The 2023 SEC softball season began play Thursday, February 9, and conference play began on Friday, March 10. Tennessee clinched the regular season conference championship on May 6. Tennessee also won the 2023 Southeastern Conference softball tournament which took place from May 9–13 at Bogle Park in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Vanderbilt University is the only full member of the Southeastern Conference to not sponsor a softball program. Of the 13 teams in the SEC, 12 played in the NCAA tournament. Of the top 16 seeds hosting Regionals, five are from the SEC. Three of the five win their Regionals, being the only SEC teams to win Regionals. Two of the three win their Super Regionals and advance to the 2023 Women's College World Series (WCWS).
SEC preseason poll The head coaches SEC preseason poll was released on January 26, 2023. Each head coach votes on a scale of 12 points for first place down to 1 point for last place, 12th. Each coach only votes for 12 teams, since they can not vote for their own team. Florida was picked to finish 1st, with five 1st place votes. Tennessee was 2nd with three 1st place votes, and Arkansas 3rd with the remaining five 1st place votes. Preseason poll 1 Florida 2 Tennessee 3 Arkansas 4 Alabama 5 LSU 6 Georgia 7 Kentucky 8 Missouri 9 Auburn 10 Ole Miss 11 Mississippi State 12 Texas A&M 13 South Carolina
Record vs. conference opponents Date m/dd is for last scheduled game of series. Blank are not scheduled. Blue are home games, otherwise away. 2023 SEC softball recordsvte Source: 2023 SEC softball game results, 2023 SEC softball scheduleTeamW–LALAARKAUBFLAUGAKENLSUMSUMIZZMISSSCARTENNTAMUTeamSRSWALA14–10 1–21–2...2–13–02–12–12–11–2.ALA5–31–0ARK14–102–1 .2–11–22–1.3–01–2..2–11–2ARK5–31–0AUB15–92–1. 1–21–2.2–12–13–02–12–1..AUB6–21–0FLA11–13.1–22–1 2–11–2..2–12–11–20–3.FLA4–40–1UGA16–7.2–12–11–2 2–11–22–0..3–0.3–0UGA6–22–0KEN10–14.1–2.2–11–2 .0–33–02–1.0–31–2KEN3–51–2LSU13–111–2.1–2.2–1. 3–02–12–12–10–3.LSU5–31–1MSU7–160–30–31–2.0–23–00–3 ..3–0.0–3MSU2–62–4MIZZ7–171–22–10–31–2.0–31–2. 1–2..1–2MIZZ1–70–2MISS8–161–2.1–21–2.1–21–2.2–1 .0–31–2MISS1–70–1SCAR9–151–2.1–22–10–3.1–20–3.. 1–23–0SCAR2–61–2TENN19–52–11–2.3–0.3–03–0..3–02–1 2–1TENN7–14–0TAMU12–12.2–1..0–32–1.3–02–12–10–31–2 TAMU5–31–2TeamW–LALAARKAUBFLAUGAKENLSUMSUMIZZMISSSCARTENNTAMUTeamSRSW Updated for entire regular season. Tie brkrs: ARK>ALA hd to hd.
National rankings All games, for the weeks ending May 21 through June 9 were played in the NCAA tournament and the Women's College World Series (WCWS). The SEC had 12 of 13 teams play in the NCAA tournament, Mississippi State being the only team to not play. All playing, except for Kentucky and Missouri, made a Regional final and three, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, won Regionals to advance to Super Regionals. Tennessee and Alabama won their Super Regionals to advance to the WCWS, while Georgia lost in a Super Regional. Finishes, e.g., 3rd, 7th, etc., are finishes in the NCAA tournament. They are not necessarily the same positions in any of the polls. Tennessee went 5–0 winning their Regional and Super Regional and went 2–2 in the WCWS to finish tied for 3rd with one other team. Alabama went 5–2 winning their Regional and Super Regional and went 0–2 in the WCWS to finish tied for 7th with one other team. Georgia went 3–0 winning their Regional and 0–2 losing to Florida State in their Super Regional. Georgia finished tied for 9th with seven other teams. Arkansas went 2–2 losing their Regional to a ranked Oregon. Arkansas finished tied for 17th with fifteen other teams. LSU went 2–2 losing out to a ranked Louisiana in LSU's Regional, finishing tied for 17th with fifteen other teams. Auburn went 3–2 losing out to a ranked Clemson in Clemson's Regional. Auburn finished tied for 17th with fifteen other teams. Texas A&M went 2–2 losing out to a ranked Texas in Texas' Regional. Texas A&M finished tied for 17th with fifteen other teams. Florida went 2–2 losing out to a ranked Stanford in Stanford's Regional. Florida finished tied for 17th with fifteen other teams. Ole Miss went 2–2 losing out to a ranked Utah in Utah's Regional. Ole Miss finished tied for 17th with fifteen other teams. South Carolina went 3–2 losing out to an unranked UCF and a ranked Florida State in Florida State's Regional. South Carolina finished tied for 17th with fifteen other teams. Kentucky went 1–2 losing out to an unranked Miami (Ohio) and a ranked Northwestern in Northwestern's Regional. Kentucky finished tied for 33rd with fifteen other teams. Missouri went 1–2 losing out to an unranked California and a ranked Oklahoma in Oklahoma's Regional. Missouri finished tied for 33rd with fifteen other teams.
