2025 Tennessee Softball Roster Revealed: Complete List of Lady Vols, Impact Transfers & Star Freshmen

Tennessee softball fans hoping to learn “who’s on the Lady Vols this year” can exhale—the 2025 Tennessee softball roster is loaded, balanced and built for another Women’s College World Series push. Head coach Karen Weekly returns 15 veterans and injects elite talent from both the transfer portal and a top-five freshman class, creating a lineup that may be deeper than the squad that just won back-to-back SEC regular-season crowns. Star power in the circle All-American right-hander Karlyn Pickens headlines the staff after fanning 225 hitters and throwing 15 complete games a season ago. She’s now paired with South Carolina transfer Sage Mardjetko, who struck out 119 batters as a freshman and blanked Tennessee last spring before flipping sides in the portal. Junior Charli Orsini supplies experienced bullpen depth, while blue-chip freshmen Peyton Tanner and Erin Nuwer add future aces to the mix. Middle-of-the-order thunder Senior first baseman McKenna Gibson, Tennessee’s RBI and hits leader in 2024, slots back into the three-hole after earning preseason All-SEC honors. Expect redshirt-sophomore slugger Taylor Pannell (.294/33 RBI) and Oklahoma transfer catcher Sophia Nugent (11 HR) to offer protection. Washington import Kinsey Fiedler (.336) brings left-handed speed and gap power, while Texas Tech Gold Glove candidate Aubrey Barnhart stabilizes the hot corner with a .989 fielding percentage. Infield glue and outfield speed Senior shortstop Laura Mealer (.404 OBP, 7 SB) and junior second baseman Destiny Rodriguez (only nine strikeouts in 134 AB) anchor an infield built on range and contact. Freshman phenom Amayah Doyle and 6-foot-1 rookie Emma Clarke may push for immediate reps, giving Weekly multiple defensive looks. Sophomores Alannah and Gabby Leach return to an outfield searching for new stars after the graduation of program legends Kiki Milloy and Rylie West. Thompson Station native Ryan Brown, newly arrived from Texas, could also claim innings in center. Game-changing base runners Bench speed remains a hallmark of Tennessee softball. Senior Amanda Ahlin and junior Katie Taylor combined to score 31 runs almost exclusively as pinch-runners last season, and their green-light aggression should again translate to late-inning insurance. Elite freshman class arrives Five of the seven newcomers were ranked inside Extra Inning Softball’s national top 10, the highest-rated haul in program history. Along with Tanner, Nuwer, Doyle and Clarke, outfielder Saviya Morgan (68 high-school SBs) provides elite wheels, and versatile utility player Ella Dodge plus legacy freshman Zoie Shuler deepen a roster already flush with options. Projected opening-day lineup 1. Kinsey Fiedler – CF 2. Laura Mealer – SS 3. McKenna Gibson – 1B 4. Sophia Nugent – C 5. Taylor Pannell – 3B 6. Destiny Rodriguez – 2B 7. Aubrey Barnhart – LF 8. Ryan Brown/Alannah Leach – RF 9. Amayah Doyle – DP SP: Karlyn Pickens / Sage Mardjetko Key dates to circle • Feb. 6 vs. Nebraska – NFCA Leadoff Classic opener, the first official look at the revamped roster. • March 14-16 at Alabama – SEC road test against the league’s perennial heavyweight. • April 18-20 vs. Florida – rematch of last year’s SEC championship series. • May 8-10 – SEC Tournament, where Tennessee will chase a third straight title. The complete 2025 schedule and full numerical roster are live at UTSports.com. Why this roster could break through Tennessee’s 2025 softball roster blends proven SEC veterans, two legitimate No. 1 starters, pulse-raising freshmen and game-tilting speed. Weekly’s biggest challenge may be finding enough at-bats and innings for her embarrassment of riches—a problem every coach covets. If newcomers hit the ground running and Pickens stays healthy, the Lady Vols have a realistic path to hoisting the program’s first national championship trophy in Oklahoma City this June. Search intent recap Whether fans Google “Tennessee softball roster,” “Lady Vols lineup 2025,” or “who transferred to Tennessee softball,” they’ll land here for a quick, comprehensive breakdown—complete with players to watch, lineup projections and can’t-miss dates—ensuring they’re ready when the orange and white take the field.