Softball Returns To Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic

Thursday, February 19

Cathedral City, Calif.

6:00 PM

Rutgers University

Bethune-Cookman

Riley Hwang cheers after a play against Southeastern Louisiana at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida

Photo by: Matthew Richards

Softball Returns To Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic

Feb 17 | Softball

Scarlet Knight To Play Bethune-Cookman, CSU-Fullerton, LMU, Utah, UC San Diego & Team Japan

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers softball is back at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic for a third-straight season.

The Scarlet Knights head off for Cathedral City, California, for six games, including matchups with Bethune-Cookman, Cal St - Fullerton, LMU, Utah and San Diego, along with an exhibition contest against Team Japan.

On Deck Graphic For Softball at Mary Nutter featu

TOURNAMENT INFO

Tournament:	The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial Tournament Cathedral City, California \| Big League Dreams Sports Park
Game Notes:	Rutgers \| Bethune-Cookman \| Cal State - Fullerton \| LMU \| Utah \| UC San Diego \| Tournament Central
Statistics:	Ru tgers \| Bethune-Cookman \| Cal State - Fullerton \| LMU \| Utah \| UC San Diego \| Big Ten
Live Stats & Video:	Thursday, Feb. 19 6:00 p.m. - Rutgers vs. Bethune-Cookman - Stats \| Video (FloSoftball) 11:00 p.m. - Rutgers vs. Cal State - Fullerton - Stats \| Video (FloSoftball) Friday, Feb. 20 8:30 p.m. - Rutgers vs. LMU - Stats \| Video (FloSoftball) 11:00 p.m. - Rutgers vs. Utah - Stats \| Video (FloSoftball) Saturday, Feb. 21 8:30 p.m. - Rutgers vs. Team Japan - Stats \| Video (FloSoftball) 11:00 p.m. - Rutgers vs. UC San Diego - Stats \| Video (FloSoftball) * - All times listed ET
Social Media:	Facebook \| X \| Instagram

ABOUT RUTGERS

Head Coach: Kristen Butler (Florida '06) - 266-315 overall (12th season)/162-193 at Rutgers (eighth season)
2026 Record: 5-4

Top Scarlet Knights:
Batting

Siera Hoekstra - .571 BA, 3 runs, 4 hits, 1 HR, 3 RBIs
Kelsey Hoekstra - .556 BA, 3 runs, 5 hits, 3 doubles, 3 RBIs
Addie Osborne - .385 BA, 3 runs, 5 hits, 3 doubles, 2 HRs, 8 RBIs

Pitching

Kelsey Hoekstra - 2-0 W-L, 0.0 ERA, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 11.2 IP, 13 Ks
Kassandra Gewecke - 1-0 W-L, 2.15 ERA, 13.0 IP, 6 Ks

ABOUT BETHUNE-COOKMAN

Head Coach: Lauren Watten (UT Arlington '92) - 824-742 overall (28th Season)/536-511 at Bethune Cookman (19th Season)
2026 Record: 2-9

All-Time Series: Rutgers Leads 5-1 (Last Meeting: Feb. 21, 2025 - W, 5-1)

Top Wildcats :
Batting

Emma Bradley-Tse - .400 BA, 3 runs 12 hits, 1 double, 1 RBI
Aysiah Gonzalez - .286 BA, 8 hits, 2 doubles, 5 RBIs
Alan Cypress - .280 BA, 3 runs, 7 hits

Pitching

Mia Gonzalex - 2-4 W-L, 7.26 ERA, 35.2 IP, 14 Ks
Aimi Tohara-Yshiki - 0-3 W-L, 12.25 ERA, 1 save, 12.0 IP, 3 Ks

ABOUT CAL STATE - FULLERTON

Head Coach: Gina Oaks Garcia (Cal St. - Fullerton '04) - 156-93 overall (Fifth Season)/ 41-23 at Cal St. - Fullerton (Second Season)
2026 Record: 4-6

All-Time Series: Cal State - Fullerton Leads 5-0 (Last Meeting: Feb. 9, 2018 - L, 5-6)

Returning Titans:
Batting

Alexia Lopez - .345 BA, 2 rus, 10 hits, 1 double
Sarah Coccillos - .333 BA, 5 runs, 10 hits, 1 double, 2 HRs, 6 RBIs
Colby McClinton - .313 BA, 4 runs, 10 hits, 3 doubles, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs

