Coach Valentino Season Preview

STORRS, Conn. – The UConn softball team is set to kick off the 2025 season at the Elon Softball Classic on Friday, February 7, hosted by Elon University. The Huskies will play a total of four games on the weekend, against Ohio, UNC Greensboro, Ohio State, and the host school Elon. 

UConn comes into 2025 returning a majority of their lineup from a season ago, including the reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year in Lexi Hastings (Lynchburg, Va.). The Huskies also return All-Conference players in Rosie Garcia, Payton Kinney, Grace Jenkins, and Hope Jenkins. 

UConn welcomes six newcomers to the 2025 roster, five true freshmen and one transfer. The group consists of two pitchers, two infielders, one outfielder, and one catcher. 

UConn will open the weekend on Friday, February 7 with two games. The first coming at 9:30am against Ohio, with the second coming at 2:30pm against the host school Elon. The Huskies will then play UNC Greensboro on Saturday, February 8 at 12:00pm. UConn will close out the weekend against Ohio State at 12:00pm.

Scouting the Field:

Ohio:

Ohio went 31-24 in 2024, as the Bobcats finished in second place in the MAC with an 18-8 record. Ohio is coached by Jenna Hall in her second season. The Bobcats return three All-MAC players in Skipp Miller, Mikie Lieving, and Izzie Wilson. This will be the third all-time matchup between the two programs. The first two meetings both came in the 1996 season. Ohio won the first meeting, 8-3 and UConn won the second, 2-1.

Elon:

Elon went 23-29 last season, going 15-9 in the CAA, finishing in fifth place. The Phoenix are coached by Kathy Bocock in her 14^th season. Elon returns four All-CAA players in Mauri Murray, Gabi Schaal, Allee Seering, and Greta Hessenthaler. These two programs met last season, as the Huskies shutout Elon 9-0 at the Marucci Classic (2/16/24). UConn leads the all-time series, 2-1.

UNC Greensboro:

UNC Greensboro had a 33-26 overall record in 2024, going 20-11 in the SoCon. The Spartans are coached by Janelle Breneman in her 13^th season. UNCG returns two All-Conference players, Betsy Eatmon, and Grace Loftin. UConn leads the all-time series, 2-1. 

Ohio State:  

Ohio State went 31-20 in the 2024 season, going 12-11 in the Big Ten, finishing in a tie for sixth place. Ohio State is coached by Kirin Kumar in her first season. The Buckeyes return two All-Big Ten selections to their roster in 2025 in Kami Kortokrax, and Jasmyn Burns. This will be the first meeting between the two programs since 2016. Ohio State leads the all-time series 2-1.