SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference softball preseason honors were announced today, and Wofford was selected to finish fourth out of eight teams. The Terriers had four players earn preseason honors, including Margaret Axelson who was tabbed Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Abby Greenwood, Brianna Stanley, and Rivers Sampson earned second team honors. The selections are made by the league's head coaches.
 
Wofford was picked to finish fourth in the conference preseason poll, with UNCG taking first place. Chattanooga and Samford tied for second. Following behind Wofford was Mercer at the fifth-place spot, and Western Carolina at sixth. ETSU and Furman rounded out the seventh and eighth place spots, respectively.
 
"We are thrilled to see four of our athletes recognized by the Southern Conference coaches," said head coach Chelsea Butler. "For Margaret to be voted as the preseason pitcher of the year is so special and a true testament to her hard work and commitment to Wofford Softball. We're excited about getting the season started and continuing the overall growth of the program with Team Three."
 
Axelson earns the first preseason player of the year award in program history, along with a Preseason First-Team All-SoCon selection. The senior pitcher out of Atlanta, Georgia, earned First-Team All-SoCon honors in 2025 while starting in 24 games. Axelson posted a 1.99 ERA to rank 27^th in the nation and a 1.10 WHIP to place 42^nd. She threw 18 complete games, placing her second in the conference and 30^th nationally. Her four shutouts on the year were 54^th in the NCAA and second in the SoCon. Axelson posted a career-high nine strikeouts against North Dakota last season.
 
Abby Greenwood picks up the second team nod after posting a team-high 107 strikeouts. Her 2.18 ERA was 46^th in the nation and third in the conference. The King George, Virginia, native was a Second Team All-SoCon selection as a sophomore in 2025. Greenwood posted a 3.82 strikeout-to-walk-ratio to pace the SoCon and rank 35^th in the nation. She set a program record with 11 strikeouts against North Dakota last season and posted a 10-strikeout complete game against Mercer.
 
Brianna Stanley, a native of Boiling Springs, South Carolina, was a member of the 2025 SoCon All-Freshman team. Stanley posted a program record 53 hits and tallied a .397 on-base percentage. She was second on the team with seven home runs, 30 RBI, a .327 batting average, and a .481 slugging clip. She totaled four doubles and 13 runs scored as well. Stanley registered two hits and two RBI against Towson last season, including a walk-off single. She hit 3-of-4 from the plate with a home run and two RBI against Winthrop a year ago.
 
Rivers Sampson, a 2025 SoCon All-Freshman Team selection, started in all 52 games last season for the Terriers. Sampson hit .300 last season with 51 hits, including seven doubles, one triple, and one home run. The Monroe, Georgia, native added 20 runs, 24 RBI, 10 walks, a .371 slugging clip, and a .353 on-base percentage. Sampson totaled four RBI and a triple while hitting 3-of-4 from the plate in a 6-4 win against North Carolina A&T last season. She tallied her first career home run in walk-off fashion against ETSU.
 
Preseason Poll
Team (First-Place Votes) Points

1. UNCG (4)	43
2. Chattanooga (1)	37
Samford (2)	37
4. Wofford	32
5. Mercer	26
6. Western Carolina (1)	24
7. ETSU	17
8. Furman	8

Preseason Player of the Year
Oliva Shaw, Samford, Jr., IF

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Margaret Axelson, Wofford, Sr.

Preseason First-Team All-SoCon
P          Taylor Long, Chattanooga
P          Margaret Axelson, Wofford
C          Katie Campbell, Samford
IF         Macy Michael, UNCG
IF         Olivia Shaw, Samford
IF         Katie Campbell, Samford
IF         Lily Bell, Western Carolina
OF       Kaylyn Belfield, UNCG
OF       Joi Hubbard, Samford
OF       Sydney Dirks, Western Carolina
DP       Sylvia Burroughs, Furman
 
Preseason Second-Team All-SoCon
P          Salem Ward, UNCG
P          Abby Greenwood, Wofford
C          Betsy Eatmon, UNCG
IF         Grace Jones, Mercer
IF         Hadley Gardner, UNCG
IF         Maya McPherson, Western Carolina
IF         Brianna Stanley, Wofford
OF       Samantha Beck, UNCG
OF       Rylee Butler, Western Carolina
OF       Rivers Sampson, Wofford
DP       Sydney Dirks, Western Carolina