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  • Baylor Softball opens 2025 among nation’s top 25 after near-WCWS finish a year ago

    // Posted In Athletics, Honors

    Close-up of Shaylon Govan at bat

    When Baylor Softball last took the field in the 2024 Super Regional, they were pushing the nation’s No. 4 seed, the Florida Gators, to the brink despite entering the postseason dramatically shorthanded due to injuries. Those challenges failed to break the 2024 Bears, and the program enters 2025 poised to build on that experience in the new season.

    With a roster featuring two preseason All-Big 12 selections, lauded newcomers and a number of stars returning from that 2024 campaign, head coach Glenn Moore’s squad begins his 25th season at Baylor nationally ranked: No. 19 in the ESPN/USA Softball poll and No. 21 in the D1Softball preseason poll. In a stacked Big 12 Conference, they’re picked 4th in the preseason poll. Such recognition is a sign of what experts believe Baylor can do when healthy.

    For the Bears, it starts with Shaylon Govan — a respected leader, unanimous 2024 all-American, and 2025 preseason All-American. One of the nation’s most feared hitters, Govan led the country with a .579 on-base percentage in 2024 and delivered a top-10 .444 batting average along with 11 homers. She begins the year on the Preseason All-Big 12 team along with new teammate Turiya Coleman, who joined Baylor after setting program records in batting average and on-base percentage last year at Houston. Both are among D1Softball’s top 100 players in the country for 2025.

    Much of the additional intrigue around this year’s team involves players returning from injury. Dariana Orme, a former USA Softball Top 50 Player of the Year and pitching ace, appeared in only three games last year due to injury. Moore stresses patience as Orme works back into the rotation this year, but is excited about what she can bring to the rotation, along with numerous other young pitchers who missed time to injury. They’ll be joined by newcomer Lillie Walker, a left-handed pitcher who was a key part of Duke’s World Series run before transferring to Baylor.

    The season begins Thursday in College Station at the Aggie Classic, with Baylor’s first home games coming the following weekend in the Getterman Classic — including matchups against four-time reigning national champion Oklahoma Sooners. Tickets are on sale now.

    Sic ’em, Baylor Softball!