The Dallas Morning News’ Greg Riddle previews the 2026 UIL softball season for Dallas-area schools.
Preseason rankingsClass 6A
1. Flower Mound
After making the state semifinals for the second time in school history, Flower Mound should contend for its first state title after losing only two starters. Bella Flores was named The Dallas Morning News’ All-Area Newcomer of the Year after the all-state pitcher was 20-6 with a 1.98 ERA and averaged 11 strikeouts per seven innings as a freshman while hitting .453 with 27 RBIs for a 27-10-2 team. Ole Miss signee Adi Bicknell, an all-state shortstop, hit .464, scored 49 runs and had 39 RBIs and was 38-for-38 on stolen base attempts. Outfielder Nahla Hurst hit .437 with 52 hits, 41 runs and 27 stolen bases as a freshman. Flower Mound has pitching depth, as Audra Kruk returns from a knee injury that forced her to miss last season. Daphne Galason is one of the team’s top hitters and can also pitch if needed.
2. Denton Guyer
Notre Dame signee Finley Montgomery was The News’ All-Area Pitcher of the Year and the District 5-6A co-MVP last season after she led Guyer to the 6A Division II state semifinals. She was 20-4 with a 2.23 ERA and 187 strikeouts in 141 innings and she hit .402 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs for a 33-6 team. Guyer has reached at least the state semifinals all three years Montgomery has been in high school, including a state runner-up finish in 2023. First baseman Chloe O’Brien, committed to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, hit .350 with a team-high 45 RBIs. Third baseman Madison Joyner hit .430 with 44 RBIs.
3. Keller
Keller has won four state titles, tied for third most in UIL history. It returns a pair of first-team all-area players from its 6A Division II regional semifinalist team. Texas Tech signee Sydona Meiser tied the single-season school record by hitting 11 home runs, and she hit .468 with 52 hits, 28 extra-base hits, 52 RBIs and 40 runs while being named the District 4-6A MVP and an all-state honoree. Kansas signee Mackenna Jackson was also an all-state selection and set single-season school records with 17 doubles, 68 RBIs and 56 runs while hitting .475 with eight triples and eight home runs.
High School Sports
4. Forney
The Class 6A Division II state runner-up returns Baylor pledge Domiana English, a third baseman who hit .375 with 17 home runs and 42 RBIs for a 34-3-1 team. That was Forney’s first year as a 6A school. Emmie Santos gained valuable experience as a sophomore by sharing the pitching duties with first-team all-area selection Cailey Slade, who graduated. Santos was 17-2 with a 1.38 ERA going into the state championship game, and she got the start in the state final, a 4-1 loss to Humble Kingwood. Avery Pitts will also handle some of the pitching. Forney has three other college pledges — Kylee Orona (Henderson State), Emily Hawkins (Austin College) and Kambree Wilson (Kilgore College).
5. Mansfield Legacy
All-state shortstop Hope “Lillie” Gaudio is one of the premier juniors in the nation. The LSU pledge had 78 hits, 44 extra-base hits, 17 home runs, 64 RBIs and 58 runs in 36 games while hitting .690 for a 6A Division II regional semifinalist. Legacy will have to replace all-state pitcher Natalie Moreaux, the District 3-6A MVP who was 21-4 with a 1.32 ERA. Cameron University signee Shayla Gonzalez is expected to handle the pitching after having been the team’s second baseman since she was a freshman. Third baseman Meredith Davidson, a Texas Woman’s University pledge, and catcher Katelyn Moreaux are also expected to have key roles.
6. Flower Mound Marcus
After reaching the 6A Division II Region I final, Marcus welcomes back Missouri pledge Emily Souders, one of the best players in Texas. She hit .552 with 64 hits, 12 home runs, 50 RBIs and 50 runs in 39 games. Bella Valdez will be the team’s No. 1 pitcher, replacing second-team all-area selection Chloe Poteete, who graduated. The team has six returning starters, with Ella McNiel, Brianna Barr, Makenna Barr and Myleene Olguin expected to be other top players.
7. Mansfield Lake Ridge
Lake Ridge has two big-time Division I recruits with North Carolina State signee Ryan Roberts and North Carolina pledge Julia Harper. Roberts will play center field and Harper will split time between catcher and third base. Lake Ridge was the 6A state runner-up in 2022.
8. Waxahachie
Michaela Landers was selected for the U.S. national team that will compete on the international stage at the 2026 U-18 Women’s Pan American Championship. Landers, a shortstop, was the District 11-6A MVP last season and hit .617 with 49 runs, 53 RBIs, 19 triples and six home runs. Waxahachie has four players who have decided where they are going to play college softball — Jordan Young (Louisiana-Monroe), NaLee Nichols (Trinity Valley Community College), Cicely Thompson (Jarvis Christian) and Lyndi Connell (Lubbock Christian). Waxahachie has five returning starters, and Maci Barnes will be the team’s top pitcher.
9. Plano East
The 6A Division I regional finalist returns five starters and has four key hitters back with outfielders Julia Wilson and Avery Hopper and infielders Kayleigh Miller and Chloe Lee. Wilson hit .365 with 46 hits, 10 triples, six home runs, 53 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. Savannah Leonard will be the team’s top pitcher and replaces Jadyn Dawson, who was the District 6-6A MVP and was 20-7 and hit .459 with 14 home runs and 50 RBIs as a senior. Gina Martin hit .375 with 36 RBIs last season but is currently out with an injury.
