Freshman // LHP

• Named to D1Softball’s D100 preseason freshman watch list
• Named to Softball America’s preseason SEC freshman watch list

GABI NOVICKAS // Freshman // INF

• Named to D1Softball’s D100 preseason freshman watch list

BROOKE SMITH // Freshman // INF

• Named to Softball America’s preseason SEC freshman watch list

SPRING ADDITION

To kick off the spring campaign, head coach Tony Baldwin announced the signing of North Georgia and Ole Miss transfer Natalie Ray, a native of Covington, Ga. A complete bio can be found below:

NATALIE RAY, OF, JR, 5-8
Covington, Ga., Eastside HS, North Georgia, Ole Miss

Junior // North Georgia
Played and started 60 games for the Nighthawks … batted .413 on the back of 78 hits … scored 60 runs … also tallied 15 doubles, three triples and 14 homers (third-most on team) … slugged .746 on the season … reached base on a team-high .484 clip (minimum 10 starts) … recorded 20 multi-hit games … had season-high four-RBI performances against Miles College and Augusta University … tied for team-low eight strikeouts on the season (minimum 10 starts) … commanded a 16-game hitting streak … earned Peach Belt Conference Team of Academic Distinction … also a Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association first team All-American … selected to National Fastpitch Coaches Association Southeast All-Region second team … Peach Belt Conference All-Tournament Team and All-Conference Team

Sophomore // North Georgia
Transferred to North Georgia prior to the 2024 season … Division 2 Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award … National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Scholar Athlete … Peach Belt Conference Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar 

Freshman // Ole Miss
Enrolled at Ole Miss in the fall of 2022 … played in 23 games making nine starts … batted .323 on the season with 10 hits … also walked three times … reached base on a .417-clip … slugged .323 with four RBIs … recorded first career multi-hit game against Southeast Missouri State … posted a five-game hitting streak during the Ole Miss Classic going 6-for-13 … went 1-1 with an RBI single, walk and stolen base in first career start

High School
Four-time letterwinner for Eastside High School Eagles … ranked as the #24 prospect and #9 outfielder in her class by Extra Inning Softball … GHSA first-team All-State selection all four years … selected as the region player of the year as a freshman and sophomore … batted .512 with 10 doubles, three triples and nine homers with 23 RBIs as a senior … as a junior, batted .487 with nine doubles, seven triples and seven home runs with 28 RBIs … posted a .461 average with seven doubles, four triples and two solo shots paired with 15 RBIs as a sophomore … batted .432 on top of eight doubles, two triples and a homer as a freshman with 17 RBIs … also played for Georgia Impact Premier

Personal 
Daughter of Jonathan and Jessica Ray … Born Sept. 16, 2003 … Two sisters, Caitlin and Claire

SEC OUTLOOK

Prior to the 2026 SEC Softball season, following a vote by the 15 conference coaches, Texas was picked to finish first. The complete predictive standings are found below:

1. Texas (9)
2. Oklahoma (6)
3. Tennessee
4. Florida
5. Arkansas
6. Texas A&M
7. LSU
8. Georgia
9. Alabama
10. South Carolina
11. Mississippi State
12. Auburn
13. Ole Miss
14. Missouri
15. Kentucky

ON THE NATIONAL STAGE

The Bulldogs will hit the national networks nine times before the postseason. A complete television guide is found below: (Note – all games not listed below are streamed live on ESPN+)

2/12/26 – Georgia vs. Oklahoma State (Clearwater Invitational) – 11 AM – SECN
2/13/26 – Georgia vs. NC State (Clearwater Invitational) – 9 AM – SECN
3/20/26 – Georgia vs. Mississippi State (SEC) – 6 PM – SECN
4/4/26 – Georgia @ Texas A&M – 1:30 PM – SECN
4/18/26 – Georgia vs. Texas – 4 PM – SECN
4/19/26 – Georgia vs. Texas – 12 PM – ESPN2
4/20/26 – Georgia vs. Texas – 7 PM – SECN
4/25/26 – Georgia @ Oklahoma – 2:30 PM – ESPN2
5/2/26 – Georgia vs. Florida – 12 PM – ESPN
5/5/26-5/9/26 – SEC Tournament – TBA – SECN/ESPN
5/15/26-5/17/26 – NCAA Regionals – TBA – TBA
5/21/26-5/24/26 – NCAA Super Regionals – TBA – TBA
5/28/26-6/5/26 – WCWS – TBA – TBA

BSB: Georgia on National TV

Nine baseball games involving the University of Georgia will be featured on national television across the ABC/ESPN family of networks during the 2026 regular season, the Southeastern Conference announced Tuesday.

The first national broadcast will be during the SEC opening weekend home series against Tennessee. The SEC Network will showcase the Saturday, March 14th, contest at 5 p.m. This will be the first of six games televised at Foley Field as part of the SEC/ESPN television package. Two of Georgia’s home games with Florida in April will be televised at noon. The April 11^th game will be broadcast on ESPN2, while the April 12^th contest will be on the SEC Network. On May 3^rd, the Georgia-Missouri game will start at noon on the SEC Network. Also, the final two games of the LSU series here will appear on the SEC Network. The May 9^th game will begin at 7 p.m., while the May 10^th contest starts at 3 p.m.

Additionally, the Bulldogs will appear on national television three times on the road. The March 22^nd game at Texas A&M will begin at 4 p.m. on the SEC Network. The April 16^th game at Arkansas will begin at 8 p.m. ET on ESPNU. On April 25^th, Georgia will play at Ole Miss at 2 p.m. on the SEC Network.

Also, four games on the final weekend of the regular season (May 14-16) will be televised as “wildcard” selections based on the SEC race. All 15 games of the SEC Tournament are slated to be televised May 19-24. The first 14 games will air on the SEC Network, while the SEC Tournament Championship Game will air on ABC for the first time at 2 p.m. ET.

All other home and road SEC games involving the Bulldogs will be available to stream via SEC Network+. Georgia’s SECN+ duo of Matt Stewart and Jason Jacobs once again will call the action from Foley Field.

In other baseball news released Tuesday, Georgia junior pitcher Joey Volchko has been named a second-team preseason All-American by Baseball America, as voted on by scouting departments of major league organizations. Volchko is on the watch list for Baseball America Pitcher of the Year. Also, the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Top 25 preseason baseball poll was released, and the Bulldogs were ranked No. 13.

The Bulldogs have been ranked as high as No. 6 in the preseason top 25 polls. Georgia will open the 2026 season on Friday, Feb. 13, against Wright State. Every Georgia baseball game will be available on the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network, featuring the veteran broadcast team of Jeff Dantzler and David Johnston. 

Information on single-game non-conference tickets for the action at Foley Field can be found at this link: https://georgiadogs.evenue.net/events/BBSINGLE

Georgia’s Nine Nationally Televised Games In 2026
March 14 vs. Tennessee, 5 pm ET (SECN)
March 22 @ Texas A&M, 4 pm ET (SECN)
Apr. 11 vs. Florida, Noon ET (ESPN2)
Apr. 12 vs. Florida, Noon ET (SECN)
Apr. 16 @ Arkansas, 8 pm ET (ESPNU)
Apr. 25 @ Ole Miss, 2 pm ET (SECN)
May 3 vs. Missouri, Noon ET (SECN)
May 9 vs. LSU, 7 pm ET (SECN)
May 10 vs. LSU, 3 pm ET (SECN)

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