COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The 2025 Villanova softball season begins in the Lone Star State on Thursday, taking part in five games at Texas A&M's Aggie Classic from Feb. 6-8. 

The reigning BIG EAST champions will battle five opponents on the Davis Diamond, one bout each against Utah State, Purdue, Abilene Christian, No. 19 Baylor and the host No. 7 Texas A&M. Villanova has only met two of these five opponents before, never facing ACU, A&M or Utah State in the program's 49-year history.

FORESEEING A FRONTRUNNER        
For the second straight year, the Villanova Wildcats are projected as the league favorites according to a preseason poll of BIG EAST softball coaches. The reigning conference champion and winners of three of the last four titles, Orchard's Villanova unit picked up top honors in the 2025 BIG EAST Softball Preseason Poll with six of a possible eight first place votes and 61 total points, edging out Connecticut for the top spot by four points. With a proven track record in just five full seasons under Orchard, VU earned two-thirds of the overall first place votes as UConn (two) and Creighton (one) also garnered attention for the lead honors. The coaches predict a bit of parity across the top of the league with four squads generating over 40 points, including UConn (57), St. John's (46) and Creighton (43) in addition to Villanova, while Seton Hall fell just outside that threshold (39).

RELIANT ON THE RETURNERS    
A main reason for Villanova's 2024 success was the depth and talent throughout the lineup, but four of those starters in the field have since graduated. The 'Cats will look to their three returning all-conference players to carry that mantle, with the middle infield a group of particular strength as soon-to-be three-year starter Ava Franz remains at shortstop and Lilly St. Jean returns as her double-play partner at second base. Elaina Wagner made the transition from infield to right field last year due to VU's depth at second base and lack of healthy outfielders, and the everyday reps allowed a breakout season from the New York native that the Wildcats hope will carry into her senior campaign.

THE ROOKIE RAP    
Six newcomers join the Wildcats for the 2025 season, including a five-person freshman class and one junior college transfer. The expectations are high for many of the first-years, with two positional starters expected from the group in addition to a trio of promising pitchers. New York native Ava Mahnken, the No. 31 prospect in her class nationally, is expected to take the mantle as starting catcher, while St. Anthony's product Jaclyn Morra is projected to start in the hot corner with positional flexibility across the infield. A pair of first-year right handers out of the Garden State will be relied on in the rotation, with two-time league MVP Lexi Kobryn and multi-time all-state selection Sophia Mount each expected to give the 'Cats some innings in 2025. Maddy Burns provides depth in the circle and outfield, while Bryant & Stratton transfer Bella Wren gives Villanova a much-needed third catcher.

UNCOVERING UTAH STATE

• The 'Cats will start out the 2025 campaign against a team of Aggies, though not the ones hosting the tournament. The Utah State Aggies enter this year after a 22-28 record last season, finishing last in the Mountain West with a 5-17 mark.
• USU is led by second-year head coach Todd Judge. Junior catcher Grace Matej earned All-MWC and NFCA All-Pacific Region Second Team in 2024.

BREAKING DOWN THE BOILERMAKERS

• Purdue went 25-27 in the 2024 campaign, finishing ninth in the Big Ten at 11-12 and falling to Indiana in the conference tournament's first round.
• Second-year head coach Magali Frezzotti leads the Boilermakers, who return All-Big Ten Defensive Team outfielder Moriah Polar and will also host their league's postseason tournament in May.
• Villanova trails Purdue in the all-time series, losing all five matchups between the two schools with the most recent coming in March of 2017.

ANALYZING ABILENE CHRISTIAN

• It'll be a matchup of the Wildcats on Friday afternoon in College Station as the Abilene Christian Wildcats line up in the opposite dugout for game three. ACU accumulated a 16-32 mark last year and pulled up the rear of WAC standings at 8-18.
• First-year head coach Jo Koons enters her debut season as the leader of a collegiate program.

BUCKLE UP FOR BAYLOR

• No. 19 Baylor awaits Villanova in an early afternoon Saturday contest, a team that won a game against #4 seed Florida in last year's NCAA Super Regionals.
• Senior first baseman Shaylon Govan returns after a unanimous NFCA First Team All-American nod in 2024 with two All-Big 12 First Teams. Pitcher Dariana Orme enters her seventh-year of college softball after missing 2024 with injury, a 2023 NFCA All-Region and 2024 USA Softball Top 50 Player of the Year watchlist member.
• Villanova is 1-0 all-time against the Bears, a 7-3 defeat of then-No. 23 Baylor at the 2020 Wooo Pig Classic 

TALKING ABOUT TEXAS A&M

• The final bout of Villanova's trip to College Station brings about the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies, who went 44-15 in last year's campaign and took eventual NCAA runner-up and #1 seed Texas to the brink in the 2024 Super Regionals.
• Left-handed pitcher Emiley Kennedy ranked No. 6 in D1 Softball's Preseason Player Rankings after a 2024 First Team All-American nod, while three other All-SEC returners and four Power Four transfers highlight a top-10 roster.

All five games will feature statistics courtesy of StatBroadcast, with only the Texas A&M games streamed on SEC Network.