RICHARDSON, Texas - As of Friday, Jan. 24, the 2025 season is exactly one week away. With that, the NFCA No. 24 Oklahoma Christian softball program brings with it a No. 4 preseason slot in the 2025 Lone Star Conference poll, the league announced Friday.

Reigning NCAA Division II national champion and NFCA No. 1 UT Tyler was picked to win the conference after garnering 34 of the possible 43 first-place votes. 2024 LSC Tournament champion No. 13 West Texas A&M was picked as runner-up in the league with eight first-place votes. No. 11 Angelo State and Lubbock Christian are slotted at No. 3 and No. 5, with OC sandwiched between them.

Along with the Eagles' conference preseason rank was LSC preseason player to watch Kiley Brewster and pitcher to watch Jill Dickson. Both players return from last year's super regional finalist team that finished with a 35-23 overall record. Brewster led the squad with a .320 batting average, accumulating 55 hits in the effort, while Dickson boasted a team-high 128 strikeouts.

Joining the conference preseason athletes to watch is returners pitcher Grace Anderson and utility Kadence Brewster. Anderson held a team-best 3.16 ERA after making 24 starts in the circle for the Eagles while Brewster delivered a team-high 58 hits and also hit .315 herself.

Of those four returners, Dickson and Anderson were named 2024 All-Conference First Team and Third Team honorees, respectively, and Ka. Brewster and Ki. Brewster were tied for 12th and 20th in the conference in hits, respectively.

"Those four returners are huge for us, as they have made it to the NCAA postseason each year of their careers and it is becoming the standard," head coach Shalee Rodriguez said. "Their expectations are high and they know what is needed of them to get back where we left off last year. We are excited to continue to compete in one of the best conferences in the nation and see what this can do."

The Oklahoma Christian softball program has posted 30 or more wins in each of the last seven seasons (excluding 2020 COVID-shortened season). The Eagles are only one of two teams in the conference to have posted 30-win seasons in each of the last three campaigns.

"It is always fun starting a new year and seeing everything come together," Rodriguez said. "It gave us a chance to see how this team competes and blends together. Team chemistry is always a big deal in this program and we expect nothing short of that this year. That is a huge strength that has made us who we are and will continue to help us be successful."

Oklahoma Christian will open the 2025 season in Gulf Shores, Ala. at the inaugural Gulf Shores Softball Invitational. Playing five games in three days, OC will get things started against Union Friday, Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. before facing No. 4 Lenoir-Rhyne that afternoon at 3 p.m.


2025 Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll   
 

Rank	Team (First-Place Votes)	Points
1	UT Tyler (34)	672
2	West Texas A&M (8)	642
3	Angelo State (1)	590
4	Oklahoma Christian	528
T5	Lubbock Christian	483
T5	St. Mary's	483
7	Texas Woman's	382
8	Texas A&M-Kingsville	372
9	Cameron	348
10	Eastern New Mexico	315
11	St. Edward's	293
12	Texas A&M International	215
13	Midwestern State	214
14	Western New Mexico	138
15	UT Permian Basin	97
16	Sul Ross State	72