Pitching

Trisha McCleskey - 3-4 W-L, 3.76 ERA, 3 CG, 41.0 IP, 31 Ks
Eva Hurtado - 1-2 W-L, 5.60 ERA, 20.0 IP, 16 Ks

ABOUT LMU

Head Coach: Tairia Flower (UCLA '05) - 407-383 overall (16th Season)/147-117 at LMU (Sixth Season)
2026 Record: 10-1

All-Time Series: LMU Leads 2-0 (Last Meeting: Feb. 23, 2025 - L, 7-11)

Top Mean Green:
Batting

Avery Francis - .487 BA, 9 runs, 19 hits, 4 RBIs
Sydeny Poole - .483 BA, 6 runs, 14 hits, 3 doubles, 10 RBIs
Mya Allen - .400 BA, 7 runs, 8 hits

Pitching

Lindsay O'Dell - 6-0 W-L, 0.21 ERA, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 32.2 IP, 25 Ks
Sara Pinedo - 2-0 W-L, 0.78 ERA, 1 CG, 18.0 IP, 17 Ks
Jessie Gillbert - 2-1 W-L, 2.38 ERA, 17.2 IP, 13 Ks

ABOUT UTAH

Head Coach: Amy Hogue (Utah '94) - 499-458-1 overall (19th Season)/499-458-1 at Utah (19th Season)
2026 Record: 8-2

All-Time Series: Utah Leads 2-0 (Last Meeting: March 16, 199 - L, 0-1 & L, 1-5)

Top Utes:
Batting

Mia Gomez - .483 BA, 3 runs, 14 hits, 4 doubles, 1 HR, 7 RBIs
Kennedy Prootor - .400 BA, 6 runs, 12 hits, 6 doubles, 1 HR, 8 RBIs
Payton Crank - .355 BA, 6 runs, 11 hits, 2 doubles, 1triple, 1 HR, 8 RBIs

Pitching

Shelbee Jones - 3-1 W-L, 0.86 ERA, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 24.1 IP, 20 Ks
Mirand Raoi - 1-0 W-L, 1.35 ERA, 1 save, 10.1 IP, 7 Ks
Hailey Maestretti - 3-0 W-L, 2.02 ERA, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 27.2 IP, 18 Ks

ABOUT UC SAN DIEGO

Head Coach: Stacey Nuveman Deniz (UCLA '02) - 155-75 overall (Fifth Season)/155-75 at San Diego St. (Fifth Season)
2026 Record: 8-2

All-Time Series: First Meeting

Top Tritons:
Batting

Maalia Cherry - .550 BA, 2 runs 11, hits, 1 double, 2 HRs, 11 RBIs
Marley Espiau - .484 BA, 13 runs, 15 hits, 5 doubles, 1 tirple, 2 HRs, 19 RBIs
Haley Garcia - .444 BA, 14 runs, 16 hits, 1 double, 2 triples, 6 RBIs

Pitching

Bella Settembro - 4-0 W-L, 1.31 ERA, 1 CG, 3 shutouts, 1 save, 16.0 IP, 4 Ks
Callie Howrd - 3-0 W-L, 2.10 ERA, 1 save, 20.0 IP, 11 Ks
Lauren Rozell - 1-0 W-L, 3.87 ERA, 12.2 IP, 7 Ks

TEAM JAPAN

Rutgers will face Team Japan in an exhibition game on Saturday at Mary Nutter.
Among head coach Kristen Butler's stops as a professional was in the Japan National League with Denso Softball, where she set a Japanese national record with three home runs in one game.

THE SNOWMAN: ALEX WILCOX MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT RECAP

