The Line Drive HOT 100 are led by Line Drive Executive Editor Brentt Eads, who began the softball player and team rankings format close to 15 years ago and in that time has done over 50 grad class rankings (note: each class is updated several times leading up to the players’ high school graduation and transition into college).

Some of the future college All-Americans highlighted as No. 1’s have included:

• Jenna Lilley (Oregon, 2014),
• Amanda Lorenz (Florida, 2015),
• Megan Faraimo (UCLA, 2018)
• Jayda Coleman (Oklahoma, 2020)
• Jordy Bahl (Nebraska, 2021)

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Previous Classes Ranked in 2024

This week we finish up the Class of 2026 rankings as we’ll present on Friday the players in the Top 10 of the junior class!

Since the start of Line Drive Softball in the Spring of 2024, we’ve been proud to highlight the following classes:

Note: click on the links below and they will go to each year’s Top 10… and from there you can access ALL the rankings of each class!

• Class of 2029 Top 10

• Class of 2028 Top 10

• Class of 2027 Top 10

You can see when each class was done in the chart below and that the next one is the Class of 2025… the current seniors! This will be this class’s final time before they head to college.

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Why Do the Rankings?

So what is the intent and purpose of the rankings?

“I’ve always believed that the rankings primary focus is to honor the talented and hard-working athletes,” Eads explained.

“The hope is that someday those recognized can pridefully share with their kids and grandkids that ‘I was one of the best softball players in the country and here’s proof!’”

As one softball mom told the long-time sports media figure recently:

“It definitely motivates my daughter! She knows it doesn’t define her, but she definitely works towards moving up! Thanks for what y’all do for softball!”

A proud father of a top-ranked athlete added:

“I used to be against these top 100 lists, but I am now for them, not because of where my kid is ranked, but because it gives these kids yet another motivating factor and helps them see where they realistically stack up to some degree within reason and also to the extent of the strength of schedule they are playing.”

For more information, contact Brentt Eads at Brentt.Eads@LineDriveMedia.com.

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Line Drive Softball Hot 100 Player Nominations & Rankings Schedule for 2024

Nominations close at 5pm MST on the dates listed below.