As the Northwestern State softball team gears up for the 2025 season, there is excitement and optimism surrounding the team as they hit the field.
Jenny Fuller accepted the role of new head softball coach this past summer. Despite this being her first year with the Lady Demons, she is already working toward bringing the team to success.
“We’re a very young team this year, which can be a good thing because there’s not a lot of pressure on us,” Fuller said. “Our focus is on working hard, establishing a strong culture, and having fun.”
Fuller’s plans on building good relationships, playing tough competition and laying a solid foundation for future success. She emphasizes the importance of team bonding, explaining that this group is one of the closest she’s ever coached. “Good chemistry is key, and I think this team is similar to the best we’ve had at Pitt State,” Fuller said.
Athletic Director Kevin Bostian looks forward to seeing Fuller take on her role in the program. He explains her impressive relation to the softball world, during her time as a student and coach, gives him high hopes for the team.
“She grew up in Waco, and played at Baylor. The head coach of Baylor was a football alumni from Northwestern State — who I’ve known since I’ve gotten here,” Bostian said. “There’s a lot of ties there and she just seemed like a natural fit and we’re super excited to have her.”
According to D1 Softball, Fuller was named one of the top ten new hires in Division I softball in July 2024 when she was first hired by NSU. “Nationally, there’s a lot of people that think that this is a good hire for us and that she’s a heck of a coach where she is and we’re looking forward to what she can do in the future,” Bostian said.
As the team embraces new leadership, seasoned players look forward to a change of pace within the program. Bailie Ragsdale, senior health and exercise science major, is enthusiastic about the team’s potential as she takes on her last season as an outfielder for the Lady Demons.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what happens on the field. It’s a very energetic team, and everyone wants to be here. They bring the fun back to me,” Ragsdale said. “It’s my last season, so I gotta give it all or I’d let myself and the team down.”
She is looking forward to improving her slapping ability and aggression on the field. “I’m going to give everything I got to this team and hopefully bring it back into the championship series,” Ragsdale said.
Both Fuller and Ragsdale highlight the training the team has put in on the off-season. Practices are designed to be tough as they focus on slowing the game down when they play. “We hit first, do some defense, finish with base running and conditioning,” Fuller said.
With new talent from both Fuller’s coach abilities and the young team, Bostian feels confident moving forward into the season.
“We are providing opportunities for kids to reach their dreams of winning a championship and hopefully getting a college education — that’s the fun part of this job, right?” Bostian said. “At the end of the day, we’re making a difference in the lives of 18- to 22-year-old kids by playing sport and mentoring them. It’s a fun thing, and I’m glad that she is a head coach here at Northwestern State.”
The team has a busy schedule ahead of them by playing two top 25 opponents. “It’s a long season with up to six games a week, so we have to be physically and mentally able to go the whole season,” Ragsdale said.
Fuller is ready to kick the season off in Alabama and lead the program to success by building up the team’s energy.
“We have high standards, but we’re also realistic. I think we’ll be able to surprise some people,” Fuller said.
The Lady Demons will open their 2025 season at the South Alabama Invitational in Mobile. The team will play the Murray State University (MSU) Lady Racers at 9 a.m. and the University of Alabama at Birmingham at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 7. Then they will play MSU at 11:30 a.m. and the University of South Alabama Lady Jaguars at 4:30 p.m. The Lady Demons will end their first string of on-the-road games against the University of Illinois Chicago Lady Flames on Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. before returning home.