By: Ryan Henry
Kennesaw State (1-4, 0-0 CUSA) at Carolina Classic
Location: Columbia, S.C. | Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field
Saturday, Feb. 14, 10 a.m. vs. Louisville (3-2, 0-0 ACC)
Saturday, Feb. 14, 5:30 p.m. at #16 South Carolina (3-2, 0-0 SEC)
Sunday, Feb. 15, 9:30 a.m. vs. Louisville
Sunday, Feb. 15, 12:00 p.m. vs. Boston University (3-2, 0-0 Patriot League)
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KENNESAW, Ga. – After dropping its first midweek of the season to in-state rival Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State softball will head to Columbia, S.C. for the Carolina Classic. The tournament field features host No. 16 South Carolina, Louisville and Boston University.
The Gamecocks and Terriers are coming off NCAA Super Regional and Regional appearances respectively and Louisville is one six Power Four teams the Owls will face in 2026.
South Carolina also features two former Owls in
Emma Friedel and
Lexie Shaver. Friedel led the Black and Gold in innings pitched, strikeouts and ERA last season. Shaver played all 53 games with an .814 OPS, 18 extra-base hits and team-high eight steals.
Macie Howes and
Ana Gore are both entering this weekend having recorded a hit in each of KSU's first five games. Howes also has a four-game RBI streak, totaling six on the season.
In the circle,
Leah Jannakos has taken the leap as one of the top arms in Conference USA. The Haddock, Ga. native ranks top 5 in the conference in innings pitched (15.1) and top 10 in strikeouts (12). Her 8.0 innings against George Washington (2/6) are the most by any CUSA pitcher this season.
A New Era
In 2026, the Owls will be led by
Selena Collins-Patterson. She's the seventh head coach in program history and first female to lead the Owls since Medra Ashmore in 1986. Collins-Patterson brings more than 22 years of coaching experience across all levels.
From 2011-13, she served as head coach at Trinity University. She guided the Tigers to a conference championship appearance all three years, receiving the 2012 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. Under her tutelage, she guided two SCAC Players of the Year and 33 all-conference honorees. A Texas A&M Hall of Fame catcher, Collins-Patterson was a Big 12 Player of the Year, All-American, and team captain.
The Owls round out their coaching staff with the retention of pitching coach
Crystal Hampton, the promotion of
Daisy Hess and the hiring of
Mel Savala.
Leading the Way
Seniors
Macie Howes and
Ava Brooke Strickland have been named captains for the 2026 season. Howes made history last season, earning the program's first All-Conference USA honor as a second team selection. Behind the dish, she threw out 12 runners trying to steal, second best in the conference. She currently ranks fourth in program history in runners caught stealing (23), sixth in fielding percentage (.985) and eighth in putouts (541).
Coming to KSU in 2025, Strickland made an impact from day one. She started 32 games as a corner outfielder. In the Owls' final series against NM State, she had five hits in a three-game span.
Back in the Fold
In addition to Howes and Strickland, the Owls return three players who started 50-plus games in
Ana Gore,
Ava Guzowski and
Jojo Johnson. Guzowski led KSU in batting average (.300), slugging percentage (.453), on base percentage (.415) and walks (27). For her efforts, she was named to the CUSA All-Academic and CSC Academic All-District teams.
Gore will look to build upon her stellar freshman season at The Saw. She led all CUSA freshmen and finished fifth in the conference in doubles at 14. Her fellow sophomore, Johnson, started all 53 games at shortstop, tallying 29 hits and 17 RBI.
Revamped Pitching Staff
With two of the top three starters from 2025 gone, the Owls will be looking at some fresh faces to lead the rotation in 2026. The presumed leader will be
Leah Jannakos, who paces all returners with 85.0 innings pitched.
Olivia Tyson is the elder stateswoman as the only senior of the group.
Jenna Chase and
Taylor Daniel look to build upon their debut campaigns and freshman
Rylee Limberger could pitch valuable innings.
New in the Nest
The Owls will have four freshmen for the 2026 season:
Rylee Limberger,
Savannah Frachiseur,
Addison Smith and
Kimberly Tobar. Limberger comes to Kennesaw as the No. 7 ranked player in the state of Michigan. She dominated in the circle, receiving three all-state selections. Frachiseur is a second-generation Owl, with her father playing on the baseball team from 1999-2001. She can play all over the infield at an excellent level. Smith is a do-it-all utility player who was ranked as high as the 60
th-best player in the country. She played one season at Newnan HS with current teammate
Ava Brooke Strickland. Tobar should also provide depth in the infield. The Buford, Ga. native was an all-state selection in 2024.
The Owls Fund
The Owls Fund is the primary fundraising arm of Kennesaw State Athletics with the goal of supporting our student-athletes, coaches and each of our 18 NCAA Division I programs. Through initiatives such as Legacy Lockers, the Dot Martin Scholarship Golf Classic, sport-specific giving opportunities, general donations and season tickets, The Owls Fund connects fans with KSU's programs and student-athletes. Members receive exclusive benefits such as hospitality seating areas and events at Kennesaw State home games, and more. Join The Owls Fund here and discover more opportunities on how you can support Kennesaw State Athletics.
