Mya Holt celebrates during a fall ball game against Florida State.
Although the Troy softball team lost a lot of talent from last season, the Trojans look to improve in head coach Eric Newell’s third season.
Troy went 34-22 in 2024, but lost All-Sun Belt shortstop Audra Thompson, Rawlings Gold Glove winner Libby Baker and its entire starting outfield in D’Aun Riggs, Anslee Finch and Jade Sinness, among other players.
Newell and his staff reloaded the roster with nine freshmen players and four transfer players, including a few who look to make an immediate impact.
While last year’s outfield group all departed, the Trojans wasted no time in adding new talent. Emily Ferro joined the Trojans as part of the large freshman class, and three experienced transfers were brought in as well.
Annie Orman, McKinnon Howard and Megan Loftis all transferred in to compete for playing time in the outfield. After three seasons at Ole Miss, Orman committed to Troy. She made 15 starts for the Rebels last season, getting 14 RBIs during that time.
Howard and Loftis both come to Troy after stints at smaller schools. Loftis dominated at Central Florida last season, earning an NJCAA D-1 All-American berth after batting .493. In just 60 games as a sophomore, Loftis stole a whopping 75 bases.
Meanwhile, Howard is coming off a redshirt season but stole 38 bases as a freshman at Wallace State Community College.
The Trojans carry over some of their 2024 pitching staff in Alyssa Faircloth, Savannah Money and Kate Peters. In addition to the returners – who played behind Baker and Haley Pittman last year – Troy adds multiple talented arms to the roster.
Troy has a very deep pitching staff, starting with the addition of Esmee Ames. Ames brings plenty of hardware to the Wiregrass after winning two straight NJCAA championships at Florida Southwestern State. As part of last season’s championship team, Ames shut down opponents to the tune of a 1.96 ERA and 7.21 Ks per seven innings.
In addition to Ames, the Trojans added freshmen Mya Holt and Ally Fleck to the team. Holt was unstoppable at Wetumpka High School from the circle and the batter’s box. Fleck joins the Trojans after a solid career at Blessed Trinity High School in Roswell, Georgia.
Holt, the Alabama Softball Gatorade Player of the Year, finished her high school career holding the Wetumpka career record for nearly every conceivable stat – she struck out 757 batters and had a 1.48 ERA for the Lady Indians.
Troy returns the most talent in the infield – Taylor McKinney, Sarah Beth Brake, Cassidy Boltz, Kayden Dunn and Natalie Turner all returned for the 2025 season. Utility players Rebekah Johnson, Mia Tidmore and Makaley Boswell are back as well.
McKinney was recently named as the 10th best second baseman in the country by D1 Softball following a stellar season, where she posted a .994 OPS.
Brake, Troy’s primary catcher in 2024, was third on the team in home runs last season with eight. She also hosed 87 percent of attempted base stealers, which was seventh in the Sun Belt Conference.
As a member of the 2024 squad, Boltz started 42 games. She logged nine multi-hit games and seven multi-RBI games.
Dunn performed well in limited action at the plate – she had a 1.023 OPS in 35 plate appearances. She also led the Trojans in putouts and had a .986 fielding percentage.
Other freshman additions to the team include Caiden Oliva, Reaghan Oney, Hallie Ueberroth, Laney Williams, Dailynn Motes and Reese Green.
The Trojans open the 2025 season on Feb. 7 with the Trojan Classic, where they play Central Michigan and Tennessee State at 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively.
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