Preseason Preview: Northwest Florida Softball Opens 2025 Season at Home Tomorrow against Louisburg
Games 1 & 2
#4 Northwest Florida State vs. Louisburg College
Saturday, January 25 | 11:00 AM & 1:30 PM (DH) | Niceville, FL
Games 3
#4 Northwest Florida State vs. Louisburg College
Sunday January 26 | 10:00 AM (DH) | Niceville, FL
LIVE STREAM: https://nwfraiders.com/multimedia/WATCH_LIVE
NICEVILLE, Fla. – Northwest Florida State softball is set to kick off its 2025 season at home this Saturday with a matchup against Louisburg College.
The Raiders return to the diamond as the number four team in the NJCAA Preseason Poll. This follows an exceptional 2024 campaign, during which they shattered program records with 58 wins—surpassing their previous record of 57 from the year before. The team captured its second straight Panhandle Conference Championship, finished as runners-up in the FCSAA State Championships, and secured a fourth-place finish in the NJCAA World Series, marking their second consecutive final four appearance.
Northwest Florida ranked among the top teams in the NJCAA across multiple statistical categories in 2024, including: ninth in runs (558), 13th in hits (614), second in triples (37), 12th in home runs (85), eighth in RBIs (510), 12th in extra base hits (231), tenth in walks (248), sixth in stolen bases (214), 12th in on base percentage (.459), 11th in slugging percentage (.627), seventh in pitcher ERA (2.23), tenth in shutouts (14) and eight in batting average against (.226)
Under the leadership of head coach Andy Lee, now entering his sixth season, the Raiders aim to build on their recent success. This year's squad will have a new look, returning just four players from last season: Sister Arnold, Cailyn Heyl, Hayden Andrews, and Breana Barnes. Arnold and Heyl headline the returning players after stellar freshman seasons that earned both First-Team All-America honors.
Arnold posted a .398 batting average over 64 games with 82 hits, 20 home runs, and 81 RBIs—setting a single-season program record for RBIs. She ranked 16th in the NJCAA for home runs, 12th for RBIs, and 17th in total bases (160). Arnold was named Panhandle Conference Player of the Year and a First-Team Region VIII selection. She also secured NFCA All-Region and All-American recognition.
Heyl dominated in the circle, setting a program record with 37 wins—leading the NJCAA in that category. She also topped the conference with a 1.60 ERA and 131 strikeouts, while ranking 3rd in innings pitched (218.8), 7th in shutouts (7), and 5th in complete games (25). Heyl was named Panhandle Conference and Region VIII Pitcher of the Year, in addition to her First-Team All-America honors. Heyl was also an NFCA All-Region and All-American recipient.
The Raiders open their season against Division II powerhouse Louisburg College, who are coming off an impressive 2024 campaign of their own. The Hurricanes finished the season with a 54-8 record, capturing the Region 10 Championship and advancing to the NJCAA DII Final Four. They ranked in the top 10 nationally in 11 statistical categories and in the top 25 for 20 categories. Louisburg returns two standout players: Jillian Brunton, a Second-Team All-Region 10 utility player, and Kassidy Mills, an NFCA All-Region and Second-Team All-American honoree.
The weekend series features three games at the Raider Softball Complex. The action begins Saturday with a doubleheader at 11:00 a.m. and concludes with a single game on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.