South Carolina Softball 101 for NCAA Regional

South Carolina Softball is hosting the NCAA Columbia Regional this Friday through Sunday at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. If you’re new to Gamecock Softball, here are some fun facts to help you sound like a seasoned fan:

The NCAA Tournament

This is South Carolina’s 25th trip to the NCAA Tournament in program history, and it’s the third year in a row they’ve made the tournament. This is the eighth time the Gamecocks have hosted. The regional is a double-elimination tournament. The last time South Carolina hosted was in 2018, and the Gamecocks won that regional to advance to the Super Regional. Here’s a link to the bracket and ticket info.

Player Stuff You Should Know

This year’s team consists of six returning players, nine transfers (including six who came with Coach Chastain Woodard from Charlotte) and six freshmen. Lots of great stories with this team, but here are a few (in numerical order) to get you started around the watercooler:

#2 Ella Chancey is senior third baseman who transferred from Charlotte. She has been a vacuum at the hot corner and helped solidify a defense that was among the top teams in the SEC for fielding percentage. She hit .305 during the season with 18 extra base hits and seven stolen bases. She is also known for her sense of humor and hopes to visit every Major League Baseball stadium at some point.

#9 Sam Gress is a sixth-year pitcher who transferred from Charlotte. At 24 years old, some of the younger players have taken to calling her “grandma.” Gress earned second team All-SEC and All-Defensive team honors this year. You might see her often in the tournament as she is no stranger to pitching multiple times during a weekend as a starter or reliever. She leads the SEC with five saves and leads the team with 39 appearances and 130 innings pitched.

#15 Lexi Winters is a junior catcher who also transferred from Charlotte and has been clutch with the bat and her arm. She had a big three-run homer to tie the game vs. Virginia earlier this year and also had a game-winning RBI single in a 1-0 win over East Carolina. Defensively, she is a big reason why the Gamecocks have allowed only 14 stolen bases in 55 games (third fewest in the SEC).

#16 Arianna Rodi is a junior first baseman who transferred from Charlotte. She was an All-American last year for the 49ers, and she adjusted well to the SEC. Rodi broke the single season record with 16 home runs for the Gamecocks this year while batting .333 and also setting the program record with 46 walks (and counting). The Rhode Island native was a hockey three-time state champion in high school!

#33 Karley Shelton is a sophomore second baseman from nearby Lexington. She graduated high school a year early and played her first season last year for the Gamecocks when she could have still been playing at Lexington High! This year she leads the Gamecocks with 64 hits. Her 18 doubles not only lead the SEC, but it’s also the fifth-most in a single season at Carolina. Incidentally, her mom, dad, brother and sister all play(ed) collegiate softball or baseball!

#43 Quincee Lilio is a junior center fielder who transferred from Oklahoma. She was a middle infielder for the Sooners, but she adjusted to a new position well and is the leadoff hitter where she leads the team in hitting (.373) and her 43 walks this year are the second most in a single season at Carolina. She started her Gamecock career by hitting safely in 19 of the first 20 games, and the only game she didn’t get a hit during that stretch, she walked in all four plate appearances.

Team Record Watch

In addition to some individual single season records mentioned above that were broken, the 2025 Gamecocks broke or have a chance to break a lot of team season records as well: