Noles Head to Clearwater for Four Games in Four Days

TALLAHASSEE - The No. 9 Florida State softball team (4-1) will make its annual trip to the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational this week where it will face No. 16 Missouri (4-2) at 10 a.m. on ESPN2 on Thursday, Ohio State (4-0) at 2 p.m. on ACC Network on Friday, Wichita State (5-0) at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ on Saturday and UCF (6-1) at 8 p.m. on ESPN on Sunday.

A Home Away from Home: Noles Return to Clearwater

FSU has played in the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational in every year of its existence and has had great success in Clearwater.
The Noles hold a 16-9 record in Clearwater.
FSU's 16 wins are the most of any team in the country.
12 out of FSU's 16 wins in Clearwater have come against ranked opponents.

Noles' History Against the Field

Missouri leads the all-time series 8-2. The two teams have met just twice since 2005. The two teams last met in 2021 at the JoAnne Graf Classic in Tallahassee. The two teams split the two matchups in 2021.
FSU and Ohio State have met just once in the past 20 seasons as the two teams met in Clearwater with the Noles winning 3-1. FSU leads the all-time series 11-3.
FSU and Wichita State have met just once before in 1990 at the Southern Invitational in Birmingham, Ala. FSU won the matchup 1-0,
FSU has dominated UCF in recent history as the Noles have won 15 consecutive games against the Knights. The Noles and Knights have met the last two seasons in the Tallahassee Regional where the Noles won 5-1 in both games. FSU leads the all-time series 25-5.

Noles Start Off 2025 Strong in Puerto Vallarta

The Noles got off to a great start in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge where they finished 4-1.
After dropping the first game to No. 4 Oklahoma State, FSU went on to win four straight by outscoring its opponents 30-5 including an 8-0 run-rule win against Oklahoma State.
FSU's run-rule win over No. 4 Oklahoma State was the second time FSU has run ruled a top-five opponent. The only other time FSU run ruled a top-five opponent was Feb. 8, 2020, against No. 1 Alabama.
The Noles got great production from the circle as the team posted a 1.40 ERA. Jazzy Francik, Annabelle Widra and Makenna Reid combined to throw 20.1 innings and did not allow an earned run.
As a team, FSU hit .336 and scored 36 runs in five games along with eight home runs.

Plenty of Reasons for Optimism for the Noles

After a rare absence from the Women's College World Series in 2024, FSU is looking to get back to its winning ways in 2025 and have the pieces to do so.
Since 2014, FSU has never had back-to-back seasons where they did not make the Women's College World Series (excluding 2020 when the WCWS was not held due to COVID-19).
FSU returns two NFCA All-Americans in Jaysoni Beachum and Michaela Edenfield. The last time FSU returned two or more NFCA All-Americans was in 2018 when Jessi Warren and Morgan Klaevmann returned from All-America campaigns in 2017. FSU went on to win the National Championship in 2018.
The Noles also added some key pieces and depth in the circle as they hope to continue the great pitching legacy under Head Coach Lonni Alameda.
FSU returned 915.2 innings between all six of their pitchers which is the second-most returning innings in the country behind Texas A&M.
FSU returns Second Team All-ACC pitcher Ashtyn Danley who led the Noles in innings pitched in the 2024 season. 2023 All-ACC performer Makenna Reid returns for the Noles and is healthy following a back injury late in the 2024 season. FSU also returns Mimi Gooden who pitched 54.1 innings for the Noles as a freshman in 2024 and came on late in the postseason.
FSU adds three key pieces to the circle in transfers Julia Apsel (Hofstra) and Annabelle Widra (Auburn).and also freshman Jazzy Francik. Apsel and Widra have combined to throw 567.2 innings in their collegiate careers. Francik was ranked a top 10 pitcher coming out of high school by Softball America.
FSU also brings in the No. 5 recruiting class in the country in Francik, Addie DeLong, Shelby McKenzie and Isabella Ruggiero.

Noles Coming Off Historic Offensive Season in 2024

Florida State put together one of the best offensive seasons that this storied program has ever seen in 2024.
FSU scored 456 runs last season which was the second-most in FSU history and was just four runs short of breaking the school record.
FSU broke the 2019 team's batting average record as the Noles hit .332 last season.
FSU also hit the second-most home runs in school history with 89, trailing the 2019 team that hit 105 home runs.

Harp Starts Season Off Red Hot

Kennedy Harp had the best weekend of her career last week in Puerto Vallarta.
Harp ended the week with a .667 average (10-for-15), 10 RBI, three triples, two doubles, one home run and four runs.
Six out of Harp's 10 hits were for extra bases.
Harp had a triple in three consecutive games against Louisiana Tech and Oklahoma State. Harp's three triples were tied for the most in the country on opening weekend.
Harp had nearly half of her hit and RBI total from all of last year in just five games. Harp had 21 hits all of last season and 19 RBI.
Harp was named the ACC Player of the Week on Tuesday.

