Louisburg College softball was voted preseason #1 in NJCAA national rankings on Monday. The team returns 5 first team all-americans including: Edi Austin, Kennedy Byrd, Taylor McQueen, Darrah Nickens, and 2023 National Pitcher of the Year Zoey Jones.

The Hurricanes offense looks poised to do big things again this year as they return batters who hit 129 home runs last season. 

"I'm excited about the bats we are returning," said Hurricanes alum and current assistant coach Haleigh Joyner. "We will continue to have a game by game approach and let our mindset be about hitting the ball hard." 

Former National Player of the Year, Bri Tucker, will no longer be in the leadoff spot for the Hurricanes, but heart of the lineup remains intact: Austin (.389 BA, 28 HR, 73 RBI); Byrd (.372, 35, 76); McQueen (.437, 27, 97); and Nickens (.429, 22, 71).

Along with offense, the Hurricanes return both starting pitchers from last year's team. National pitcher of the year, Zoey Jones, finished the 2023 season 31-2 with a 1.03 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 170 innings. Kennedy Byrd also returns, coming off a 22-2 season in the circle with a 1.35 ERA and 136 strikeouts in 130 innings.

"I'm excited to bring back big game experience in the circle," said Hurricanes head coach Eric Lee, "The loss of Riley Lingerfelt in relief is a huge hole to fill. She locked down games late for us when the lights were the brightest, but I believe our new bullpen can fill that void." 

Softball has a 56 game schedule ahead of them including 4 games against Gaston College who went to the D1 world series; a two week stretch in March where all opponents have been to the World Series in the previous two years (Madison College, Delaware Tech, Potomac State, Danville Area Community College); and a 30 game region schedule.

The Hurricanes will host the Region X tournament on May 2-5, and if they advance will host the District tournament here at Sheilah Cotten field May 10-12.

Once again the World Series will be held in Spartanburg, SC from May 20-25. This is year one of an expanded field to include four at large berths. 

Last season the Hurricanes won 56 straight en route to a District Championship Series at Lake Sumter State College (FL) where Darrah Nickens sent the first pitch over the bottom of the 9th over the right field fence to send the Hurricanes back to the world series. 

In the World Series the Hurricanes defeated South Suburban College and Des Moines Area Community College, but early miscues couldn't be overcome against Jones College, knocking Louisburg into the losers bracket. The Hurricanes beat Parkland that night, but fell to Des Moines Area 2-1 to end the season 63-5, fourth in the county.

Now the 2024 team has made history without throwing a pitch. For the first time in school history the program is ranked #1 in the nation.

Coach Lee commented, "I'm proud of the foundation that was laid by our previous groups of student-athletes, however you don't win a championship with a preseason poll. We have a lot of work to do."