RUSTON – Louisiana Tech is set for its 46th season of softball in 2025, and the Bulldogs will play outside of the United States for just the second time in program history as they will play five games over the span of three days in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Tech will open its season on Thursday afternoon with a matchup against Northern Colorado at 4:00 p.m. CT.
 
The Bulldogs will take on No. 12 Florida State and No. 4 Oklahoma State on Friday afternoon, followed by games against Northern Colorado and No. 12 Florida State on Saturday,
 
SERIES INFORMATION
Date/Time: Feb. 6-8, 2025
Location: Nancy Almaraz Field (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)
Watch: FloCollege
Stats: LATechSports.com/Stats
UNC Series History: LA Tech, 2-1
FSU Series History: LA Tech, 11-3-2
OSU Series History: OSU, 15-3

ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH

Head coach Josh Taylor led the Bulldogs to a 32-22 record in last season, marking the third consecutive 30+ win season for Taylor and LA Tech. The 32 wins marked the 27th season in program history with 30 or more wins. Taylor earned his second CUSA Coach of the Year award after guiding the Bulldogs to a 13-11 record in CUSA play and a trip to the CUSA tournament.
 
The Bulldogs return four All-CUSA performers in Alexis Gilio (First Team), Allie Floyd (Second Team), Claire Raley (Second Team), and Mattison Buster (Freshman Team).
 
Senior centerfielder Alexis Gilio is set for her second season with LA Tech after a standout junior season that saw her earn First Team All-CUSA honors while being named to the NFCA Second-Team All-Midwest Region. Gilio led the Bulldogs with a .383 batting average, which ranks sixth all-time in a single season in program history. Her 64 hits tied for 10th-most in a single season in program, while she also tallied 22 RBI, 30 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, and 19 walks.
 
Allie Floyd is set for her third season with the Bulldogs and will once again be leaned on as a key piece of the LA Tech pitching staff. A second Team All-CUSA selection in 2024, Floyd led the Bulldogs with 146.1 innings pitched and 81 strikeouts while posting a 2.87 ERA with a 13-9 record. She became the first sophomore to register 10+ wins since 2017 and logged eight complete games. Floyd's five saves in 2024 are tied for the second most in a season in program history, while her nine career saves is second most in program history.
 
Claire Raley is coming off a junior season that saw her earn Second Team All-CUSA honors after starting in all 54 games and playing every inning in 2024. The Utah State transfer batted .278 with 49 hits, four doubles, four triples, four home runs, 16 RBI, 33 runs scored and 73 total bases Her 33 runs and 73 total bases led the team.
 
Mattison Buster returns for her second season in the circle after making 21 appearances with eight starts while posting a 3.00 ERA in 46.2 innings pitched. Buster was named to the CUSA All-Freshman Team after leading the league with a 1.57 ERA in CUSA play.
 
KB Briley returns for her fifth and final season at LA Tech after missing two of the past three seasons due to injury. The redshirt senior played in just one game last year before a shoulder injury sidelined her for the season. She also missed the 2022 campaign due to preseason surgery. Briley's most productive season came in 2023 when she appeared in 33 games with 29 starts, primarily as a designated player. She batted .256 with 21 hits, two doubles, two home runs, and 17 RBI while also recording a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in limited action at third base. She recorded five multi-hit games, four multi-RBI performances and put together a five-game hitting streak.
 
Josh Taylor and his staff added six newcomers to the 2025 roster, with three transfers: Addison Snyder (Cal State Fullerton), Reagan Marchant (South Carolina) and Reese Torres (George Washington), and three high school in Laney Johnson (Stonewall, La.), Elena Heng (Bossier City, La.), and Ryleigh Shull (Hamlin, W.Va.).
 
The Bulldogs will be in search of their seventh straight opening day win as they face Northern Colorado at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday to open the season. Tech has won six straight openers dating back to 2019.
 
Head coach Josh Taylor picked up his 100^th win as Bulldog head coach last season and enters the year with a 103-66 mark at LA through three seasons. Taylor is now 336-234 in his career, with prior stops at Nevada (2017-2021) and Feather River College (2009-2012).
  
ABOUT NORTHERN COLORADO

Northern Colorado finished last season with a 27-26 (9-5 Big Sky) record. The Bears won the Big Sky Tournament and advanced to the Stillwater Regional where they fell to Oklahoma State and Michigan.
 
Head coach Dedeann Pendleton-Helm enters her third season with the Bears and returns 16 players, including eight starters from last year's team.
 
ABOUT FLORIDA STATE

FSU looks to capitalize on a strong 2025 season that saw them advance to the Super Regionals, where they would fall to eventual World Series Champions in Oklahoma. The Seminoles posted a 46-16 (19-5 ACC) record and enter this season as the No. 12 team in the preseason poll.
 
Head coach Lonni Alameda enters her 17^th season at the helm leading of Florida State softball and carries a 919-372 record all-time.
 
FSU returns two NFCA All-Americans in Jaysoni Beachum and Michaela Edenfield. The Seminoles hit 89 home runs in 2024, batted .332 as a team and scored 456 runs.    

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE
 
The Cowgirls enter 2025 with high expectations after finishing last season with a 49-12 (21-6 Big 12) record and a trip to the College World Series. OSU is ranked as the No. 4 team entering the new season, while also being named the Big 12 preseason favorite for the first time in program history.
 
Head coach Kenny Gajewski is set for his 10^th season as the head coach of the Cowgirls and has complied a 365-149 record through nine years.