WACO, Texas (KXXV) — The 2025 season begins for Baylor softball. For the seniors, it's a bittersweet time.
"The girls that I came and transferred with this is like our last go round," senior Shaylon Govan said. "They're honestly like me being a freshman again coming here and then I obviously being here with the other girls that were already here. They just became family and so it's like the sisters that I never had."
"I'm excited to start, but now that I'm starting I'm closer to being finished, so it is a little hard. I've been playing for 17 years, but I think this last season — just talk about leaving it all out there on the field. That's what I plan on doing," senior Ashlyn Wachtendorf said.
Key players from last year's squad moved on. The Bears add seven players from the 2024 signing class as new faces take over.
"I feel like we're very versatile. Everyone that came in the freshman transfers and everybody, they can come in and take someone's spot and so that's awesome that we have that much depth," Govan said.
"We're gonna miss a few, but we've got some we're really excited about replacing. We lost our entire outfield, but we have, I still think one of the most talented outfields that we've had with the ones that are replacing them," head coach Glenn Moore said.
The Bears had quite the season last year. Making it to the NCAA Super Regionals before falling to Florida. The way their season ended brings motivation for this year.
"We've got some high standards this year, especially after coming off of last year. The team did — we had a fabulous season. We all played really well together and so just coming off of that, I think we're all in the same mindset of we're going farther," Wachtendorf said.
"It definitely replays in my mind of all the time, you know, just those plays like that one play that could change the game,"Govan said. "All of those are always popping up through my head and it just gives me extra feel for this season."
Baylor's season begins in College Station for the Aggie Classic on Thursday, February 6 against ACU. First pitch is at 2:00 p.m.