Rutgers went 2-2 in week two at Nusz Park in Starkville, Mississippi with an 8-0 loss in six innings to host No. 19 Mississippi State and an 8-2 extra-inning victory over North Texas on Friday and an 8-5 victory over Murray State and a 7-2 loss to the Bulldogs on Saturday. Rutgers and Murray State on Sunday was canceled in the top of the first with RU leading 3-0 after rain entered the area.
In the first meeting with Mississippi State, Kassandra Gewecke got the start and went. 3.0 innings, giving up two runs on four hits with a pair of strikeouts. Riley Hwang kept the Bulldogs from the no-hitter with a two-out single in the third.
In game two on Friday, North Texas knotted the score at 2-2 in the top of the seventh, but the Scarlet Knights made a comeback in the ninth, generating six runs on six hits and an error. Siera Hoekstra was 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored and Addie Osborne collected her third home run of the season and finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Kelsey Hoekstra started in the circle, going seven innings with six strikeouts, but it was Gewecke picking up the win, hurling the final two innings and allowing only one hit in the seven batters faced, along with a pair of strikeouts.
On Saturday, Rutgers opened with an 8-5 win over Murray State as the Scarlet Knights took the lead for good in the third, scoring two runs off two Racer errors for an 6-4 edge. RU added insurance runs in the fifth on a Hailey Stripling sac fly to left and a Baileigh Burtis double while Murray State plated its only other run in the fifth. Burtis finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI doubles with Bailey Briggs and Stripling also punching in a pair of RBIs. Jayla Fuller also collected a double and added two runs. Brooke Shifflett earned her first Scarlet Knight victory, going 4.1 innings in the start with seven strikeouts and Kelsey Hoesktra picked up the save, tossing the final two innings and sending down one Racer on strikes to end a bases-loaded fifth.
The Scarlet Knights came back twice in their second match-up with No. 19 Mississippi State before the Bulldogs took the game with five runs on a pair of home runs in the sixth inning. Kelsey Hoestra belted her first home run of the season and got the start against the Bulldogs. She tossed. 2.1 innings, giving up one earned run and striking out three, and finished 2-for-3 at the plate. Burtis went 2-for-3 and Stripling added a run.

NFCA LEADOFF RECAP

Rutgers opened the 2026 season at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida at 3-2. The Scarlet Knights posted a no-hitter in a 5-0 win over North Carolina Central, an 11-3 win over South Alabama in six innings and a 6-4 victory over Notre Dame for the first win over the Fighting Irish since 2012.
In the 5-0 win over NCCU, sophomore right-hander Kelsey Hoesktra delivered a no-hitter for the Scarlet Knights behind a career-high nine strikeouts. The no-no has given the Scarlet Knights a no-hitter in each of the last three seasons. Her sister, Siera Hoekstra, captured RU's first home run of the year and finished the game with a pair of runs, sophomore Riley Hwang punched in the first RU run of the year on a stolen base and added a sacrifice fly and freshman Etta Garofalo pinch hit to knock in a a pair of runs.
No. 4 Tennessee picked up a 9-1 win in five innings in the nightcap of day one. RU's lone run came off the bat of sophomore Addie Osborne with a home run in the top of the fourth.
Rutgers rebounded with an 11-3 run-rule victory over South Alabama to open up day two. Kelsey Hoesktra improved to 2-0 going four scoreless innings with four strikeouts in the circle, while at the plate she was 2-for-3 with a two-RBI double to put the Scarlet Knights up in their first at-bat. Sister Siera went 2-for-2 with a two-run walk-off single in the sixth. Sophomore Bailey Burtis batted 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs while Osborne collected a two-run double and scored on Hoesktra's walk-off.
RU pulled within a run and had two aboard in the bottom of the seventh against defending Southland Conference Champion Southeastern Louisiana, but came up short in a 4-3 loss. Kelsey Hoesktra, who was the designated hitter, was 2-for-3, knocking in a run for an early 1-0 Scarlet Knight edge in the first, and also registered a double. Sophomore Kassandra Gewecke tossed 5.2 innings of relief, allowing one run on four hits while fanning three.
Osborne captured five RBIs on a two-run home run and a bases-loaded clearing double in a 6-4 win over Notre Dame. It was Osborne's second home run of the weekend. Gewkecke picked up her first Scarlet Knight victory with 5.2 innings of work and giving up only one extra base hit. Sam Rohwer sent in RU's other run of the game on a single.

B1G PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Kelsey Hoekstra was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on February 9. The Overland Park, Kansas native was named to the NFCA Leadoff Classic All-Tournament team after going 2-0 in the circle with a no-hitter and batted .556 with three runs and three RBIs in leading Rutgers to a 3-2 opening weekend.
Hoekstra collected her first career no-hitter in a 5-0 victory over North Carolina Central, striking out a career high nine Eagles. She also tossed four scoreless innings versus South Alabama in the 11-3 five-inning run-rule win. The right-hander is currently holding down a 0.60 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 11.2 innings of work.

ROSTER FUN FACTS

Rutgers is back with a balanced roster of returnees, newcomers and transfers. The Scarlet Knights welcome back eight letterwinners and six starters from last year's youthful squad while adding 11 newcomers to the mix, including six transfers.
Etta and Eva Garofalo are one of 15 sets of twins, and four freshman twins, playing Division I softball this season. The Scarlet Knight twins will also be taking on twin sisters from three other teams this season including Tennessee, Nebraska and FDU.
The duo, however, are not the only sisters on the roster as they join senior Siera Hoekstra and sophomore Kelsey Hoesktra as sisters in Scarlet. Together, the two sets of sisters are among the 27 sets of sisters who are teammates. Rutgers joins North Alabama and South Florida with multiple sets of sisters on a squad.