Beachum Looks to Continue to be One of Top Hitters in the Country

Jaysoni Beachum put up some of the best numbers in FSU history last season as a freshman.
Beachum hit .417 last season which was the third-best mark in FSU history and was the highest batting average ever by a freshman in FSU history.
Beachum drove in 66 runs which broke the FSU freshman record and was the most RBI in a season by a Seminole since Jessi Warren in 2018. Beachum also hit 16 home runs which was tied for the sixth-most ever in FSU history.
Beachum was named the TUCCI/NFCA National Freshman of the Year and earned Second Team All-America honors. Beachum was the first Nole and ACC player to win the award and became the first FSU freshman since Sydney Sherrill to be named a NFCA All-American.
Beachum was phenomenal at the hot corner for the Noles as she committed just five errors in 154 attempts at third base.
Beachum got off to a great start in 2025 as she hit two home runs in the season opener against No. 4 Oklahoma State.

Edenfield Coming Off Best Season as a Nole

The power has always been there for redshirt senior catcher Michaela Edenfield, but in 2024, Edenfield found consistency in the batter's box setting her up for a huge 2025 campaign.
Edenfield hit a career-best .381 last season, which was second on the team, to go along with her 15 home runs and 46 RBI.
Edenfield has hit 44 career home runs which ranks fourth in FSU history. Edenfield needs three home runs to pass Kalei Harding for third and needs 10 home runs to pass Maddi O'Brien for second. Jessi Warren holds the school record with 83 career home runs.
Edenfield's 44 career home runs is the sixth-most among active D1 players.
Edenfield posted a slugging percentage of .806 last year which was the fourth-best mark in school history. In her career, Edenfield is slugging .648 which is currently second in FSU history.
Edenfield also ranks in the top 10 in school history for career RBI and walks.
Edenfield earned Third Team NFCA All-America honors for the first time in her career and was also named First Team All-ACC for the first time in her career.
In her first two seasons, Edenfield has recorded two 50+ RBI seasons. Edenfield is one of just seven Seminoles who have ever recorded two 50+ RBI seasons as a Seminole.
Edenfield joined Jessi Warren and Sydney Sherrill as the only Seminoles to have 50+ RBI in their first two seasons in the Garnet and Gold.

Don't Forget About Torres

Sometimes overshadowed by the play of Jaysoni Beachum, Isa Torres also put together one of the best seasons by a freshman in FSU history.
Torres finished 2024 with a .356 batting average alone with nine home runs and 57 RBI. Her 57 RBI are tied for the second-most ever by a FSU freshman behind Beachum. Her nine home runs were the fourth-most by a FSU freshman and her .356 batting average was the sixth-highest average by a FSU freshman.
Torres was rock solid at shortstop for the Noles as she started 61 games at the position where she had just seven errors in 191 attempts.
Torres earned Second Team All-ACC honors and was ranked the 19th overall player by Softball America and the 29th overall player by D1Softball.
Torres had a great start to 2025 as she hit .500 (9-for-18) with one RBI.

Full Speed Ahead: Ross Coming Off Breakout Season

Fans have known the name Amaya Ross for a while but mainly for her insane speed on the base paths, but in 2024, Ross proved she was more than just speed posting her best season at the plate and in the field.
Ross started all 62 games in 2024 after making just 18 starts the past two seasons.
Ross hit .322 with eight home runs and 30 RBI. Ross also hit seven triples which was tied for 10th all time in FSU history.
Ross was once again deadly on the base paths with an ACC-leading 28 steals on 31 attempts. In her career, Ross is 63-for-69 on stolen base attempts.

Danley Ready to Take Next Step in the Circle

Ashtyn Danley came on strong for the Noles late in the 2024 season and took the role as the Noles' top pitcher as injuries decimated the FSU pitching staff. As 2025 begins, Danley looks to take another step in a loaded and experience pitching room
Danley made a team-high 21 starts and pitched a team-high 142.1 innings for the Noles in 2024
Danley finished the season with an 18-6 record and a 3.20 ERA, but as the season went on, Danley continued to improve.
In her final 28 appearances of 2024, Danley posted a 2.42 era in 96 innings.
Danley was named to the All-ACC Second Team.

