The Francis Marion University softball program is ranked 10th in the 2026 pre-season National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association (NFCA)/GoRout NCAA Division II Top 25 coaches poll.  That is the same position FMU ended the 2025 season occupying.

Patriot head coach Stacey Vallee returns 15 letterwinners, including seven position starters and two starting pitchers, from last year's history-making 53-6 squad.  FMU set a program record for most wins and captured its third consecutive Conference Carolinas Tournament championship.  Francis Marion also won the conference's East Division title and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the fourth straight year, serving as host for both the sub-regional and Super Regional rounds.

The Patriots earned the Southeast Region's No. 1 overall seed and reached the Super Regional round by sweeping the sub-regional with three consecutive shutouts.

FMU ended the 2025 regular season ranked second, and was in the top four for each of the final seven weeks of the regular season.

Three All-Americans return for their final season:  left-handed pitcher Alyssa Poston, outfielder Paige Strickland, and shortstop Madalyn White.  Poston, a Hartsville native, is 56-8 in two seasons as a Patriot and was named the Conference Carolinas Pitcher of the Year for both 2024 and 2025.  Strickland batted .423 last season with 14 home runs and a school-record 84 runs batted in en route to earning conference Player of the Year accolades.  She led the country in RBIs per game (1.45).  White batted .488 and led Division II in total hits (school-record 102) and ranked second in runs scored (school-record 78).

Also returning is senior right-handed pitcher Jenna Walling, who owns a 57-10 career mark in the circle.  Other positions starters back are senior outfielder Anderson Thrower, senior first baseman Tallulah Civoniceva, senior second baseman Rylie Webster, senior designated player Kendal Miller, and sophomore catcher Rylee Gray.

Two-time defending national champion University of Texas-Tyler (62-5) is the unanimous preseason favorite in the poll.
 
Francis Marion opens its season at home on Sunday, Feb. 1, when the Patriots entertain USC Aiken for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.  The team's 52-game slate includes 30 home contests and a 28-game conference schedule.