Softball | 1/30/2025 9:30:00 AM
NORFOLK, Va., January 29, 2025 - Morgan State graduate student Victoria Fletcher was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Preseason Player of the Year, while Howard’s Julia Holt was named the Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
Additionally, Howard was selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2025 MEAC softball regular-season title.
All awards were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
A pitcher and infielder, Fletcher was named the MEAC Softball Player of the Year back-to-back seasons in 2023 and 2024. She led the league in home runs (7) and total bases (85). In the pitching circle, she logged 85.2 innings with 16 starts, a 9-6 record and limited opponents to a .245 batting average (3rd best in the MEAC). At the plate, she hit .360 with 54 hits, 10 doubles and seven home runs. Fletcher ranked in the top 10 in the conference in hits (T-3rd), at-bats (5th; 150), slugging (4th; .567), OPS (4th; .985), doubles (8th; 10), RBI (4th; 34) and batting average (6th). She was named MEAC Pitcher of the Week three times last season.
Holt garnered the MEAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year honors following a first-team All-MEAC selection in 2024. Holt led the MEAC with the lowest ERA of 1.33, while collecting a record of 7-2 in the pitcher's circle including a conference-high six saves. In 77.0 innings pitched, she recorded 68 strikeouts, 18 looking, while holding opponents to a .238 batting average against. Holt gave up the fewest earned runs (14) of all pitchers in 2024.
Joining Fletcher and Holt on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team are Howard catcher Alyssa Vasquez, Coppin State first baseman Seryna Esparza, Howard second baseman Lealani Ricks, third baseman Kenna Higa, short stop Sydney Fletcher and outfielder Maryn Jordan, North Carolina Central outfielder Tyler Settle and Morgan State outfielder Amber Rivas. Fletcher was also selected as the first-team utility/designate player.
The 2025 MEAC Softball Championship will be held in Norfolk, Va. on the campus of Norfolk State University May 7-10.
The 2025 MEAC softball season begins on Thursday, Feb. 6, when North Carolina Central opens at the Elon Softball Classic.
The predicted order of finish and the complete All-MEAC preseason teams are listed below. (as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors)
2025 MEAC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
School (First-place votes), Points
Howard (8), 118
Morgan State (7), 117
Coppin State (1), 85
N.C. Central, 72
S.C. State, 52
Maryland Eastern Shore, 46
Delaware State, 45
Norfolk State, 41
2025 MEAC Softball Preseason All-Conference Teams
Preseason Player of the Year: Victoria Fletcher, Morgan State
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Julia Holt, Howard
First Team
Name, Pos., Year, School, Hometown
Victoria Fletcher, P, Gr., Morgan State, Huntingtown, Md.
Julia Holt, P, Jr., Howard, Tuscon, Ariz.
Alyssa Vasquez, C, Sr., Howard, Eastvale, Calif.
Seryna Esparza, 1B, Jr., Coppin State, Hollister, Calif.
Lealani Ricks, 2B, Sr., Howard, Madera, Calif.
Kenna Higa, 3B, Sr., Howard, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Sidney Fletcher, SS, Sr., Howard, Whittier, Calif.
Maryn Jordan, OF, Jr., Howard, Sandiego, Calif.
Amber Rivas, OF, So., Morgan State, West Hills, Calif.
Tyler Suttles, OF, So., N.C. Central, Menifee, Calif.
Victoria Fletcher, UTL/DP, Gr., Morgan State, Huntingtown, Md.
Second Team
Name, Pos., Year, School, Hometown
Jaden Davis, P, Sr., N.C. Central, Knightdale, N.C.
Mia Gonzales, P, Sr., Howard, Atwater, Calif.
Alison Keener, C, Jr., Morgan State, Nanticoke, Pa.
Takia Nichols, 1B, Jr., N.C. Central, Hillsborough, N.C.
Clarke Calvin, 2B, Fr., Maryland Eastern Shore, Woodbury, Minn.
Julianna Mejia, 3B, So., Coppin State, Lincoln Heights, Calif.
Makiya Graves, SS, Jr., N.C. Central, Mebane, N.C.
Jaycee Holt, OF, Jr., Maryland Eastern Shore, Birchwood, Tenn.
Brooklyn Tapusoa, OF, Jr., Coppin State, Salt Lake City, Utah
Merci Hart, OF, So., Howard, Los Angeles, Calif.
Ameenah Ballenger, UTL/DP, Gr., Howard, Lansdown, Pa.
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is in its 54th year of intercollegiate competition with the 2024-25 academic school year. Located in Norfolk, Va., the MEAC is made up of eight outstanding historically Black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University.