Thursday, February 6
Orlando, Fla.
10am
NC State
vs
CSU Bakersfield
Softball Set to Open 2025 Campaign at Black and Gold Classic Hosted by UCF
2/3/2025 12:36:00 PM | Softball
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The NC State softball team is set to begin its 2025 campaign on Thursday, Feb. 6 against CSU Bakersfield at the Black and Gold Classic hosted by UCF. The Pack will play a total of five games in three days to kick off the season.
Game one on Thursday is set for 10am against the Roadrunners with game two beginning at 12:30pm against #12/14 Georgia. All five games will be streamed on ESPN+.Â
The Basics of the Weekend
Game one on Thursday is set for 10am against the Roadrunners with game two beginning at 12:30pm against #12/14 Georgia. All five games will be streamed on ESPN+.Â
The Basics of the Weekend
- The Wolfpack will open the season in Florida for the 12th time in program history.
- The meeting with the Roadrunners marks the first ever between the two programs.
- NC State will dance with the Bulldogs for the seventh time in program history. Georgia holds a 4-2 advantage in the series.
- The Pack will face JMU twice in Orlando - once on Friday and Sunday. Friday marks the 12th meeting between the two programs and the Dukes have won the last three meetings. NC State leads the overall series, 7-4.
- The Pack will face host Central Florida on Friday for just the second time in program history. NC State won the initial meeting in 2008.
- in game one on Thursday would be the first win of the 2025 campaign
- in game one on Thursday would mark the 12th season opener won in program history
- would be the first season opener win under head coach Lindsay Leftwich
- The Pack retained 16 players from the 2024 squad and added nine newbies.
- NC State picked up three athletes in the portal that come from other well-known programs -- Ellington Whitaker (Baylor), Hannah Church (Ohio State), Teagan Thrunk (Virginia Tech).
- Leftwich also signed six freshman to the roster -- Kam Munson, Taryn Massey, Haley Carder, Anna McGowan, Lisey St. Jean, Kendall Simmers.
- 2024 marked the first season under the leadership of head coach Lindsay Leftwich, who was hired in June 2023.
- In her first season at the helm, Leftwich (aka Lefty) put the Wolfpack on notice for several reasons.
- She was the only first year Power Five (prior to conference realignment taking effect) head coach to have multiple top-25 wins under their belt.
- In addition, she was the only first year P5 coach to have a winning record.
- Lefty helped lead the program to at least 30 wins, marking the first season since 2021 for this to occur for the Pack.
- In 2024, the Wolfpack was the only school in the ACC to record at least 10 more wins than during the 2023 season.
- The final note of significance from her first season at the helm? Her program had the highest RPI out of any with a head coach in their first season during 2024.
- Under her leadership, she helped several athletes on the Pack's roster improve their batting average as well as extra base hit number increase (Madison Inscoe, Taylor Ensley, Michele Tarpey).
- The Wolfpack offense proved its dominance in 2024, finishing the season with: 61 home runs, 73 stolen bases, 254 RBI's, and 268 runs scored.
- Despite losing one of its best hitters to the transfer portal, NC State returns 67 percent (41-of-61) of its home runs, 74 percent (187-of-254) of its RBI's, 69 percent (185-of-268) of its runs scored, and 64 percent (47-of-73)of its stolen bases.
- Senior Taylor Ensley could be one to lead the charge this season after finishing her junior campaign with 11 homers, 11 doubles, 30 runs, 43 RBI's, and 50 hits.
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP/UTL
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
C/IF
/ Softball#BehindThe20 with former Pack Stars Abbie Sims and Renada Davis
Wednesday, April 24
Softball: Players Presser (2/15)
Thursday, February 15
Softball: Coach Leftwich Presser (2/15)
Thursday, February 15
EmpowHER with Aisha Weixlmann #Shorts #NCState #GoPack
Monday, October 16