Collins, McCoy, Simp, Ho-Ching, and Mertes delivered big as freshmen in 2025
Freshmen Were Big in 2025
According to 64Analytics, Clemson led Division I softball in the Top 50 RPI, with 741 freshmen plate appearances last season. Oregon was second with 737, UCLA with 681, Arizona State with 637, and UCF rounded out the top five with 610 freshman plate appearances.
So, who were some of the freshmen in the country that contributed to the abundance of offense across these teams? Let’s take a look at a few.
Marian Collins – Clemson
Marian Collins was very instrumental in Clemson’s success at the plate. Collins slashed .366/.453/.663 with 11 home runs, 47 RBIs, 16 doubles, and scored 38 runs as the Tigers made it to Super Regionals at Texas.
Collins had several big moments in games, including a bottom of the ninth inning walk-off home run against in-state rival South Carolina at McWhorter Stadium on April 15. Collins played and started all 62 games of the Tigers’ 2025 season. Marian was selected to the NFCA All-Region First Team, as well as the ACC All-Freshman Team.
Rylee McCoy – Oregon
Rylee McCoy, Oregon’s talented freshman spark in 2025, started 53 of 59 games played and was huge at the plate. A .385/.472/.820 slash line with 19 home runs, 59 RBIs, 13 doubles, and 36 runs scored helped lead the Ducks all the way to OKC.
McCoy’s 19 home runs tied Ann Marie Topps’ Oregon single-season record that was set in 2007. Rylee accomplished that milestone on May 18 against Stanford, as she belted a three-run home run in the top of the second inning. McCoy also earned All-Big Ten, All-American, and NFCA All-Mountain Region honors, as well as others.
Rylee Simp – UCLA
UCLA’s Rylee Simp thrived in the Bruins’ lineup in 2025 as a disciplined hitter. Simp didn’t hit much for power, but she got on quite a bit. She was a .383/.470/.470 hitter with two home runs, 25 RBIs, 10 doubles, and 39 runs scored on 70 hits.
Simp also reached on 25 walks and six hit by pitches. I mentioned disciplined, only 11 strikeouts the whole season.
Slimp was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, NFCA All-West Region Second Team, and named a D1Softball Second Team Freshman All-American. Rylee Simp started in 67 of the 68 games played, seeing time in every game as a freshman.
Tiare Ho-Ching – Arizona State
Tiare Ho-Ching was consistent from the start for the Sun Devils of Arizona State. She opened her freshman debut by hitting a double and a home run with four RBIs in a 7-1 win over Maryland on February 6.
Ho-Ching played and started in all 56 games as a freshman, hitting .339/.427/.485 with four home runs, 24 RBIs, 11 doubles with one triple, and 46 runs scored with 58 hits. Tiare also snatched 10 stolen bases on 16 attempts, showing her speed and ability on the base paths.
Tiare was named to the Big 12 Conference All-Freshman Team.
Izzy Mertes – UCF
The UCF Golden Knights’ Izzy Mertes was big in 2025. She slashed .315/.421/.570, with eight home runs, 35 RBIs, 16 doubles with one triple, and 30 runs scored.
Her 16 doubles led UCF, and she also led the team with 30 walks.
Mertes had plenty of standout moments in 2025 to help the Golden Knights to a Regional Final appearance. The biggest may have been her eighth and final home run of the season against No. 25 Michigan on May 17. It was a game-tying solo home run in the fifth inning. UCF went on to win and advance to the Regional Final against Texas.
Izzy Mertes was selected to the NFCA All-Gulf Region Second Team, as well as the Big 12 Conference’s postseason All-Big 12 Freshman Team.
These were just five of the many freshmen that were instrumental in their respective teams’ success and production in the 2025 season. There were many more. I look forward to seeing the now sophomores continue to produce and thrive in the 2026 season.
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*ALL STATS ACCORDING TO TEAM WEBSITES*
