Rock Hill, S.C.— Winthrop softball opens the 2026 season at the University of South Carolina as it competes in the Gamecock Invitational in Columbia, S.C. Feb. 6-8. The Eagles will open the tournament on Friday, Feb. 6 at 5:30 p.m. when they face #19/#21 Virginia Tech.
GLANCE AT THE EAGLES
- Eagles season came to an end in the Big South Championship game for a second straight season in 2025
- It was the 15th time in the history of the program that the Eagles played in the championship game
- Had the first 30-win season since 2019 and finished tied for 3rd in the league standings
- The Eagles batted a team average of .247 in the 2025 season
- Return a total of 14 players from the 2025 roster after losing two starters Megan Powell and Emma Jackson
- Tia Beckham, Peyton Bryden, and Grayson Buckner highlight the returning starters
- Katie Beck, who tied for the team lead in home runs as a freshman, will miss the 2026 season
- Beckham was the 2025 Big South Newcomer of the Year
- Beckham started in all 53 games she appeared and batted .275 with 23 runs, 44 hits, 10 home runs, and a team-high 40 RBI
- Buckner, the only senior on the roster, started all 53 games she appeared in, batting .226 with 16 runs, 35 hits, and four home runs
- Bryden leads the returning players with a batting average of .302 and started 52 of her 53 game appearances
- Also returning are Aspen King, Mili Watts, Ashlyn Bunn, Annelisa Winebarger, Lonna Addison, Sophia Lawson, Emma Roberson, Tabitha Perry, Madelyn Miller, and Emmy Cardenas
- Addison was the number two pitcher in 2025 and turned in strong season in the circle with an 11-6 record with a 2.92 ERA
- Addison was 5th in the Big South in ERA, 6th in strikeouts and tied for 6th in wins
- She capped off her first season as an Eagle with a Big South All-Tournament selection along with Powell and Jackson
- There are nine newcomers on the roster this year with seven freshman and two juniors
- The win over Gardner-Webb in the opening game of the series gave the Eagles 20 wins on the year in their 30th game
- It was the fastest to 20 wins since the 2007 team did it in 29 games
- Since 2007 the fastest team to 20 wins was the 2010 team (31 games) and more recently the 2023 team did it in 32 games
- This is the 53rd season in the history of the Winthrop softball program
- The opener against Virginia Tech marks the 2,406th game in program history as the Eagles hold an all-time record of 1,276-1,126-3
HEAD COACH KENDALL FULLER
- Kendall Fuller is in the third season of her second stint with the Eagles
- She joined the Winthrop staff as an assistant coach in 2013, was promoted to Associate head coach in the fall of 2014 and with three games remaining in the 2015 season was promoted to Co-Head Coach with Mark Cooke
- Fuller remained Co-Head Coach for the 2016 and 2017 seasons
- In July of 2020 she was named the head softball coach at Lees-McRae and in three seasons compiled a 65-68 overall record
- Led the team to a 32-18 mark in 2023, setting the program record for victories in a single season
- That season they had a runner-up finish in the Conference Carolinas regular season
- For the team's success in 2023, Fuller was named the Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year
- In her career leading the Winthrop program she has a 95-123 (160-192) career record
- In her first season with the Eagles she led the team to within a game of a Big South title and NCAA Regional appearance
2026 SEASON HONORS
- Tia Beckham – Junior – Outfielder
- 2026 Big South Preseason All-Conference Team
RECORD BOOK WATCH/CAREER MILESTONES
- Grayson Buckner (includes stats from Lees-McRae)
- Reached 100 career hits with a single in the first vs. Youngstown State (122)
- Reached 50 career RBI after driving in five on the opening weekend (64)
- She also made her 100th start in the game vs. St. John's
TICKETS WILL BE SOLD FOR HOME TOURNAMENTS, SOUTH CAROLINA GAME FEB. 25
Tickets will be sold for the Garnet & Gold Tournament, the Mark Cooke Memorial, the Winthrop Invitational and the single-game on Wednesday, Feb. 25 against South Carolina.
Click here to purchase.
JOIN THE EAGLE CLUB
The Eagle Club is the official fundraising arm of Winthrop Athletics. Your generosity directly supports Winthrop Athletics and helps provide our student-athletes with the resources they need to succeed on and off the field. From facility upgrades and enhanced game-day experiences to scholarships, equipment, travel, and academic support, every dollar makes a difference
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By investing in the Eagle Club, you're helping us build a stronger future for Winthrop Athletics—one that prioritizes excellence, opportunity, and a championship culture.
Click here to join or donate today.
WINTHROP IMPACT NETWORK
Winthrop Athletics is proud to announce the launch of WIN: Winthrop's Impact Network- a distinguished philanthropic giving society established to support and elevate Winthrop's 16 NCAA Division I programs and nearly 300 student-athletes.
In the new era of college athletics, it is critical now more than ever to generate revenue to provide Winthrop student-athletes with the resources and opportunities needed to compete for Big South championships and advance in the NCAA tournament. Winthrop's Impact Network members will have an elite level of direct impact on the future of Winthrop Athletics. For more information,
click here.
WATCH THE EAGLES
Select home games as well as all Big South away games are available to watch through the Big South Network on ESPN+. To watch live Big South games on ESPN+, you need a subscriber. For more information how to subscribe,
click here.
UP NEXT
The Eagles return home for the Garnet & Gold Tournament on Friday, Feb. 13, where they will begin the weekend by taking on Kent State at 3 p.m.
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