Auburn University infielder AnnaLea Adams has been named to the Preseason All-SEC Team, following a strong freshman season with the Tigers softball program. The announcement was made Thursday by the Southeastern Conference.
The team is selected by a vote of the league’s 15 head coaches and includes 21 players from 11 schools. Adams, now a sophomore, earned her spot after starting 43 games last season, first as Auburn’s designated player and later as the primary first baseman.
Adams finished her freshman year with a .390 batting average, ranking 15th in the SEC. She recorded 57 hits, scored 21 runs, and drove in 41 runs—marking the third-highest RBI total for an Auburn true freshman. She also hit nine doubles and ten home runs, becoming only the fourth freshman in program history to reach double-digit home runs. Her slugging percentage stood at .658, complemented by a .434 on-base percentage.
Defensively, Adams posted a .988 fielding percentage at first base with just two errors in 162 chances. Despite missing nine games, she led Auburn in batting average and slugging percentage and ranked among the top three on the team in several offensive categories.
In conference play, Adams achieved a .392 batting average—the highest ever by an Auburn freshman during SEC competition—and led her team with 20 RBI against league opponents. She became the first Auburn freshman to earn First Team All-SEC honors. Additionally, she received NFCA All-Gulf Region First Team recognition and was named to D1 Softball’s Freshman All-America Team.
As part of Thursday’s announcement, the SEC released its preseason poll based on votes from head coaches. Auburn was projected to finish twelfth overall with 55 points.
Auburn will begin its 2026 season on February 5 at North Florida. The game starts at 3 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on radio by JJ Jackson via the Auburn Sports Network. The Tigers are scheduled to participate in five games at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida from February 6–8 before hosting their Opening Weekend at Jane B. Moore Field for the War Eagle Classic from February 12–15.
The full list of athletes named to this year’s Preseason All-SEC Softball Team includes representatives from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, LSU, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Texas alongside Adams from Auburn.
