A California powerhouse begins the 2024 season at No. 1 in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school softball rankings.
Pacifica (Garden Grove) finished the 2023 campaign with seven straight wins, including a 5-1 playoff victory over
Los Alamitos to bring home the Southern Section Division 1 championship – one of the toughest brackets in the country each and every year.
Katy (Texas) is a wildcard pick at No. 2. There is talent up and down the lineup but the Lone Star State is loaded with contenders and potential pitfalls.
Florida boasts depth with elite pitching. To bring home a state title in the higher classifications, teams will need to beat flamethrowers, the type that will be pitching for some of the best college programs in the years to come.
California, Texas and Florida sweep the top three spots and have the most teams represented in the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 but don't rule out other states from producing a national champion. Since 2013, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland and Virginia have all been home to a final No. 1.
Long Beach State commit
Brynne Nally was named a second team MaxPreps All-American in 2023 after leading the Mariners to a Southern Section Division 1 title. She will be joined by UCLA commit
Kaniya Bragg, Cal-bound
Kayli Counts and six other returning seniors as they go for a repeat in 2024.
2. Katy (Texas)It's hard to find a weakness in the Tigers' lineup.
Cameryn Harrison and
Ashtyn Reichardt are committed to Arkansas and will be joined by Houston commit
Hailey Gore, Oklahoma State commit
Montgomery Henderson and Missouri commit
Avery Porter, to name a few.
3. Bartow (Fla.)They knocked off Pace 5-1 to bring home the school's ninth overall state championship in 2023. Florida commit
Katelynn Oxley and catcher
McKenzie Gibson are two key pieces back for the Yellow Jackets.
4. Northwest Rankin (Brandon, Miss.)Mississippi MaxPreps Player of the Year
Jolie Hays, Georgia commit
Brooke Smith and Coastal Carolina commit
Reese Collier are a few of the returning weapons for a loaded squad.
5. Pace (Fla.)Florida State commit
Shelby McKenzie, LSU signee
Jayden Heavener and Northwest Florida commit
Mallory Baker headline a group of players hungry for a state title and a chance at redemption.
6. Marist (Chicago)The defending 4A champs welcome back Notre Dame commit
Caroline O'Brien and ace junior pitcher and Bradley commit
Gianna Hillegonds.
7. Hewitt-Trussville (Trussville, Ala.)Alabama MaxPreps Player of the Year
Sara Phillips and University of Louisiana-Monroe commit
Olivia Faggard headline a group of talented players coming back for the reigning 7A state champions.
8. Kaukauna (Wis.)The Galloping Ghosts are the hottest team in all of high school softball, winning 81 straight games and three consecutive state titles. They return the state's top pitcher in
Karly Meredith and many of their top offensive weapons, like
Paige Bodenheimer.
9. Jackson (Mill Creek, Wash.)Fresno State commit
Rachel Sysum brings her big bat for 2024 joining ace pitcher and UNLV commit
Yanina Sherwood. The Timberwolves rolled off 14 straight wins to bring home the 2023 4A state title.
10. Huntington Beach (Calif.)Stanford signee
Zoe Prystajko will bring some firepower back in the circle for the Oilers this spring and also provided some pop with 10 home runs.
Tea Gutierrez and LMU signee
Liah Lummus combined to hit 11 dingers in 2023.
11. Austintown-Fitch (Youngstown, Ohio)Class of 2025 Georgia Tech commit
Sydnie Watts is one of the top pitchers in the country. Youngstown State commit
Ayla Ray looks to go out as a back-to-back state champion after helping the Falcons win the school's first state title in 2023.
12. Orange Beach (Ala.)The Makos will seek a fourth-straight state title in 2024 and return a stacked lineup. It starts in the circle with Class of 2025 South Carolina commit
K.G. Favors. She joins two other juniors who pitched over 70 innings last spring. The team hit 57 home runs in 2023, led by now-sophomores
Ava Hodo and
Teagan Revette.
13. Penn (Mishawaka, Ind.)Junior pitcher and Toledo commit
Olivia Signorino and senior ace
Aubrey Zachary are back in 2024 looking to continue off its hot run to close out 2023. The Kingsmen shocked
Roncalli 2-1 in nine innings to capture the 4A championship.
