NEW ORLEANS (JMU Athletics) – James Madison softball student-athletes Reed Butler, Bella Henzler, and Payton List all earned a spot on the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team ahead of the 2025 season, the league office announced on Wednesday morning.

The trio of Dukes polished off the 2024 campaign with First Team All-Sun Belt honors, along with List being named SBC Freshman of the Year.

Out of the 12 programs, JMU is tied with Louisiana for the most players selected, with three each.

Since joining the Sun Belt ahead of the 2023 season, James Madison has had one other appointment to the preseason team, as Hannah Shifflett earned the honor prior to the Dukes’ inaugural season in the league.

Butler started all 53 games in center field in 2024 and amassed career-highs in hits (71), runs scored (53) and home runs (11). She also hit .415, the fourth-highest single-season batting average in program history. She accrued a career-high on-base streak of 29 consecutive games, which helped accumulate to a .490 on-base percentage, good enough for the fourth-highest in school history and third in the Sun Belt. Butler also led the Sun Belt with an average of a run per game during the 2024 campaign. She is one of three active players for JMU with 100-plus career hits, totaling 109.

In her first campaign for James Madison, List appeared in 45 games making 40 starts at multiple positions. Along with her Sun Belt accolades, she was also named NFCA Third Team All-Region. As a two-way player, 32 of those appearances came in the circle with 15 starts, leading the team with 10 wins. She also had 76 strikeouts in 89 innings pitched, including a season-high eight strikeouts versus Omaha on Mar. 2, 2024. At the plate, she finished with a slash line of .333/.375/.649 with nine home runs, eight doubles, and 29 RBI while having a season-long on-base streak of 16 games. List also scored 23 runs and had 37 hits including 14 multi-hit games, with a team-leading 11 games with multiple RBI.

Henzler got a CSC Academic All-District nod to go along with a first-team selection after appearing and starting in 51 games behind the plate and designated player for JMU in her sophomore season. She racked up her 100th career hit in the 2024 SBC Tournament Quarterfinal, becoming the third active Duke to do so. Henzler had 19 multi-hit games, including four with three hits or more. On the season, she hit .347 with 11 home runs and 30 RBI, with 58 total hits. Her 11 home runs were tied for seventh in the Sun Belt and her slugging percentage of .617 was tied for third on the Dukes. She has started every game she has appeared in (98) through her first two seasons at James Madison.

James Madison was also picked fifth in the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving one first-place vote. The Dukes have ranked fifth in each of their three preseason polls as a member of the Sun Belt Conference.

JMU wrapped up its 2024 season going 31-22 (12-12 SBC) with a quarterfinal exit from the SBC Tournament, falling to No. 1 Louisiana.

The Dukes added seven freshmen to their 2025 squad who hope to contribute this spring. One of the new additions, Emily LeGrand, was most recently named to D1 Softball’s D100 Freshman Watch List.

The top three teams in this year’s poll – Texas State, Louisiana and South Alabama, all made an appearance in 2024 NCAA regional play.

2025 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Texas State (5) – 134
2. Louisiana (6) – 131
3. South Alabama – 106
4. Troy – 103
5. James Madison (1) – 99
6. Coastal Carolina – 94
7. ULM – 76
8. Georgia Southern – 51
9. Marshall – 50
10. Southern Miss – 44
11. App State – 33
12. Georgia State – 13

James Madison opens the 2025 season in Orlando at the Black and Gold Classic, with its first game slated against CSU Bakersfield on Feb. 7 with a first pitch time of 9 a.m.

— JMU Athletics —