NC State softball's season came to a heartbreaking close in the ACC tournament this week, as the Wolfpack fell to Louisville on a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh inning. The 27-26 (7-16) finish marks the end of head coach Lindsay Leftwich's third season at the helm, but the program's journey is far from over.

It's been 11 long years since NC State last made the NCAA tournament, and even longer since the team finished at or above .500 in conference play. The results since 2015 have been tough to watch, painting a picture of a program struggling to find its footing. But for Leftwich, this season wasn't just about the final score—it was about the foundation being built.

When Leftwich took over, she inherited a program in need of serious rebuilding. She's done an admirable job stopping the bleeding and elevating recruiting to new heights. While that hasn't yet translated into a breakthrough on the field, there have been plenty of small steps forward—and frustrating near-misses, like that ACC tournament loss to Louisville.

The real bright spot? Back-to-back stellar recruiting classes. The first of those groups delivered in a big way this season, with three of the team's top four hitters being freshmen (the fourth is a sophomore). Among them is two-way star Morgan Talley, who ranked fourth on the team in OPS while leading the Wolfpack in innings pitched. If Leftwich's latest incoming class—headlined by a standout pitcher—produces similar results, there's genuine reason for optimism in Raleigh.

But in today's college sports landscape, retention is everything. NC State has already seen key players depart via the transfer portal in recent years, and keeping this young core together will be critical. If Leftwich can hold onto her talent, the Wolfpack could be poised for a breakthrough sooner rather than later. Just getting back to NCAA tournament contention would be a monumental achievement for a program that's been waiting over a decade. This offseason, every move counts.