14. Summerville (S.C.)The Green Wave brought home the school's first state championship in 2023. Class of 2025 and South Carolina commit
Ansley Bennett is one of the top pitchers in the entire country.
15. Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.)One of the top 2026 pitchers in
Lilly Goodwin, who finished with a 0.26 ERA in over 133 innings of work is back for the defending 5A state champions. Grand Canyon University commit
McKinsey Beyer hit .425 as a sophomore last spring.
16. Basha (Chandler, Ariz.)The defending 6A state champions will be tough to dethrone in 2024. New Mexico signee
Natalie Fritz returns in the circle after striking 159 last spring. Oklahoma commit
Gabriella Garcia is back for her senior year after hitting .550 and smashing 12 home runs.
17. Guyer (Denton, Texas)The Wildcats were the 6A state runners-up in 2023 and this year they have the sauce to get to the next level. Powerful right-handed pitcher
Finley Montgomery is back in the circle and senior Oregon signee
Kaylynn Jones is one of the top players in the state.
18. Saint Francis (Mountain View, Calif.)Texas A&M commit
Kate Munnerlyn and Boise State commit
Shannon Keighran combined to go 27-3 in 2023 with 317 strikeouts. Both will be back for their senior seasons.
19. Gaylord (Mich.)Toledo commit
Alexis Shepherd, Ferris State commit
Braleigh Miller, Virginia Tech commit
Jayden Jones and Oklahoma State commit
Aubrey Jones are a few of the big names returning for a team who captured the school's first state title in 2023.
20. Watkins Memorial (Pataskala, Ohio)After finishing 20-1 with a 0.62 ERA as a junior, Michigan State commit Carsyn Cassady and the Warriors will aim to finish 2024 with a state title. Ohio University commit Jordyn Wycuff and Houston commit Maleya Thomspon combined to hit 22 home runs last spring.
21. Sheldon (Eugene, Ore.)Arkansas commit
Payton Burnham is back in the circle after being named Oregon's MaxPreps Player of the Year in 2023. The top bat from last spring, Utah Tech commit
Kinley Pappas, will also be back. The Irish finished 32-1 and won a 6A title in the spring.
Boston College commit
Sophia Bertorelli struck out 254 batters as a sophomore. Another Class of 2025 stud for the Panthers is Boston University commit
Addi Michel, who batted .476 in 2023. Senior Florida Gulf Coast commit
Kate Maston brings leadership to a talented roster.
23. Wetumpka (Ala.)The Indians won 54 games and a 6A state title in 2023 with a chance to be even better in 2024. Troy softball commit
Mya Holt hit 22 home runs at the plate and struck out 223 in the circle. Anderson commit
Lily Davenport is back as well after hitting nine bombs as a sophomore.
24. Georgetown (Texas)Houston commit
Maddie Hartley, Arizona State commit
Cambree Creager and the Eagles have been on the doorstep of bringing home a state title. Both will return for their senior season looking to go out with a bang.
25. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)Notre Dame signee
Brianne Weiss finished her junior year with a 0.79 ERA in over 100 innings of work. She will join Oklahoma commit
Kai Minor and a talented Lancers team as they look to make a deep postseason run.
Next 25
27.
Gordonsville (Tenn.)28.
Los Alamitos (Calif.)29.
St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.)30.
Murrieta Mesa (Calif.)31.
Ichabod Crane (Valatie, N.Y.)32.
North DeSoto (Stonewall, La.)33.
Poway (Calif.)34.
Rockridge (Taylor Ridge, Ill.)35.
Bentonville (Ark.)36.
Lake Creek (Montgomery, Texas)37.
Doral Academy (Doral, Fla.)38.
Canyon (New Braunfels, Texas)39.
Aynor (S.C.)40.
Hanover (Mechanicsville, Va.)41.
Pearland (Texas)42.
Mankato East (Minn.)43.
Parrish Community (Parrish, Fla.)44.
Coahoma (Texas)45.
Bend (Ore.)46.
Hempfield Area (Greensburg, Pa.)47.
Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas)48.
Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.)49.
Anthony Wayne (Whitehouse, Ohio)50.
Norco (Calif.)
