CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Four members from the Charleston Southern softball team were tabbed as Preseason All-Conference by the Big South, as the conference released their preseason polls for the 2025 season on Wednesday.
Weslin Jones makes the preseason All-Big South list for the first time in her career as an outfielder. The Senior from Walterboro, S.C. begins her fourth season with the program after starting all 50 games for the Buccaneers last season. She hit .313 for the season in 150 at bats a double, two triples and 12 RBI. In the field, she had 98 putouts and just one error.
After an impressive freshman season in which she was named Big South All-Freshman as well as Second-Team All-Conference,
Carsten Sandvig lands on the Preseason All-Big South Team as a designated player. She played in 45 games in 2024 at both shortstop and DP, leading the team in triples with four as well as RBI with 17.
Maddie Lee makes the Preseason All-Conference for the second season in a row as an infielder. She was Second-Team All-Big South last season after starting all 50 games for the Buccaneers. The Junior from Byron, GA led the team in multiple categories, including batting average (.314) as well as stolen bases with 13 in 14 attempts. She also had 14 doubles, 23 runs scored and 60 total bases.
Finally, Senior
Gracie Prince makes the Preseason All-Conference list as a catcher. She was First-Team All-Big South last season after throwing out 11 base runners and only allowed 31 base runners to steal a base, both of which were second in the Big South. The senior from Moncks Corner also hit a team-leading three home runs at the plate.
After finishing their season as a top four seed in the Big South Tournament for two years in a row,
Christi Musser's team was picked to finish in a tie with Gardner-Webb for the fourth spot in the Big South standings this season. Based on the weighted voting system, the Buccaneers received a total of 25 points with three third place votes.
Once again, USC Upstate was picked to defend their crown and repeat as Big South champions. They were nearly a unanimous selection, finishing with six first-place votes and a total of 48 points. Longwood received the other first-place vote and were tabbed to finish second with 37 points. Winthrop was also picked to finish ahead of the Buccaneers at No. 3.
2025 BIG SOUTH SOFTBALL PRESEASON POLL
Rk Team (first-place votes) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Points
1. USC Upstate (6) 6 1 - - - - - 48
2. Longwood (1) 1 4 - 1 - 1 - 37
3. Winthrop - 1 2 2 2 - - 30
T-4. Charleston Southern - - 3 1 1 1 1 25
T-4. Gardner-Webb - - 1 3 2 1 - 25
6. Radford - - 1 - 2 4 - 19
7. Presbyterian College - 1 - - - - 6 12
Note: points are based on a weighted system, with first-place votes receiving 7 points, followed by 6 points for second-place, and so on.
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
OF – Denver Lauer, Sr., USC Upstate
OF – Weslin Jones, Sr., Charleston Southern
OF – Taliyah Thomas, Jr., USC Upstate
1B – Sophia Knock, Jr., Longwood
2B – Maddie Lee, Jr., Charleston Southern
3B – Araceli Pesqueira, Gr., Gardner-Webb
SS – Alanna Deal, Sr., USC Upstate
C – Gracie Prince, Sr., Charleston Southern
DP – Carsten Sandvig, Soph., Charleston Southern
UTL – Kasey Wolfe, Soph., Presbyterian
P – Sierra Maness, Soph., USC Upstate
P – Megan Powell, Sr., Winthrop
P – Maggie Chapin, Jr, Longwood
P – Cierra Gawryluk, Soph., Longwood (tie)
P – Morgan Cooper, Soph., Radford (tie)
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sophia Knock, 1B, Jr., Longwood
PRESEASON PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Sierra Maness, Soph., USC Upstate