10. Royse City
Nicholls State pledge Bri Duffey, a senior shortstop, was the District 10-6A co-MVP and hit .494 with 13 doubles, 12 home runs, 50 RBIs and 44 runs. Freshman Sydni Palmer takes over as the team’s top pitcher. Royse City has a new head coach, Zachary Gillen, and he is five wins away from 100 career wins. Outfielders Kinley Cook and Jade Bryant are expected to be key contributors for a team that is coming off an appearance in the 6A Division II regional semifinals.
Class 5A-others
1. Melissa
After winning back-to-back state titles and finishing No. 1 in the MaxPreps national rankings, this team could repeat as the national champion. Florida signee Kennedy Bradley, Oklahoma pledge Finlee Williams, Auburn pledge Amariee “Shug” Bradford, all-state catcher Hutton “LuLu” Adrian, Memphis pledge Izzy Gonzales and Rihanna Wheeler all return after combining for 83 home runs, 292 runs and 279 RBIs. They accounted for 68% of the team’s 122 home runs, a new high school national record. Melissa also returns an all-state pitcher — Arizona pledge Eloisa Maes — who was 32-1 with a 1.31 ERA as a sophomore.
2. Lovejoy
Lovejoy may have the best pitching duo in the Dallas area with Creighton signee Izzy Guarriello and Auburn pledge Gisela Boitmann. Guarriello was 20-9 with a 2.09 ERA and 290 strikeouts in 170 innings while averaging 11.9 strikeouts per seven innings to lead Lovejoy to the 5A Division II Region II final. Shortstop Torii Johannes has attended invite-only camps at Florida, Florida State and Clemson. Outfielder Tatum Vitek is expected to make an impact as she returns from a torn ACL that kept her out last season.
3. Birdville
This team has a chance to make another deep playoff run after reaching a 5A Division I regional final. Evelynn Swartzlander is committed to Tennessee, District 6-5A MVP Reagan Jordan is committed to Georgetown and Haley Mennenga is committed to New Mexico. Jordan was 27-5 with a 1.69 ERA and 233 strikeouts, and she hit .387 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs.
4. Prosper Walnut Grove
Coming off a 25-8 season and trip to the 5A Division I regional semifinals, Walnut Grove returns Nicholls State signee Kailee James and UT-San Antonio pledge Lauren Robinson. James, a senior second baseman, hit .516 with 10 home runs, 39 RBIs and 40 runs. Hannah Adkins takes over as Walnut Grove’s top pitcher after getting some time there last season behind all-state honoree Lyndsey Hooker, a Michigan State signee who graduated. Sophomore shortstop Vivian McKernan has been rated as one of the top players in the nation in the Class of 2028, and junior outfielder/infielder Penelope Robles is another player to watch.
5. Frisco Wakeland
Seven starters return from a team that won the District 12-5A title. Louisiana Tech pledge Lauren McIllwain had a school-record 60 RBIs and hit .529 with 12 doubles, nine triples, six home runs and 42 runs. Senior Jordan McNees will be the team’s No. 1 pitcher, and third baseman/pitcher Kayla Courcy, outfielder/second baseman Maggie Drake and pitcher/first baseman Valerie Selig are expected to have big seasons.
6. Frisco Lone Star
Lone Star has one of the best catchers in the state in Baylor signee Brooke Wooten, who hit .418 with 11 doubles, seven home runs, 37 RBIs and 33 runs. Shortstop Makala Wallace will be going to Texas Woman’s University to play softball. BellaLucia Cantu will be the No. 1 pitcher for a team that has six returning starters.
7. Frisco Reedy
Nebraska signee Katelyn Crosby hit .489 with 46 RBIs, 43 runs and 18 stolen bases, and the shortstop was the District 12-5A defensive player of the year. Catcher Abby Jackson hit .422 with 47 RBIs and was a first-team all-district selection.
8. Aubrey
Four starters — catcher Abby Lynch-Buxton, center fielder Sophia Place, right fielder Addison White and third baseman Sophia Mulhern — return from a team that was the 4A Division II state runner-up. Lynch-Buxton, an Ole Miss signee, led 33-4 Aubrey with a .476 batting average, 49 hits, 12 home runs and 59 runs, and also had 40 RBIs. Aubrey doesn’t know yet who its No. 1 pitcher will be, as freshman Lily Paul and sophomore Raylin Meeks are new to the varsity level.
9. Plano John Paul II
The TAPPS Division I state champion returns four starters and has three juniors committed to play college softball — third baseman/catcher Bridget Mulligan (Houston), middle infielder Dani Maloney (UT-Tyler) and middle infielder Sadie Zipser (Colgate). Mulligan hit .538 with 13 home runs, 46 runs and 37 RBIs for a 28-2 team. Kayla Page Walters takes over as the team’s top pitcher after transferring from Wylie East.
10. Grapevine
Grapevine reached the 5A Division II state semifinals but must replace all-area selection Bella MacMahon, the District 6-5A pitcher of the year. All-area infielder Gisele Rayngay also graduated after hitting .385 with 17 home runs.
On X: @DMNGregRiddle
Can Melissa become the greatest softball team in UIL history this season?
Led by coach Cassie Crabtree, Melissa will try to become the first team to win three consecutive state championships in one of the UIL’s top two classifications.
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Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.