For the first time in years, LSU softball unveiled a new leadership chapter, signaling what looks to be a new era at Tiger Park.
As a new implementation, head coach Beth Torina shared that the program will have permanent team captains for the 2026 season. Those captains will be seniors Maci Bergeron and Jalia Lassiter, as well as sophomore Tori Edwards.
LSU hasn’t had team captains at Tiger Park for a while. It’s uncertain what Torina’s reason for this was, but a new era will soon be underway. Now, captains are back, and that’s due to her special roster’s collective decision.
“They asked for it,” Torina said during the team’s media day. “They wanted the ability to have some leaders from within, to just help hold each other accountable in a different way.”
Bergeron, a Louisiana native, was born into the purple-and-gold lifestyle. She truly understands what LSU is about, and she understands herself at the same time, Torina said.
In Torina’s eyes, being a catcher is a premier position in softball, and Bergeron didn’t get enough credit for that last season. To have Bergeron’s talent in that position on this roster and to have someone like her to hold her teammates accountable makes the team really lucky, she said.
Edwards, in only her sophomore season, consistently receives recognition from her teammates and coaches for the leadership qualities she demonstrates in her approach to the game. Her composed mentality and ability to control the strike zone in not only regular-season games, but practice as well, make her different, Torina said.
With a bullseye on her back after a tremendous freshman season, Edwards’ ability to continue to be herself and improve her game is special, something that Torina has said time and time again. With both Edwards and Bergeron in leadership roles, the bar has been set for the program’s work ethic.
“[Maci] and Tori both just work like professionals,” Torina said. “They don’t get higher or low, they do their job, they come in, they know what it takes to make them great. They push the other people around them.”
Lassiter, a transfer from Ole Miss ahead of the 2024-2025 season, is the compassionate side of leadership out of the three. Her teammates know that they can count on and trust her daily, while also knowing Lassiter will not back down in a fight.
“Jalia has the coolest combination of just being an incredible competitor, but being extremely compassionate,” Torina said. “I’ve rarely met someone like her in my life.”
When going about choosing captains, the decision purely came down to the team vote. The entire off-season at Tiger Park was spent improving and showing up every week to vote on which players represent LSU as a team. Torina said Bergeron, Edwards and Lassiter are exactly that representation.
“They voted every week of the entire fall,” Torina said. “[These were] the people that truly showed up every day for the fall—and there were some ebbs and flows. These were the three that were the most consistent. I think they did a great job of choosing.”