B1G PLAYERS TO WATCH

A trio of Scarlet Knights were lauded by the Big Ten as Players To Watch in 2026.
Junior outfielder Makenna Coleman is in her first season at Rutgers after spending the last two seasons on the roster at Bryant where she was the 2024 America East Rookie of the Year. As a freshman, she was also named First Team All-America East and earned a nod to the America East All-Tournament Team after hitting .347 and collecting 41 hits, eight doubles, four triples and 25 home runs. Last season, Coleman posted 45 hits, 16 doubles and 29 RBIs and set the America East Tournament record for doubles in a game (3) and most doubles in a tournament (5).
Junior infielder Sam Rohwer also joins the Scarlet Knight roster from Bryant. She was a 2024 First Team All-America East and America East All-Rookie team honoree behind 34 hits, five doubles, seven home runs, 29 RBIs and .469 slugging percentage. Last year, Rohwer earned First Team All-America East honors for the second-straight season as she racked up 54 hits, 13 doubles, 40 RBIs while hitting .355 with a .603 slugging percentage.
Junior right-handed pitcher Brooke Shifflett is also in her first year at Rutgers after two seasons at Creighton. As a sophomore, she tossed 72.2 innings with 62 strikeouts and held opponents to a .204 batting average. She made 21 appearances with three complete games and recorded a season-high six strikeouts in games with Kansas City, DePaul and Saint Mary's.

B1G PLAYERS TO WATCH

A trio of Scarlet Knights were lauded by the Big Ten as Players To Watch in 2026.
Junior outfielder Makenna Coleman is in her first season at Rutgers after spending the last two seasons on the roster at Bryant where she was the 2024 America East Rookie of the Year. As a freshman, she was also named First Team All-America East and earned a nod to the America East All-Tournament Team after hitting .347 and collecting 41 hits, eight doubles, four triples and 25 home runs. Last season, Coleman posted 45 hits, 16 doubles and 29 RBIs and set the America East Tournament record for doubles in a game (3) and most doubles in a tournament (5).
Junior infielder Sam Rohwer also joins the Scarlet Knight roster from Bryant. She was a 2024 First Team All-America East and America East All-Rookie team honoree behind 34 hits, five doubles, seven home runs, 29 RBIs and .469 slugging percentage. Last year, Rohwer earned First Team All-America East honors for the second-straight season as she racked up 54 hits, 13 doubles, 40 RBIs while hitting .355 with a .603 slugging percentage.
Junior right-handed pitcher Brooke Shifflett is also in her first year at Rutgers after two seasons at Creighton. As a sophomore, she tossed 72.2 innings with 62 strikeouts and held opponents to a .204 batting average. She made 21 appearances with three complete games and recorded a season-high six strikeouts in games with Kansas City, DePaul and Saint Mary's.

SOFTBALL AMERICA BIG TEN FRESHMAN TO WATCH

Four members of the roster landed on Softball America's Big Ten Freshmen To Watch list in January.
Freshman catcher Charleigh Schuettler begins her Scarlet Knight career after earning Desert Valley Region Defensive Player of the Year at Sandra Day O'Connor High School in Phoenix, Arizona.
Twin rookies infielder Etta Garofalo and catcher Eva Garofalo from Warwick, New York are one of 15 sets of twins, and four freshman twins, playing Division I softball this season. Etta ranked No. 20 nationally and was the No. 15 infielder by Line Drive Media, who led Warwick Valley High School in batting average, OBS, OPS, SLG and doubles. Eva, meanwhile, ranked No. 20 nationally and was the No. 9 catcher by Line Drive Media hitting .384 with 29 home runs, nine triples, 49 doubles and 14 RBIs with her Empire State Huskies club. Both were three-time Section 9 Division Champions at Warwick Valley.
Marley Caldwell, a right-handed hurler from Scottsdale, Arizona, enters the circle for Rutgers having earned 4 West Valley All-Region First team honors and being named Notre Dame Prep High School MVP

UP NEXT

The Rutgers softball team heads to its final nonconference weekend at the Unconquered Invitational hosted by Florida State. RU will take on both the host Seminoles and FGCU on Friday, Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28.

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