BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team has been predicted to finish fourth in the Mountain East Conference South Division with the release of the MEC Preseason Coaches' Poll Tuesday afternoon.
THE POLL
| Place |
Team (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
Charleston (8) |
53 |
| 2. |
Davis & Elkins (3) |
47 |
| 3. |
Glenville State |
34 |
| 4. |
Concord |
29 |
| 5. |
West Virginia Wesleyan |
18 |
| 6. |
West Virginia State |
15 |
MEC NORTH POLL: Fairmont State (8) - 44; Frostburg State (3) - 37; West Liberty - 29; Wheeling - 16; Point Park - 14
2024 REVIEW
CU finished the year at 27-27 as it qualified for the Mountain East Conference Tournament for the first time in three years. The Mountain Lions concluded the conference slate at 13-17 as it finished fourth in the MEC South Division. Among the highlight wins was a road victory over nationally-ranked Charleston. Concord also started the year 7-1 with the only loss coming in the first game of the season at Tusculum. Infielders
Courtney Raines and
Kylee Stacy were all-region selections for the Maroon and Gray as Stacy was a First Team All-MEC performer.
2025 SCHEDULE
The spring season is slated to get underway in just three days when CU travels to Carson-Newman for games against C-N and Kentucky State Friday and Saturday. Concord plays its earliest home opener in program history when it welcomes California (Pa.) to Athens February 8-9 for a four-game set. Belmont Abbey and Walsh visit Concord February 14-15. Six games await the Mountain Lions March 7-9 in Clermont, Florida. Thirty MEC games follow with the first date being at Charleston March 15. The Maroon and Gray has a season-long 12-game homestand March 29-April 9. The season wraps up at home April 26 versus Davis & Elkins.
THE RETURNERS
Fourth-year head coach
Alyssa Morris is forced to replace the production of Stacy who hit .439 with 42 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. However, Raines returns to the heart of the Concord order after a breakout junior campaign that saw her bat .353 with 19 extra-base hits (16 doubles, third most in the MEC) and a team-best 40 RBI. Junior pitcher/infielder
Madison Hollis was steady in both the circle and at the plate for CU. As a hitter, Hollis batted .327 with a .467 slugging percentage and 28 RBI. Hollis won 10 games in the circle, sporting a 3.64 ERA over 121 innings. Sophomore pitcher
Josi Ervin is expected to see more usage in 2025 after going 4-5 in 103 innings last spring. She struck out a team-best 67 batters. Other offensive threats include junior infielder
Lacie Lewis who had a strong sophomore campaign going when it abruptly ended in late March due to a season-ending injury. But, Lewis batted .349 with five home runs, nine doubles and 25 RBI in 28 contests. Sophomore infielder
Kendall Morgan (28) and junior catcher/utility
Morgan Gleason (16) combined to drive in 44 runs.
THE NEWCOMERS
A mixture of transfers and freshmen highlight the 11 new faces for the Mountain Lions. Junior outfielder
Alina Giles (Corona, Calif.) comes to southern West Virginia from Concordia Irvine, a Division II school in southern California, after appearing in 24 games over her first two seasons of college action. Sophomore catcher/outfielder
Mikayla Hose (Fairmont, W.Va.) saw action at Davis & Elkins while sophomore outfielder
Savannah Brehm (Mullens, W.Va.) did the same at fellow MEC school Glenville State. And junior catcher/utility
Gianna Sloan-Lebron (Roanoke, Va.) comes from nearby Bluefield University, bringing more than 200 career at-bats and a better than .300 average (.309/68-220), to Athens.
The freshmen class is made up of pitcher/outfielder
Abriel Fields (Prince George, Va./Prince George HS), outfielder
Olivia Gorcica (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield HS), pitcher/outfielder
Reghan Hintz (Melfa, Va./Nandua HS), utility
Blake Jamerson (Mechanicsville,Va./Atlee HS), pitcher/first base
Emma Johnson (Princeton, W.Va./Princeton HS), utility
Kristy McCord (Maryville, Tenn/Maryville HS) and pitcher/utility
Mahailey Nicholson (Newton, W.Va./Roane County HS)
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