State of the Florida program: Softball

(UAA Photo)

Tim Walton has spent the last 21 years spoiling Florida softball fans to the point that any season in which the Gators fail to make it to the hallowed ground of Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series is considered a disappointment. The Gators came up one game short of making it to OKC in 2026, but making it that far with only one truly reliable pitcher is an accomplishment. Florida finished the year 52-12, forced to rely too heavily on Keagan Rothrock after Ava Brown suffered a leg injury in February. With Brown, Walton had a formidable 1-2 punch in the circle. Without her it was Rothrock and prayers.

Rothrock returns for her senior season and Brown, who gets double duty at first base and designated player, is expected to be fully recovered. The third starter is expected to be Caroline Stanton, the Gatorade National Player of the Year, who enrolled early at Florida but took a redshirt to rest her arm since Georgia plays its high school softball season in the fall. That should give the Gators an exceptional weekend rotation that keeps arms well rested.

From the 2026 Gators Walton loses All-American catcher Jocelyn Erickson and All-SEC shortstop Kenleigh Cahalan. Replacing them (combined 38 home runs, 142 RBI) won’t be easy, but the combination of returning players and an outstanding recruiting class should make the Gators serious contenders to return to OKC for the 14^th time in a Walton’s Hall of Fame career. Walton is 1,080-267 at Florida, 1203-331 counting his three seasons at Wichita State.

The Gators haven’t lost a single player to the transfer portal and Walton has only brought in one – Duke catcher Kairi Rodriguez, who is expected to be the backup to Ella Wesolowski. Rodriguez might be the only player Walton signs from the portal although there are three or four big names that he would certainly make room for if they wanted to play for the Gators.

Here is a look at the anticipated Florida softball roster for next season:

Returning starters (6)

Keagan Rothrock, RHP, SR: Led the SEC with a 30-7 record (2.57 ERA). First team All-SEC selection. Career 79-23 record with a 2.73 ERA.

Ava Brown, RHP/1B/DH, SR: When a leg injury ended her season in the circle, she was 5-0 with a 1.47 ERA. When she returned from the injury she played both first base and DH where she hit .330 with 11 homers and 40 RBI. Career pitching numbers 32-8 with 3.08 ERA. As a hitter, career .280 with 35 home runs and 110 RBI.

Cassidy McClellan, RF, SR: Hit .303 with 10 homers and 41 RBI in her first year both injury-free and as a full-time starter.

Taylor Shumaker, CF, JR: All-American who hit .445 with 18 homers and 59 RBI. Career .417 hitter with 40 home runs and 145 RBI.

Gabi Comia, 2B, JR: Hit .344 with 25 RBI and made second team All-SEC defensive team.

Townsen Thomas, LF, RSO: Spectacular defender in left field who hit .374 with six homers and 50 RBI.

Returning reserves (8)

Olivia Miller, LHP, SR: Made 30 appearances, mostly in relief (3 starts) where she compiled an 8-1 record with a 2.25 ERA. Career 15-1 with a 2.35 ERA.

Madison Walker, 1B/3B/DH, SR: Likely moves to first base in 2027. In her first year at UF after transferring from Missouri, hit .336 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI. Played in 57 games with 46 starts.

Ella Wesolowski, C/OF, SR: Got 41 starts at catcher and right field where she hit .262 with five homers and 23 RBI. Spent her first two seasons at Mississippi State.

Allison Sparkman, RHP, SR: Florida Gulf Coast transfer who pitched in 12 games with one start, 0-0 record and a 2.39 ERA.

Katelynn Oxley, RHP, JR: Appeared in 24 games with 10 starts where she was 4-2 with a 4.95 ERA and one save. Career 12-7 record with a 3.55 ERA and four saves.

Caroline Stanton, RHP, RFR: No. 1 recruit in the nation; enrolled early and took a redshirt in 2026 because Georgia plays its fast pitch season in the fall. Led Buford to a 64-1 record and two state championships her junior and senior seasons, going 14-0 with an 0.77 ERA, averaging 13 strikeouts per game in 2025. She went 3-0 with an 0.82 ERA as a gold medalist for the USA under-18 national team. 

Leah Stevens, RHP, SO: Appeared in 22 games as a true freshman, making eight starts with a 5-2 record and a 4.27 ERA.

Katie Matsuno, INF, SO: Appeared in 24 games, mostly as a pinch-runner. Went 1-2 in limited appearances at the plate.