NFCA/USA Today The 14th poll was after the conference tournaments and before the NCAA tournament. The 15th poll, after the NCAA tournament, is the final poll. See 2023 NCAA Division I softball rankings#NFCA/USA Today also. Week0123456789101112131415 TENN1311127754457434443TENNALA915111313161617161614161414127ALAUGA15121718191817151412121111131414UGALSU25181515141215141213151315111116LSUARK7476691210810111212121317ARKAUB21212019181921191921191717161620AUBFLA4338888111515131416182021FLAKEN20171817161413161717202023222224KENTAMU–––––24–252423252525–––TAMUMIZZ––242425–––––––––––MIZZMSU23–––––––––––––––MSUMISS––––––––––––––––MISSSCAR––––––––––––––––SCAR
D1Softball The 13th poll was after the end of the regular season, before the conference tournaments, then the 14th poll, after the NCAA tournament, is the final poll. See 2023 NCAA Division I softball rankings#D1Softball also. Week01234567891011121314 TENN12911444334733444TENNALA612612101915161515131614168ALAUGA108141818189886776711UGAARK8410891517129121113121417ARKLSU17171298810111011141215918LSUAUB192318202224––––2015131520AUBTAMU–2519222113201514142122232223TAMUFLA5341313101118–23182122––FLAKEN1615161417981417192324–––KENSCAR––––––––––25––––SCARMIZZ––2524–––––––––––MIZZMISS25––––––––––––––MISSMSU–––––––––––––––MSU
ESPN/USA Softball Collegiate The 14th poll was after the conference tournaments and before the NCAA tournament. The 15th poll, after the NCAA tournament, is the final poll. See 2023 NCAA Division I softball rankings#ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 also. Week0123456789101112131415 TENN12896553356434444TENNALA712799131314141413161413117ALAUGA131016161817161089111110111212UGAARK64877121711911121212121317ARKAUB21212021212225232324211715151719AUBLSU20181415141012121112151416141520LSUFLA53310121110131815141517212021FLASCAR–––––––––––––––23SCARTAMU–––25–21242119212423232325–TAMUKEN171618171614111615162022––––KENMIZZ2323212323–––––––––––MIZZMSU––––––––––––––––MSUMISS––––––––––––––––MISS
All-SEC teams On May 12, SEC officials announced their softball awards for the 2023 season. Skylar Wallace of Florida was selected as Player of the Year, Maddie Penta of Auburn was named Pitcher of the Year, and Karlyn Pickens of Tennessee was Freshman of the Year, and Karen Weekly of Tennessee was chosen as the Coach of the Year.
The All-SEC Teams consist of 21 student-athletes on the First Team, 21 student-athletes on the Second Team, and a nine-member All-Defensive Team:
All-SEC First Team
Montana Fouts, Alabama Ashley Prange, Alabama Chenise Delce, Arkansas Maddie Penta, Auburn Charla Echols, Florida Skylar Wallace, Florida Jayda Kearney, Georgia
Sydney Kuma, Georgia Sara Mosley, Georgia Shelby Walters, Georgia Erin Coffel, Kentucky Kayla Kowalik, Kentucky Ali Kilponen, LSU Ali Newland, LSU
Donnie Gobourne, South Carolina McKenna Gibson, Tennessee Kiki Milloy, Tennessee Zaida Puni, Tennessee Ashley Rogers, Tennessee Julia Cotrrill, Texas A&M Rylen Wiggins, Texas A&M
All-SEC Second Team
Jenna Johnson, Alabama Larissa Preuitt, Alabama Hannah Camenzind, Arkansas Kristina Foreman, Arkansas Cylie Halvorson, Arkansas Rylin Hedgecock, Arkansas Reagan Johnson, Arkansas
Denver Bryant, Auburn Nelia Peralta, Auburn Kendra Falby, Florida Reagan Walsh, Florida Jaiden Fields, Georgia Madison Kerpics, Georgia Sydney Berzon, LSU
Ciara Briggs, LSU Taylor Pleasants, LSU McKenzie Redoutey, LSU Alex Honnold, Missouri Jenna Laird, Missouri Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee Koko Wooley, Texas A&M
SEC All-Defensive Team
Pitcher: Maddie Penta, Auburn Catcher: Kayla Kowalik, Kentucky First Base: Raeleen Gutierrez, LSU
Second Base: Sydney Kuma, Georgia Shortstop: Taylor Pleasants, LSU Third Base: Charla Echols, Florida
Left Field: Tate Whitley, Ole Miss Center Field: Ciara Briggs, LSU Right Field: McKenzie Redoutey, LSU
References