Florida Softball Ranks High Heading into Season Opener
Florida, No. 10 in Softball America’s preseason poll, hits the diamond Friday for the start of the softball season at the USF-Rawlings Invitational in Tampa.
But Florida players are already making waves. Senior catcher Jocelyn Erickson, junior pitcher Keagan Rothrock and sophomore outfielder Taylor Shumaker claimed their spots on the 2026 Preseason All-SEC Team. This same trio has been named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top-50 watch list.
Erickson has a long list of accolades, her most notable being the 2024 SEC Player of the Year award and receiving the Rawlings Gold Glove Award (Catcher) in 2024 and 2025.
“I’m really trying to enjoy my last season, not let the pressure get too much and really trying to pour into my teammates, because that’s what it’s all about,” Erickson said.
She was voted by her teammates as a captain for the upcoming season.
“It’s one thing for your coach to vote you a captain, but your teammates voting you a captain is something totally removed from the coaching staff because they see you when the coaches don’t, they hear you when the coaches don’t,” coach Tim Walton said.
Meanwhile, Rothrock was the 2024 SEC Freshman of the Year. She was out for five weeks, diagnosed with compartment syndrome, a condition where her muscles grow faster than the fascia tissue surrounding them.
“I don’t know that there is ever going to be a clean bill of health for Keagan, unfortunately,” Walton said.
However, Rothrock is set to play at the opening of this season.
While she wasn’t named a captain, Shumaker was on the 2025 All-SEC First Team and was the Softball America Freshman of the Year, and she expects to play a central role in Florida’s lineup this year.
She had a strong freshman season, receiving four SEC Freshman of the Week honors. She was powerful behind the plate for the Gators, ranking fifth in runs (72) and 11th in homers (22) nationally.
Florida heads into this season with a national championship in the back of their minds.
“If we’re not talking national championships, then you’re probably not talking to me as the coach,” Walton said.
The Gators are playing toward their third consecutive Women’s College World Series this season for the first time since 2017-2019. Their last national championship title was in 2015.
Florida will face Illinois State at 7 p.m. Friday at USF Softball Stadium, site of the three-day tourney.
Category: College Softball, Gator Sports, Gators Softball, NCAA, SEC, Softball, University of Florida
