The 2025 softball season will undoubtedly include many new things for the ABAC Fillies.
 
It will be the program's first venture in four-year territory as new members of the NAIA and the Southern States Athletic Conference. There will be new rivals, first-time trips to new schools, and an eagerness to see how success at the junior college level translates into the new league.
 
But head coach Mike Reed will enter the new environment surrounded by a lot of familiar faces. This spring's Fillies return every offensive leader from a year ago, impressive considering last year's team advanced to the NJCAA College World Series for the first time since 2019.
 
"We were a good team last year but we were still really young," Reed said. "it's great to have a lot of them back. But we also have some freshmen that are pushing the returners and that's a good sign."
 
Among the offensive leaders returning is junior Laney McGee who led the team in hitting (.399) and was second in runs scored, RBIs, and doubles. Also back is junior Lexi Metts, a centerfielder who led the team in runs scored, was tied for second with six home runs, and nearly stole as many bases (27) as the rest of the team combined (33).
 
Joining them are first baseman Carter Gore, shortstop Ashley Archibald, right fielder Alli Eidson, second baseman Dylana Barton, and a host of others who logged a lot of innings last year.
 
The situation is different with the pitching corps, where a new rotation of arms will be heavily counted on. Freshmen Chloe Stone from Adel, Addison Tyre from Jesup, and Tess Rollins from Warner Robins will join sophomore Anna Hutchinson from McDonough to man the team's most critical position.
 
"Pitching will be the key," Reed said. "They aren't as overpowering as what we had last year. But they can spin it. I feel good about them."
 
Reed tabs William Carey and Mobile as the teams to beat in the SSAC and they were ranked 1-2 in the Coaches' Preseason Poll. Out of the league's 10 teams, ABAC was picked ninth in the poll.
 
"That's fine with me," Reed said. "It fires me up. I like this group that I have and we're going to get after it."
 
ABAC kicks the season off Saturday with a doubleheader at home against the College of Coastal Georgia. The first game is set to begin at 2 p.m.