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DII softball conference tournaments are about to begin, which means we are one step closer to the 2025 DII softball championship. Now that we have had a couple of weeks of regional rankings, we have a good idea of the teams that are in — and those still in the hunt. 

🥎 TOURNEY PREP 🥎 Top rotations | Top lineups | Red-hot teams

Some of the best lineups in DII softball have been fueled by new power sources this season. These fantastic freshmen have been on fire since opening day, and if they stay hot in May, their teams can go very far into the bracket. 

DII softball's fabulous freshmen in 2025

Carleigh Knowles, North Georgia

North Georgia Athletics

The Nighthawks' catcher is not only going to be the PBC freshman of the year, she may very well be the NFCA player of the year. Fresh off her first national player of the week honors, Knowles is a key cog in the Nighthawks' 40-11 record that has them sitting at No. 2 in the latest regional rankings. Her numbers are like a video game and impressive for a seasoned veteran, never mind a rookie. On the season, she is hitting .429 with a 1.407 OPS, 54 runs scored (No. 20 in DII), 15 doubles, 20 home runs (No. 2 in DII), 62 RBI (No. 9 in DII) and 12 stolen bases. North Georgia's offense is one of the best in all DII, in the top five of batting average, home runs, slugging percentage and runs scored, and Knowles is at the heart of it, giving the lineup one of the most feared hitters in the entire division. 

Jessica Miller, Tiffin

The Dragons were 29-24 last season and already have improved that total by 10 wins this year, clinching the G-MAC regular-season title — their first-ever in program history. Miller has been a big reason behind that, helping Tiffin climb to the No. 2 spot in the Midwest Region. The 5-foot-7 outfielder leads the G-MAC with a .419 batting average, runs scored (56), doubles (23, which is also tied for first in DII) and slugging percentage (.732). She also leads the team in triples with four and is second with seven home runs. Her 1.206 OPS is one of the best marks in DII softball — and this is another freshman who may walk away with the conference player of the year. 

Avery Cannon, Cadence Colborn and Abby Howell, West Texas A&M

West Texas A&M Athletics Abby Howell

This terrific trio has helped get the Buffs get as high as No. 1 for several weeks this season. West Texas A&M has 50 wins in one of the toughest regions in DII softball, and these three bats have been a welcomed addition to the lineup. Cannon, a 5-foot-10 infielder, has made 44 starts, posting a .311 batting average and a 1.122 OPS to go with 11 home runs and seven stolen bases. Colborn, who also roams the infield, is hitting .451 with a 1.385 OPS over 48 appearances to go with eight doubles, eight home runs and seven stolen bases. Howell, also a 5-foot-10 infielder, has started every game for the Buffs in her debut season. She is hitting .339 with a 1.058 OPS with 46 runs scored, 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 58 RBI. 

Haley Grygo, Sydney Hatch and Maddie Vollmar, Wilmington (DE)

The Wildcats are another lineup infused with new youth for the 2025 season. Grygo leads the way — she's the only Wildcat to appear in all 45 games this season — as the third baseman is hitting .353 with .928 OPS, 31 runs scored and 31 RBI. Hatch, a utility player, is batting an impressive .412 with a 1.078 OPS, while Vollmar — who moonlights as a pitcher with a 2-1 record — is hitting .382 with a .962 OPS and 11 stolen bases in 12 attempts. Wilmington (DE) is always a threat for the finals and by sitting at No. 2 in the East Region, it looks like more of the same in 2025. These three young Wildcats could be the boost they need to get back. 

Sarah Langlie, Barry

Barry Athletics

The Bucs are in the hunt for a tournament spot, and a win or two against top-5 Tampa this weekend would secure the spot. Langlie has been a driving force in the Barry lineup all season. The right fielder (who also plays some catcher) has hit safely in 17 of her last 18 games and leads the team with a .414 average, which is third in the SSC. She leads the conference with 17 doubles is second with 45 RBI and is posting a team-high 1.007 OPS. In a senior-heavy lineup, the star freshman has not only done her part, but taken it — and the Bucs — to the next level. 

Avery Kiger, Lenoir-Rhyne

There are some big bats in this Bears' lineup — they have five players with at least 10 home runs. Kiger, their freshman catcher, is one of them as she's belted 12 home runs thus far in 2025. But she's not just a big power bat. Overall, she's hitting .397 with a 1.235 OPS, 16 doubles and 52 RBI. She was named the SAC freshman of the year (a basic no-brainer if you read those numbers) and is carrying an 11-game hitting streak into the next round of the SAC tournament. 

Kendall Nakano, Biola

Biola Athletics

Nakano has had a year to remember, as she was a key piece in turning Biola from a 19-win team in 2024 to a tournament-bound 37-win team this year. She was named the PacWest freshman of the year, currently tied for the conference lead in home runs (14). She also has a team-high 1.117 OPS, 14 doubles and 54 RBI. Biola is not a lock yet, so Nakano will have to continue her hot streak in the PacWest tournament to help Biola get back to the DII championship. 

Blakely Gill, Mississippi College

The Choctaws freshman catcher has been a spark plug all season. She is second on the team with a .409 batting average and leads the team with a 1.109 OPS, 17 doubles and 38 RBI. Those 17 doubles are tops in the Gulf South Conference. Mississippi College is hanging on in the regional rankings, battling for one of the last spots (currently at No. 7), so Gill's bat will be needed in the GSC tournament to win a few games and secure a spot in the bracket. 

In the hunt:

The following freshmen see their teams on the cusp in the most recent regional rankings. Though their tournament future depends greatly on what transpires in the upcoming final week of the season, they should be put on notice. If their teams sneak in... watch out. 

• Taylor McCombs and Halley Redd, UCCS. The Mountain Lions are a 30-win team and need to win the RMAC tournament to make the championship. McCombs (who leads the team with a 1.116 OPS) and Redd (who is the best-hitting freshmen in DII with a .430 average) will do their part as leaders of this offense. 
• Haley Gardella, Cameron. The Aggies are in the regional rankings, but just outside the top eight. Gardella is a big reason why, leading the team in nearly every statistical category, including her .412 average, 1.230 OPS and 12 home runs. 
• Brianna Perantoni, Rollins. The Tars are much like Cameron — in the South regional rankings, but sitting at No. 9. Perantoni's hot bat will need to continue, as she leads the team in batting average and on-base percentage.