Virginia Tech softball travels to Columbia, S.C., this week to open the 2026 season in the Gamecock Invitational.
The Hokies will play two games against the host Gamecocks and Binghamton, plus a single game vs. Winthrop. The games vs. South Carolina will be televised on SEC Network Plus.
It will be a challenging field for the Hokies. South Carolina was one out away from making the College World Series last season, leading UCLA 4-2 in the seventh inning of the super regional before giving up three runs.
Binghamton won the America East last season with a 16-2 record and received the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. It’s the AEC coaches’ unanimous choice to repeat this season, too. Winthrop also went 30-23 last year and was picked fourth in this year’s Big South preseason poll.
South Carolina
The Gamecocks staged a stunning turnaround last year in the first season under head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard.
They started the season 20-0, including nine straight run-rule wins, and finished 44-17 with the program’s first winning season in SEC play since 2018. South Carolina nearly made the WCWS, losing to UCLA in Game 3 of a home super regional. It’s No. 12 in the preseason NFCA Coaches Poll.
The Gamecocks return their top four hitters, including senior infielder Arianna Rodi, a preseason All-SEC pick who set the program’s single-season home run record last year with 17. Here are the others:
- Quincee Lilio (r-Sr., OF): .359 average, 52 runs
- Karley Shelton (Jr., INF): .343 average, 58 runs
- Arianna Rodi (Sr., INF): .333 average, 17 HRs, 55 RBI
- Lexi Winters (Sr., C): .331 average, 53 RBI
South Carolina will need to blend in 14 newcomers, including 10 transfers. The most notable addition is junior Tori Ensley from NC State (.294 average), who is expected to be found near the top of the order.
“Our offense is bigger, faster, and definitely more powerful,” Woodard said at South Carolina’s media day. “We hit a lot of doubles, and we walked a lot last year. … With our park and our hitting style, I don’t think a lot of that is going to change, [but] I do think we have the ability to hit the ball out more.”
In the circle, All-SEC pitcher Sam Gress graduated, but senior Jori Heard (18-3, 2.79 ERA) returns and “looks better than she has ever looked,” according to Woodard. Josey Marron, a transfer from Mississippi State, started 40 games in her three years in Starkville and has “proven that she can get hitters out at a very high level,” per Woodard.
Freshman Ansley Bennett, a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in South Carolina, is also expected to contribute. Bennett was the No. 8 recruit in the country by Extra Innings Softball after leading her team to the state title with a 16-0 record with a 0.16 ERA.
“We have seven pitchers this year,” Woodard said. “I would say we’re more dynamic. We have more depth in the bullpen. Early in the season, you’ll see all seven of them.”
Woodard is beginning her second season with the Gamecocks. The South Carolina alum was named the D1Softball Coach of the Year in 2025.
Prior to USC, Woodard spent five seasons at Charlotte, where she compiled a 154-96 record that included three consecutive wins over the Hokies from 2022-24. She has heavily utilized the transfer portal at USC, bringing in eight players in 2024 — including six from Charlotte — and 10 this season.
Binghamton
Binghamton earned an NCAA bid last season after going 36-14 and sweeping both the America East regular season and tournament championships. The program is the unanimous choice to repeat as champions and returns seven preseason all-conference players. It’s also ranked No. 16 in the preseason D1Softball Mid-Major Poll.
Junior catcher Elisa Allen was the America East Player of the Year last season after batting .296 and having a slugging percentage of .852. Her 23 home runs ranked seventh nationally.
Senior first baseman Emma Lawson led the league in hitting last season (.379 average, nine home runs) and sophomore Rachel Carey was named America East Rookie of the Year after batting .309 with 11 homers and 37 RBI. They were joined on the preseason all-conference team by junior outfielder Maddy Dodig (.325 average) and junior second baseman Akira Kopec, who hit .375 in the conference tournament.
The Bearcats return over 80 percent of their innings from last season, and both of their primary pitchers were also named to the preseason all-league team. Senior lefty Brianna Roberts, the reigning America East Pitcher of the Year, went 21-4 with a 2.44 ERA and 165 strikeouts in 157 ⅔ innings. She was joined on the preseason all-conference team by senior right-handed pitcher Olivia Kennedy (10-8, 2.92 ERA).
Jess Bump is beginning her fifth season as head coach at Binghamton. She has won back-to-back America East Coach of the Year awards and has an overall record of 122-75 (.619), with a conference record of 50-23 (.685).
Winthrop
Winthrop was 30-23 last year. The game against the Hokies will be its opening game of the 2026 season, though it will be Tech’s third game of the year.
The Eagles return three of their top four hitters from last season:
- Peyton Bryden (Jr., INF): .302 average, 5 HRs, 20 RBI
- Katie Beck (So., P/U): .281 average, 11 HRs, 35 RBI
- Tia Beckham (Jr., OF): .275 average, 10 HRs, 40 RBI
Beckman was Winthrop’s sole representative on the conference’s preseason team. She was named the Big South’s Newcomer of the Year last season after transferring from NC State.
In the circle, the Eagles will have to replace the Big South’s Player of the Year Megan Powell. Junior Lonna Addison (11-6, 2.92 ERA) appears to be the most likely candidate.
Kendall Fuller is beginning her third season as the head coach at Winthrop. Although her overall record is 56-52, she has led the Eagles to the Big South Tournament championship game in both seasons. She previously spent three years as the head coach at D-II Lees-McRae and five seasons on the staff at Winthrop from 2013-18.
Here is the tale of the tape:
