For the 11th consecutive season, the Florida State softball team was picked to win the ACC by the coaches as they are coming off their 19th ACC Tournament Championship and 14th ACC Regular Season Championship in 2023.
The Seminoles placed an ACC-leading five players on the Preseason All-ACC Team. Kalei Harding, Jahni Kerr, Kaley Mudge, Makenna Reid and Michaela Edenfield were all named to the team. All five of the players earned All-ACC honors in 2023 — Kerr earned first-team honors, Mudge, Edenfield and Reid earned second-team honors, while Harding earned third-team honors.
Kerr is looking to build off her breakout season in 2023 as she led the team in batting average (.356) while hitting eight home runs and driving in 40 runs. Kerr was one of FSU's most consistent hitters throughout the season as she recorded a hit in 16 out of 17 games from Apr. 15 through May 1 including a six game multi-hit streak from Apr. 20 to Apr. 29. Kerr was named to the NFCA Southeast All-Region Second Team and was ranked the No. 28 player by D1Softball.
Mudge started in 67 out of the 69 games for the Seminoles last season and ended with a .346 batting average, which was second on the team. Mudge was a force defensively in left field, making highlight reel plays — including robbing home runs against Virginia Tech, Duke and Oklahoma in the Women's College World Series. Mudge drove in 43 runs while also hitting five home runs. Mudge earned NFCA Southeast All-Region Third Team honors while also being ranked the 40th-best player in the country by D1Softball.
Edenfield continued to display her power in 2023 as she led the team in both home runs (13) and RBI (53). Edenfield hit home runs against Oklahoma State and Tennessee and also recorded a hit in four out of the five games in Oklahoma City to earn a spot on the WCWS All-Tournament Team.
Reid had a breakout freshman season in the circle for the Noles in 2023. Reid finished the season with a perfect 13-0 record and posted a staggering 0.97 ERA in 79.1 innings pitched over the course of the season. Reid was one of just five pitchers to record a sub 1.00 ERA in 2023 and was one of just three pitchers to not suffer a loss. Reid's 0.97 ERA was the lowest ERA by a Florida State pitcher since Sarah Hamilton in 2009.
Harding was one of the most durable Seminoles in 2023 as she played in all 69 games while starting in 68 of them. Finding her primary home at third base, Harding locked down that side of the field, posting a .925 fielding percentage. Offensively, Harding continued to show up in clutch moments while hitting .311 over the course of the season with 10 home runs and 48 RBI. In the Super Regional against Georgia, Harding was 4-for-8 with three RBI to help FSU punch its ticket to Oklahoma City.
Coming off their second National Runner Up in the past three seasons, the Seminoles will return six out their top seven hitters from the 2023 team with some experience in the circle, which includes Reid, Allison Royalty, Emma Wilson and Madi Balk.
The Seminoles also brought in six freshmen and one transfer in Jaysoni Beachum, Angelee Bueno, Ashtyn Danley, Mimi Gooden, Kennedy Harp, Annie Potter and Isa Torres. FSU's freshmen class was ranked the third-best class by Extra Inning Softball highlighted by Danley who was ranked the No. 2 player in the class.
FSU will kick off its season on Feb. 3 with the Garnet and Gold Scrimmage, Fan Day and First Pitch Party. The scrimmage begins at 2 p.m. and will be free of charge while the First Pitch Party will begin at 4:45 in the Dunlap Champions Club.
FSU will begin the regular season on Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. when they take on Charlotte in the first game of the JoAnne Graf Classic.
2024 ACC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Florida State, 10 first-place votes, 141 points
T2. Clemson, 1 first-place vote, 128 points
T2. Duke, 1 first-place vote, 128 points
4. Virginia Tech, 1 first-place vote, 109 points
5. Notre Dame, 93 points
6. Louisville, 87 points
7. North Carolina, 70 points
8. Georgia Tech, 69 points
9. Virginia, 65 points
10. Syracuse, 37 points
11. NC State, 34 points
12. Boston College, 27 points
13. Pitt, 26 points
2024 Softball Preseason All-ACC Team
Infield
Ana Gold, Duke, Jr.
Aminah Vega, Duke, So.
Kalei Harding, Florida State, Sr.
Karina Gaskins, Notre Dame, Sr.
Cameron Fagan, Virginia Tech, Sr.
Outfield
D’Auna Jennings, Duke, So.
Jahni Kerr, Florida State, R-Jr.
Kaley Mudge, Florida State, Sr.
Emma Ritter, Virginia Tech, Sr.
Pitcher
Valerie Cagle, Clemson, R-Sr.
Cassidy Curd, Duke, So.
Makenna Reid, Florida State, So.
Catcher
Michaela Edenfield, Florida State, R-Jr.
Designated Player/Utility
Valerie Cagle, Clemson, R-Sr.
