Florida State Seminoles
Overall Rank: #6
Conference Rank: #1 ACC
Florida State heads into the 2021 season as the preseason favorite to win the ACC as they bring back pretty much everyone from the 2020 team at all of the critical positions. The Seminoles went 17-7 during the shortened 2020 season due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Offensively, they were rock solid as they had four players hit over .300 and had an overall run differential of plus 100. In the circle, Caylan Arnold did a really good job after coming over from Tennessee and along with Kathryn Sandercock put together a nice 1-2 punch that will return for the upcoming 2021 season.
2020: 55-10, 19-5
2020 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Lonni Alameda
Key Departed Players:
Cali Harrod, INF.350 BA, 15 HR, 41 RBI, 43 SB
Carsyn Gordon, INF, .335 BA, 15 HR, 42 RBI, 15 SB
Zoe Casas, OF, .333 BA, 4 HR, 31 RBI, 3 SB
Makinzy Herzog, P, .316 BA, 3 HR, 26 RBI, 1.56 ERA, 10-2 W/L, 71.2 IP, 25 BB, 58 SO
Meghan King, P, 1.43 ERA, 30-7 W/L, 210.1 IP, 45 BB, 237 SO
Key Returning Players:
Sydney Sherrill, UTIL, 405 BA, 16 HR, 60 RBI, 8 SBI
Dani Morgan, UTIL, .377 BA, 14 HR, 58 RBI, 9 SB
Elizabeth Mason, UTIL, .343 BA, 11 HR, 57 RBI
Anna Shelnutt, C, .293 BA, 11 HR, 35 RBI
Cassidy Davis, P/UTIL, .309 BA, 10 HR, 43 RBI
Kathryn Sandercock, P, 1.99 ERA, 91.1 IP, 15 BB, 49 SO
Projection:
One guarantee about Florida State softball is their ability to light up the scoreboard offensively. Sydney Sherrill and Kiersten Landers are going to set the tone for the everyday lineup in 2021. Sherrill should be a prime contender to win the ACC Conference Player of the Year as she hit .344 with four homeruns and 16 runs batted last season. Sherrill can beat a team in a lot of different ways and will be a threat to hit .400 and at least ten homeruns and 60 or so runs batted in. Landers led the team in batting average in 2020 as she hit .358 and stole eight bases in eight attempts. Dani Morgan and Elizabeth Mason should round back into their 2019 form with a full season on tap for 2021. Anna Shelnutt only played eight games in 2020 as she suffered an injury on February 15 against Northwestern. Devyn Flaherty is another dangerous weapon for Coach Alameda to work with as she hit .333 while hitting three homeruns, 16 runs batted in, and stole eight bases. Chloe Culp will provide some additional offensive punch as she hit .359 while hitting four homeruns and drove in 17 runs in 14 starts last season.
Projected Postseason: NCAA Softball Tournament
