South Carolina softball began its pre-season with an exhibition match on Sunday, and with it brings a new era for the Gamecocks.
Led by new head coach Ashley Chastain, the Gamecocks also have a few noteworthy players entering the field via the transfer portal, such as senior infielder Brooke Blankenship from Florida State, redshirt sophomore infielder Kiki Estrada from Arkansas and redshirt junior infielder Quincee Lilio from Oklahoma.
Chastain was hired as the new head coach on June 11, 2024, replacing former head coach Beverly Smith who led the Gamecocks in the 2024 season to a 36-24 record, falling to Duke in the NCAA regional finals.
Before her return to her alma mater, Chastain served as head coach at UNC Charlotte for five years and led her squad to their program's first conference championship.
Along with a brand new coaching staff, Chastain brings sophomore pitcher Kadie Becker, senior infielder Ella Chancey, sixth-year pitcher Sam Gress, sixth-year oufielder Abigail Knight, junior infielder Arianna Rodi, and junior catcher Lexi Winters, all from Charlotte. Each arrive with big dreams for the upcoming season.
"We want to win the SEC," Chastain said. "We want to host a regional and we want to be in the top of the league."
The team has been focused on elevating its skill set, after it had had its first exhibition game and are already showing signs of growth in their belief in one another as teammates, Chastain said.
For Chancey, it's not about the outcome of the ball game, but rather keeping a consistent flow on the field no matter who the Gamecocks face.
FILE — Members of the South Carolina softball team circle around each other in the outfield after an exhibition game against Wofford on Sept. 22, 2024, at Beckham Field. The Gamecocks beat the Terriers 6-4.
Chancey also had her own successes at Charlotte, starting all 57 games at third base during her junior year and batting .316 in the 2024 season. Chancey said that since she has had a successful collegiate career under Chastain’s leadership, she wanted to continue playing for her.
“I think (the staff) they really just bring in great people at the end of the day," Chancey said. "Just the fact that so many people would want to come along with her, players and staff, I just think that speaks a lot of volume to who she is as a person."
Chancey said she hopes her experiences at Charlotte will translate to her teammates and bring a more consistent and competitive edge that is needed as last season's infield was ever-changing.
Gamecock softball has 12 players returning from last season and 10 transfer players. The team is already creating the bonds and relationships that true teammates need to hold one another accountable on and off the field, Chancey said.
Another notable player joining the Gamecocks this season is sophomore pitcher Nealy Lamb.
Lamb played her freshman year at Charleston Southern, becoming the first player in the history of the Big South to be named Big South All-Freshman, Freshman of the Year, Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-Conference. Lamb said she she is continuing to grow by learning from her new teammates, such as last season’s starting pitcher and junior Jori Heard.
Heard threw 85.2 innings and had 67 strikeouts on the mound while becoming the seventh player in Gamecock history to pitch a perfect game last season, the first since 2007.
“Honestly, Jori’s just taught me to be confident in myself," Lamb said. "She's very open with her experience, and just in the past five weeks I've spent with her, she's just made me very comfortable and just taught me to do my own thing and not worry about the rest."
Chastain brings a different perspective to the team as she was a former Gamecock and has played for all-star coaches.
“I played for Joyce Compton when I first got here (South Carolina) and then I did have the opportunity to play for coach Smith," Chastain said. "So (Compton) instilled a level of toughness and discipline and just no nonsense, no excuses with us."
She said she intends to coach the Gamecocks with the same level of discipline and no nonsense while staying true to the traditions of the softball program within South Carolina. She is also focused on practicing and playing together as one team instead of having a feeling of diversity between returning players and the transfers, she said.
"It starts with the belief that we have in who we could be and who we are day to day," Chastain said. "We can't compete for a championship in May if we haven't acted like it since now."