Incoming freshmen (6)

Shayla Bahr, OF, Peachtree Corners, GA Wesleyan School: 4-time first team All-State in Georgia; hit 3 HR in a state playoff game in 2024, two homers in the state championship game in 2025 and had an on-base percentage of better than .600 as a senior while leading Wesleyan to a fifth straight state title. The No. 13 player nationally was named to the USA 18-and-under team.

Kennedy Bradley, Melissa, TX, 3B: No. 14 player nationally and the country’s top power hitter. Hit .495 as a senior with 21 HR, 67 RBI, 18 stolen bases and a 1.207 slugging percentage. Hit 26 home runs in 2025.

Avery Killian, Metairie, LA Mount Carmel Academy, C: The No. 94 national recruit and the No. 12 catcher. Killian also plays third base. Power hitter, but best known for defense and one of the best throwing arms from behind the plate of any catcher in the country.

Brooklyn Gidley, 2B/SS, College Station, TX, A&M Consolidated: She’s a slapper in the Kendra Falby mode. Hit .510 and was 19-19 stealing bases. No. 23 national recruit.

Liliana Escobar, RHP, Trabuco Canyon, CA Juniper Serra Catholic: Posted an 18-record with 264 strikeouts in 153 innings. Struck out 239 in 140 innings as a junior. Two-time CIF Southern Division II player of the year.

Nina Carcone, SS, Woodstock, GA: From the same home town as Gator legend Skylar Wallace. Carcone is a contact hitter who hits for high average and can steal bases. The No. 11 player nationally, Carcone is considered one of the top two or three defensive shortstops in the country.

From the portal (1)

Kairi Rodriguez, Duke, C, RSR: Excellent defender with a strong throwing arm. Power hitter (nine homers in each of the last two years) but doesn’t hit for average (career .277 with 21 homers, 80 RBI).

2027 RECRUITING CLASS

Taegen Lermann, RHP/INF, Washington, TX Homeschool Christian: Power pitcher who is a contact hitter. She has played every position except catcher. Gold medalist with Team USA at the Under-15 world championships. Hit .576 as a junior with eight HR while posting a 4-0 record in the circle. The No. 21 prospect nationally.

Taylor Jennings, 1B, Brentwood, CA Liberty: Lefty hitting first baseman with gap power to all fields. who is very capable of playing left or right field. Hit .393 as a high school junior. The No. 11 national prospect.

Niayli “Yelli” Calvo, 3B, Fairfield, CA Vanden: Career .554 hitter who had seven homers and 38 RBI as a junior. Lefty hitter with 19 homers and 96 RBI in her career. The No. 20 prospect nationally.

Samantha Nichols, SS, Modesto, CA Central Catholic: Hit .618 with eight home runs and 42 RBI as a junior. Career 23 homers, 123 RBI and a .564 batting average. No. 29 national prospect.

Addison Allaire, RHP, Trenton, FL: Florida Gatorade Player of the Year who led Trenton to a third straight state championship with an 18-3 record, 0.83 ERA. She also hit .449 with seven home runs and 28 RBI. Started playing varsity softball as a 7^th-grader. Career 55-15 record with a 1.35 ERA. No. 86 national prospect.

Josslynn Grimsley, OF, Tampa, FL Catholic: Leadoff hitter with a career .400 average. Outstanding gap-to-gap speed in center field who had an error-less 2026. The No. 96 national prospect.   

FIVE IN THE PORTAL TO KEEP AN EYE ON

Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State, 3B, JR: Thought by some in Tallahassee to be a Florida lean. Career .375 with 37 HR and 180 RBI. Second team All-America. From Tallahassee.

Tori Edwards, LSU, OF, RSO: Second team All-American in 2025 when she hit 18 homers and drove in 73 runs. Slumped in 2026 to .284, 12 HR, 45 RBI. From Flower Mound, TX.

Kasidi Pickering, Oklahoma, OF, JR: All-American who hit .370 with 20 home runs and 61 RBI. Career .384 hitter with 50 home runs and 161 RBI. From Humble, Texas. Thanks to 5-for-5 rule, she would have two years eligibility. Well worth pursuing.

Delainey Everett, Mississippi State, LHP, JR: Mostly a reliever with 19 career saves, 1.15 ERA in 2026 helping MSU to its first ever WCWS appearance. 17-4 career record, 2.55 ERA. From Oakdale, CA.

Gigi Ganje, Pennsylvania, CF, SO: Hit .429 with 16 HR, 41 RBI in 44 games. Career .371 hitter. Best player in the Ivy League. From Laguna Niguel, California.