2025 Softball Season Preview
2024 record: 21-27 (10-14 Heart)
Starters returning/lost: 2/7 fielders; 3/0 pitchers
Letterwinners returning/lost: 11/11
Notable returners:
Chelsey Huff, Sr., Douds, Iowa
(Honorable-mention all-Heart, 11-13 record, 2.94 ERA, 140 1/3 IP, 124 K)
Laila Smith, So., Olympia, Wash.
(Honorable-mention all-Heart, .303 BA, 6 HR, 21 RBI, 28 R)
Peyton Naranjo, So., Ripon, Calif.
(Second-team all-Heart, .352 BA, 15 RBI, 8 R)
Tori Smith, So., Olympia, Wash.
(Letterwinner, .306 BA, 6-3 record, 58 1/3 innings)
Notable losses:
Abby Wilson
(All-Heart)
Allyson Stewart
(All-Heart)
Charley Geguzis
(Letterwinner)
Nayely Martinez
(Letterwinner)
Notable newcomers:
Madie Anderson, Sr., Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Laila Pelds, Jr., Pleasant Hill, Iowa
Marin Frazee, So., Sioux City, Iowa
Rylee Riesberg, So., Ankeny, Iowa
Fresh faces will blend with returning talent as the William Penn softball team hits the diamond looking for renewed success in 2025.
Second-year Head Coach Laura North led the Statesmen to a 21-27 record (10-14 Heart) in her first season at the helm. The squad narrowly missed qualifying for the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship.
A returning trio of all-conference performers will guide the navy and gold this spring, including second-teamer Peyton Naranjo (So., Ripon, Calif., Biology) and honorable-mention performers Laila Smith (So., Olympia, Wash., Elementary Education) and Chelsey Huff (Sr., Douds, Iowa, Exercise Science).
Pitcher
Huff again served as the staff ace last year, posting an 11-13 record with a 2.94 Earned Run Average in 140 1/3 innings. She struck out 124 batters and walked just 29.
Madie Anderson (Sr., Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Elementary Education) enters as a newcomer who is expected to combine with Huff to make a formidable 1-2 punch in the pitching circle.
Huff will also get in the lineup as a designated player after owning a .301 batting average in 2024, highlighted by two home runs, 20 RBIs, and 12 runs scored.
Catcher
Laila Smith is slated to be on the receiving end of the Statesmen battery after hitting .303 with team bests in home runs (6), RBIs (21), and runs scored (28).
Fellow returner Madeline Pierce (Sr., McClelland, Iowa, Biology) played sparingly a year ago, but should see extended time behind the plate in 2024.
Freshman Erin Dawson (Fr., Delta, Iowa, Psychology and Sociology) has also been impressive in the preseason and could work herself into some lineups.
First Base
Tori Smith (So., Olympia, Wash., Secondary Education) had a strong freshman campaign that included a .306 batting average.
The sophomore will battle with newcomer Laila Pelds (Sr., Pleasant Hill, Iowa, Elementary Education) for the starting slot.
Abby Thompson (Sr., Keokuk, Iowa, Secondary Education) is in the mix as well; she saw the field a few times as junior transfer.
Second Base
Freshman Jessica Lathrop (Fr., Ankeny, Iowa, Exercise Science) holds the inside track to be the starter at second base, but Laila Smith, when not catching, has thrown her proverbial hat in the ring as well.
Shortstop
Newcomer Marin Frazee (So., Sioux City, Iowa, Exercise Science) is the projected starter at shortstop with returner Ella Pierce (Sr., McClelland, Iowa, Business Management) giving her strong competition. Pierce played and started in 21 contests in 2024.
Third Base
The hot corner is still up for grabs, but new transfer Kya Butler (Jr., Newton, Iowa, Sports Management) is the likely candidate to be penciled in.
She will receive a battle from Ella Pierce as well as newcomer Niyah Tyroum (Fr., Tacoma, Wash., Business Management).
Outfield
The owner of a team-high .352 batting average from a year ago, Naranjo will guide an outfield that will also feature returners Bailee Rinn (Jr., Omaha, Neb., Biology) and Katie Shewry (So., Ottumwa, Iowa, Nursing) and newcomers Rylee Riesberg (So., Ankeny, Iowa, Exercise Science) and Elyse Rios (So., Iowa City, Iowa, Business Management).
Rinn served primarily as a baserunner, going a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen bases to lead all returners in that department.
Schedule
William Penn will spend its first few weeks of the year indoors at dome tournaments in Sioux Center and Rosemont, Ill. The squad's home opener will be March 4 against St. Ambrose, while its Heart slate starts on March 22 at Missouri Valley. A spring break trip to Arizona will also allow the Statesmen to play 10 games in mid-March.
WPU, which is set to host 14 games this spring, will be vying for a spot in the eight-team Heart Championship that will be held May 1-4 in Cedar Rapids.
