AUGUSTA, GA -- The Peach Belt Conference has issued the 2025 softball season preview consisting of the coaches' preseason poll and the preseason All-Conference team.

Columbus State is the top team in the coaches' poll with four first-place votes and 60 total points. The Cougars finished second in the PBC regular-season standings last year and then captured the PBC Tournament title for the first time since 2013.

North Georgia is second in the coaches poll with two first-place votes and 55 total points, just ahead of Flagler in third.

The preseason coaches poll is below, followed by the All-Conference team. Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams in the poll or vote for their own players.

Peach Belt Softball
Preseason Coaches Poll
 

Rank	Team	Points
1.	Columbus State (4)	60
2.	North Georgia (2)	55
3.	Flagler	52
4.	Lander	47
5.	USC Aiken	32
6.	Georgia Southwestern	27
7.	Georgia College & State University	24
8.	USC Beaufort	14
9.	Augusta	13

Peach Belt Softball
Preseason All-Conference Team

1b - Mallory Shaver, USC Aiken

• A senior from Mint Hill, N.C.
• A PBC second-team All-Conference selection in 2024...led the team and was ranked sixth in the PBC with a .398 batting average...also sixth in the league in slugging percentage and third in on-base percentage
• Had two home runs and five RBIs in the PBC Tournament...10 homers and 32 RBIs on the season...had 10 multi-RBI games

2b - Bobbi Poff, Augusta

• A senior from Perry, Ga.
• Made 43 starts and appeared in 44 games for the Jaguars...hit .315 with nine doubles, five home runs and 18 RBIs...was second on the team with 45 total hits and third with a .483 slugging percentage
• Made only five errors in 160 chances at second base for a .969 fielding percentage and helped turn seven double plays

3b - Bailee Roberts, Augusta

• A senior from Statesboro, Ga.
• A 2024 PBC first-team All-Conference selection...led the team and was seventh in the league with a .397 batting average...had seven home runs and team-high 33 RBIs
• Led the team with a .644 slugging percentage...hit .411 in conference games which is fifth in the PBC...had 18 multi-hit games and 11 multi-RBI games

3b - Kam Caldwell, GCSU

• A senior from Athens, Ga.
• A 2024 PBC first-team All-Conference selection...appeared in 49 games with 46 starts...hit .409 with two home runs and 29 RBIs...ranked third in the PBC in batting average
• Tied for the league lead with 25 stolen bases in 26 attempts...ranked eighth in the league in on-base percentage and was tied for fourth with 15 doubles

SS - Sydney Stewart, Flagler

• A senior from Fortson, Ga.
• A PBC first-team All-Conference selection...started all 59 games for the Saints, hitting .389 with nine home runs and 45 RBIs...led the PBC and tied for 19th in NCAA Division II with 19 doubles on the season
• Led the PBC in total hits with 75 and was second in runs scored, ninth in RBI and tied for second in triples...led the team with 13 stolen bases

C -Karlie Gutierrez, GCSU

• A sophomore from Newnan, Ga.
• 2024 PBC Freshman of the Year, she was also a second-team All-Conference selection...led the PBC with a .410 batting average
• Twice named the PBC Freshman of the Week and twice the PBC Player of the Week, she was second in the PBC with 64 RBIs and a .763 slugging percentage...tied for fifth with 13 home runs

OF - Emily Allen, Lander

• A junior from Mount Dora, Fla.
• A first-team All-Conference selection, she was also named first-team All-Region by NFCA and D2CCA...hit .408 in 49 games last season with 13 home runs and 39 RBIs
• Ranked second in the PBC in batting average, tied for fifth in home runs and was seventh in runs scored...named PBC Player of the Week on March 25

OF - Kyla Knier, Flagler

• A senior from Stuart, Fla.
• Made 56 starts and played in 58 games last season, hitting .296 with seven doubles, eight home runs and 35 RBIs
• Hit safely in 38 games with 11 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI outings

OF - Ashlyn Rogers, Georgia Southwestern

• A senior from Madison, Fla.
• Made 53 starts and appeared in 54 games for the Hurricanes...hit .327 with 14 home runs and 40 RBIs...led the team in home runs, RBIs and slugging percentage
• Tied for third in the PBC in home runs was 10th in RBIs...two mulit-home run games and 15 multi-RBI outings

UT - Kate Newberry, USC Aiken

• A sophomore from Watkinsville, Ga.
• Hit .336 with 11 home runs and 31 RBIs as a freshman...also made two pitching apperances...named the PBC Freshman of the Week three times in 2024
• Had six multi-RBI games last season including five against Erskine...ranked ninth in the PBC in slugging percentage

P - Payton Baker, USC Aiken

• A senior from Denver, N.C.
• A PBC first-team All-Conference selection last year and twice named the PBC Pitcher of the Week...went 14-11 in 25 starts and 34 appearances with a 2.93 ERA and 165 strikeouts...had a 1.41 ERA in conference games
• A CSC Academic All-District selection...threw 19 complete games and was in on two shutouts...ranked third in the PBC in strikeouts, fourth in ERA and second in innings pitched