After months of hard work and preparation, the 2025 Lady Bears are hoping to make a statement and continue to grow.
In order to find continued success, head coach Shea Johnson and his staff will have a good mix of familiar faces along with talented freshmen.
Johnson was very encouraged with what he saw in the fall during preseason play.
“Our fall was tremendous,” he said. “Coming out of the fall, we were 7-7-2 and played some very good competition. Most of our opponents were either Division I JUCOs or actual four-year schools. After coming out of the fall, I felt really, really good about our defense, hitting and pitching. We have a lot of pitching depth, which as a head coach makes you feel tremendous.”
The added pitching depth compared to last season is a key difference for Southwest.
Johnson and his staff have five arms in the rotation, including four new faces in freshmen Allie Ladnier, Skye Sharp, Corin Talbot and Tye Boone. They join sophomore Abbey Pevey, who made 24 appearances and 15 starts last season for the Lady Bears, finishing with 27 strikeouts.
“We’re five-deep in pitchers of which we threw three quite a bit this fall. All of which had great outings,” Johnson said.
As far as experience in the field, Johnson is happy to have an outfield consisting mostly of sophomores.
“We have a lot of experience in the outfield, I have three sophomore outfielders,” he said.
Maggie Wilks, Gabby Carr and Erin Acey all return for their sophomore campaigns and they will be joined by newcomer Lauryn Roebuck who has shown a high level of athleticism. Another name who could be in the mix in the outfield is Sharp.
Johnson and his staff also have a plethora of options as far as the infield as well. Returning is shortstop Liberty Gillihan as well as Pevey who can shine at first base as well.
Also returning is catcher Alyssa Leggett, who could also see time at third base.
Among the newcomers is catcher/third baseman Kate Clements, catcher/first baseman Taylor Dunbar, middle infielder Malley Chase Faulkner and infielder Camren Strittman.
Like teams of his past, Johnson wants a roster of players who are versatile.
“I like to play a kid anywhere that they can play,” he said. “The thing about this year is I can have Skye Sharp play outfield and Erin Acey play second base because we don’t have a lot of depth. I only have 16 kids but those 16 kids can go play anywhere they need. I don’t have any PO’s (pitchers only).
One aspect about this year’s team that has caught Johnson’s attention and that he praises is the communication and camaraderie among the team.
“This group talks,” he said. “This group talks to each other. You don’t have to pull that out of them. They keep the energy going.”
He adds that the leaders on the team are more verbal than lead by example, which he prefers.
Once again, the Lady Bears will endure a tough non-conference schedule early on.
They will compete in the Mardi Gras Classic to kick off the season before facing teams such as John Melvin University, Baton Rouge, Lansing and Bishop State. They will also face good competition at the JUCO Classic in Vicksburg in February.
Conference play will start in March and right out of the gates, Southwest will be tested as the Lady Bears travel to Poplarville to face Pearl River.
They will close conference play and the regular season on the road in April at East Mississippi.
Johnson adds that based off of the level of talent and the team's mindset and expectations, he believes it can and will compete against any team it faces.
“I’ve never had a mindset like we have this year,” he said. “There is an expectation and a pressure on this group because they have the ability to beat anybody that they play. There is nobody that this team – on their game — can’t play with"
Joining Johnson once again in the dugout is assistant coaches Larry Lippert, back for his second season, and Callie Venable, who is in her third.
Southwest begins play Friday at 10:30 a.m. against Arkansas – Rich Mountain and at 1:00 p.m. against Lamar – Port Arthur.
