Exclusive Interview with SEC Freshman of the Year, Tori Edwards of LSU Softball

The world of collegiate athletics is full of inspiring stories, but few shine as brightly as that of Tori Edwards, the SEC Freshman of the Year out of the LSU Softball program. In our recent interview, Tori shared her journey, resilience, and the incredible season she has had, making headlines with her exceptional performance on the field. This article highlights our conversation, capturing her spirit and determination that fueled her success.

In her own words, Tori reflects on the challenges she faced during her freshman season, showcasing how those experiences molded her approach. Her journey is not just one of triumph but also of learning and growth through adversity.

Overcoming Setbacks: The Power of Resilience

Tori’s journey began not with immediate success but with a setback that she described as a time when she felt sidelined: “it felt like being like stripped from it and just kind of being on the outside and like knowing there's really nothing I could do and like I really couldn't help" This motivated her more because she knew eventually she would get to play and that kept her eager as she told me "when I do get the opportunity and I'm healthy enough to start playing, that's when I was going to be really excited ” This moment sparked her determination to make a significant impact once she returned to the field.

Rather than succumbing to despair, she sought opportunities, using her time off to learn from others. Leaning on her teammates, especially Danieca Coffey who was also dealing with a season ending injury, she gave Tori vital insights to help navigate the complex world of collegiate softball. “I just learned a lot from her walking me through and asking me to watch this season together. I really think that helped me just kind of feel prepared going into first year," She also said it helped her realize what it really takes "so I'd say that's like the biggest thing I probably took away from the injury.” Tori noted. This demonstrates how mentorship and camaraderie significantly impact an athlete's journey.

A Record-Breaking Performance

Entering her first official season as a player was a massive leap for Tori. The results were impressive: she tied LSU's home run record with 18 home runs and broke multiple freshman records at LSU, finishing third on the all-time single-season list for RBIs with 73 with an .802 Slugging another program record, and .495 OBP which is 9th in program history. What was the key to such phenomenal success?

“I think just taking advantage of not really being known yet,” she explained. With defenses not fully aware of her strengths, Tori leveraged that anonymity to excel. This highlighted her ability to adapt quickly, a crucial skill in any competitive environment.

Additionally, Tori values teamwork profoundly. “It's never going to be all on one person, and I think it just helped me throughout the season to not feel so much pressure and just allowed me to go out there and play and compete, just knowing that if I give my best and not worry about failure or setbacks, I was going to be OK,” she elaborated. Recognizing the synergy among teammates underscores the essence of sportsmanship and collaboration.

On Being Named SEC Freshman of the Year and Unanimous All-American

" I think it just shows that my preparation and my commitment throughout the season and how hard I worked to recover and become healthy again. It gives me a foundation, because of course every year I have really high expectations for myself, so I want to continue to grow and of course exceed every year. So It's really cool for me. I'm type of person, that it kind of took me a while. I had a lot of people being like you can be happy for yourself, those are great things. Because for me, my goal at the end of the year is of course to get to the World Series, a lot of people around me just help me like recognize like that is really a hard thing to do and to achieve this kind of thing is really rewarding and now, I'm just ready for like the next few years." -Tori Edwards

On the Dynamic Between herself and Maci Bergeron - Smash Sisters

"Maci, having two years under her belt, knew how it felt to be playing at this level as a freshman and the ups and downs she went through while getting used to the program and the ways they teach us. So, she definitely helped me adjust to that. Also, (Jalia) Lassiter was a big part of that too, just because we were the only true 3 rights in the lineup constantly. So, we always had to rely on each other and talk to each other, and throughout the season, it really helped because we were all seeing different things. I think us rights talking to each other really built our dynamic well." -Tori Edwards

On Discipline at the plate

I asked Tori what went what went into their approach as a team regarding discipline at the plate. Tori, Danieca, and Maci all had banner years for walks in program history.

"That was a big part of our game, like a big focus. We did a bunch of different days where, like, it was Two Strikes Tuesdays. I think he (Bryce Neal) did a really good job reiterating to the group that walks are important. Some days you're not going to be doing your best, you're not going to be able to hit all over the place. So being able to value walks and being able to pass the bat no matter what is important. I think that's a big thing for our team, and that's what allowed us to walk a lot this year."-Tori Edwards

We discussed her training in the weight room and the deadlift record they are always mentioning, and how she feels being in a program at LSU helped her harness more power. She stated, "When I initially started out, my dad, who works in training and conditioning, allowed me to feel the form and get used to lifting. Then, when I got to LSU, our trainer Mel wanted to work a lot on explosion, like building power but also being able to move fast and be explosive in our moves. I think that really played a big part in it."

On Having Early Success

"I'm not going to lie, I did not anticipate this for myself so early on, but, at the same time, I knew my potential. So, it's really exciting to see all the pieces work together, but it definitely was a surprise for me, especially this early on in my career." -Tori Edwards

At what point in the season did it click that this is really happening?

"I think it was the A&M series, because even though that series did not go well on our part, the production I had off (Emiley) Kennedy and then hitting my 4th Grand Slam was just like, this is crazy. Just growing up around A&M and being halfway through the SEC at that point, I was kind of like, this is real, like I've earned this. It was really a surreal moment because we played some of the best this year, from our first early game with UCLA all the way down to Florida, Arkansas, OU. So I think that was probably the big moment for me when I realized this is real." -Tori Edwards

Performance Stats against Texas A&M: 3 hits in 8 at-bats, 1 Grand slam, 3 walks, 2 doubles, 4 RBIs, 3 runs scored, 1 stolen base.

On Coming up Clutch in the Big Moments with Runners in Scoring Position

"I just love to reiterate to myself, just keep it simple because I know in those moments, it almost sometimes feels freeing because I know there's really nowhere for them to put me, so it's like they have to pitch to me. I'm just trying to keep it simple and feel comfortable enough that I know I'm going to get a pitch."  -Tori Edwards

We Discussed the future of LSU with two of the top freshmen in herself and Jayden Heavener

"I'm really excited. I've told anyone who's asked me, facing her is insane to me. She is so incredibly talented, and I know her future is super bright. With her starting to lead the way, we're still a very young team in my opinion. So it's going to be a lot of trial and error, but I just think with this team coming up, there's just a lot of passion and grit, and I can just tell there's a lot of drive. So I'm really excited; she's going to be something else. She had a lot of ups and downs this year, but she always kept a positive mind, and I've never seen a pitcher so calm and collected, whether she walked bases loaded or was striking out the side. She's going to be incredible. I'm really excited to see her future and us playing behind her, just continuing to build power to score some runs for her and our staff." -Tori Edwards

On How Texas Glory Prepared her for the SEC

"Going through the Glory organization at each different level of age groups that like we kind of played for different teams each year. So I just think like getting to experience different coaches, I just got a little bit of like one coach was like all about mechanics, one coach was more like harping on just being a a lot tougher and just pushing a lot of like more aggression out of you and the other one was more like a critical thinker. It just helped me build my game. It was really cool. I would not trade it for the world. I would tell people to play for that organization. She added " my high school coaches allowed me to be free, become a leader, share my opinions. So, it was really good. I feel my travel team and like my route up to college was, a big part of what I'm doing and why I'm the player I am, today." -Tori Edwards

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