A new season of Illinois softball is underway this weekend in Orlando, Florida, with five games on the docket. The Black and Gold Classic is right around the corner, beginning on Friday. With three teams on the schedule, the Illini have their hands full with the level of competition they will face.
There are many things to look for as the weekend emerges. The team has undergone roster changes and looks to bounce back after a tough 2024 campaign. Here are three things to keep in mind this weekend as the Illini take the diamond in Central Florida.
Turning the Paige in the chapter
Following a season where senior catcher Paige Berkmeyer led the team in RBIs with 37 and seven home runs, it became clear that the Ohio native would be one to watch in the following spring. The Big Ten Conference recognized this and named Berkmeyer on its Softball Players to Watch list for 2025.
Berkmeyer also caught 18 baserunners stealing in 2024. She led the Big Ten and landed fourth in the country for that category. She also holds the program record for home runs in a single game, hitting three in a 19-9 victory over SIU-Edwardsville.
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The senior captain is the most impactful returning piece in the 2025 puzzle. She will be a huge asset as the season goes on, both behind the plate and in the batter’s box.
Big opportunity for young contribution
With players like Tori McQueen and Kelly Ryono graduating in the spring, this year’s squad has a ton of young talent that looks to be cornerstones of a program coming off its first losing season since 2015.
“We’re here to make an impact right away,” said freshman shortstop Ava Moore. “We’re here to make a difference and just improve the program and improve upon the legacy of those that have come before us.”
Moore is no stranger to preseason accolades. She was named to D1Softball’s D100 and Softball America’s freshman watch lists, having been a three-time varsity letter winner in high school. Joining her in the latter accomplishment are freshmen infielder Ellie Haggard and pitcher London Park.
Illinois has 17 underclassmen on its roster, 10 of which are freshmen. Five sophomores look to do some damage as well. This includes infielder Adisyn Caryl, who slashed a .335 batting average as a freshman in 2024. Caryl, along with Moore and Berkmeyer, is on the Big Ten’s Players to Watch list.
Unfamiliar foes pave bumpy road
Of the three opponents Illinois is slated to go against, it has only met one more than once: No. 14 Georgia. The Bulldogs own a 4-0 record all-time over the Illini. Their last meeting occurred in 2022, when the Bulldogs won 4-3 in Athens, Georgia.
Illinois is also scheduled to play against CSU Bakersfield and UCF twice over the weekend. Both are unaccustomed to playing Illinois. The Illini bested the Roadrunners in their only meeting in 2010 by a 3-2 result. The Knights defeated the Illini 3-2 in their lone matchup in 2018.
Georgia and UCF crossed home plate with winning records in 2024, going 43-19 (12-12) and 31-25 (12-15), respectively. CSU Bakersfield, meanwhile, limped to a 5-46 (3-24) record last spring. For a young Illinois team, it may be tough to come away with a winning record this weekend with all that is on its plate.
The first pitch at the UCF Softball Complex is set for 1 p.m. on Friday against CSU Bakersfield.