Noles Add Key Pieces to the Circle for 2025

The Noles added three key pieces to the pitching staff in transfers Julia Apsel and Annabelle Widra as well as freshman Jazzy Francik.
Apsel brings a lot of experience in the circle after three seasons at Hofstra.
Apsel has pitched 414.0 innings in her collegiate career with a 2.52 career ERA and 304 strikeouts.
Apsel had her best season last year as she posted a 1.39 ERA.
Apsel pitched 20 complete games which ranked 15th in the country in 2024.
Apsel performed phenomenally against Power Five opponents this season. Against the NCAA Tournament qualifying Penn State Nittany Lions, Apsel threw 6.1 innings and allowed just two earned runs on seven hits while striking out three. Against the National Runner-Up Texas Longhorns, Apsel pitched 6.0 innings and allowed just four runs to one of the nation's top offenses. Apsel and the Pride were one of just two non-Power Five teams to hold Texas to five runs or less this season and was one of three unranked teams to hold the Longhorns to under five runs this season. Maybe Apsel's most impressive performance of the 2024 season came against Missouri who entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 7 overall seed and was one win away from the Women's College world Series. Apsel shut down the Tigers as she pitched all nine innings of the thriller and allowed just two runs on four hits to the Tigers while striking out six.
In Puerto Vallarta, Apsel picked up a win against Louisiana Tech where she pitched two innings and did not allow a run while striking out four.
Widra has played three seasons of Power Four softball with one year at Michigan and two years at Auburn.
Widra pitched 153.2 innings in three seasons while holding a 2.55 ERA. Widra has a very impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio with 144 strikeouts compared to just 27 walks in three seasons.
Widra's best performance of 2024 came against Alabama where she threw a complete-game shutout against Alabama where she allowed just four hits.
Widra had a great debut for the Noles as she picked up the win against Oklahoma State where she retired the first nine batters. In total, Widra allowed just two hits in four innings. In 7.2 innings last week, Widra did not allow a single run and walked just one batter while striking out three.
Francik was one of the top high school pitchers in the state of Florida.
Francik was a three-time MaxPreps First Team All-American and ended her career with a 0.40 ERA to go along with 1,507 career strikeouts for Melbourne High School.
In her high school career, Francik threw 21 no hitters including seven in her senior season.
Francik was lights out for the Noles on opening weekend. Francik picked up a win and a save in her first two collegiate appearances. Francik is just the second Nole to ever record a win and a save in her first two collegiate appearances, joining Bailey Schinella in 2021.
Francik pitched eight innings and did not allow an earned run. Francik struck out seven batters and surrendered just one walk.

Reid Ready for Bounce Back Season Following Injury

After bursting onto the scene in 2023 to become one of the top relief pitchers in 2023, Reid is ready to take another step following a 2024 season where she battled injuries.
In 2023, Reid posted a 0.97 ERA in 79.1 innings as she posted a perfect 13-0 record.
In her career, Reid holds a 26-1 record after going 12-1 last season.
Reid had a 3.29 ERA in 2024 with 76 strikeouts.
Reid picked up a win against Louisiana Tech where she didn't allow an earned run in 4.1 innings.

Kerr Ready for Final Season in the Garnet and Gold

Jahni Kerr has been a consistent staple in the Noles' lineup the last three seasons and 2025 looks to be no different.
Kerr is a two-time All-ACC performer as she earned First Team All-ACC honors in 2023 and Third Team honors in 2024.
Kerr has played in 182 games for the Noles while making 173. Kerr has a career batting average of .310 with 24 home runs and 116 RBI.
Last season, Kerr hit .308 with 9 home runs and 39 RBI.
In Puerto Vallarta, Kerr hit .357 with one home run and four RBI.

Dack Shows Off Power on Opening Weekend

Katie Dack had a great opening weekend as the senior hit two home runs to go along with seven RBI.
Dack hit a first inning grand slam against Louisiana Tech to lead the Noles to a 6-3 victory over Louisiana Tech. Dack hit another home run against the Bulldogs on Saturday.
Last season, Dack had just three home runs and 10 RBI.
Dack was named to the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge All-Tournament Team.

Noles Coming Off One of Best Offensive Seasons in School History

FSU had one of its top offensive seasons in school history and are looking to continue those offensive numbers in 2025.
Last season, FSU broke the school record with a .332 batting average in 2025.
FSU also had the second-most runs scored (456) and the second-most home runs (89).
FSU also had the fourth-most doubles in school history (96) and the fifth-most hits in school history (549).
FSU returns 73% of its RBI this season and its top three leaders in batting average.

For updates and exclusive content, follow the Seminoles on X (FSU_Softball), Instagram (fsusoftball) and Facebook (Florida State Seminoles Softball).

Noles Head to Clearwater for Four Games in Four Days

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Julia Apsel

Jaysoni Beachum

Katie Dack

Ashtyn Danley

Addie DeLong

Michaela Edenfield

Jazzy Francik

Mimi Gooden

Kalei Harding

Kennedy Harp

Jahni Kerr

Shelby McKenzie

Makenna Reid

Amaya Ross

Isabella Ruggiero

Isa Torres

Annabelle Widra

Florida State University Athletics

Noles Head to Clearwater for Four Games in Four Days

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Julia Apsel

Jaysoni Beachum

Katie Dack

Ashtyn Danley

Addie DeLong

Michaela Edenfield

Jazzy Francik

Mimi Gooden

Kalei Harding

Kennedy Harp

Jahni Kerr

Shelby McKenzie

Makenna Reid

Amaya Ross

Isabella Ruggiero

Isa Torres

Annabelle Widra

Related Videos