The 2026 softball season is just around the corner, and Dot Richardson’s Lady Flames will begin the season ranked No. 23 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Preseason Poll. After a historic season a year ago, Liberty opens a new campaign on Feb. 6 in the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida.
The Lady Flames finished the 2025 season with a 50-15 record, setting a new program record for single-season victories. Liberty won both the CUSA regular season and tournament titles for the second year in a row. The team made history at the 2025 NCAA Bryan-College Station Regional, winning two out of three games against No. 1 Texas A&M to earn its first ever Super Regional appearance. The Lady Flames were the first team in the Super Regional era to knock out the No. 1 national seed in the Regional round. Liberty received its highest end of year national ranking last year, being ranked No. 15 by both Softball America and D1Softball, 16th by USA Softball, and 17th by NFCA.
Liberty returns several key players including pitcher Kaylan Yoder, infielders Brynn McManus, Brooke Roberts, and Savanah Whatley, catcher Savannah Jessee, an doutfielder Paige Doerr.
This is the fourth time in program history that Liberty has appeared in the Top 25 in a preseason national poll. The Lady Flames received their first ever national Top 25 ranking in the 2019 Softball America Preseason Top 25, checking in at No. 21. Liberty was ranked No. 24 in preseason polls from D1Softball, NFCA, and Softball America in 2022. Last year, the Lady Flames were ranked in the Top 25 preseason polls by both Softball America (20) and D1Softball (24).
Under 13th year head coach Dot Richardson, Liberty will face two Women’s College World Series teams from last year in Oregon and Tennessee. Liberty opens the season on Feb. 6 against No. 4 Tennessee before taking on No. 12 Clemson later that day. A rematch of the 2025 Eugene Super Regional takes place on Feb. 7, as Liberty takes on No. 5 Oregon, following a matchup with Missouri. The Lady Flames close out the opening weekend on Sunday against Notre Dame.
