Softball Opens 2026 Campaign At NFCA Leadoff Classic
Feb 04 | Softball
Scarlet Knights To Meet NCCU, #4 Tennessee, South Alabama, SE Louisiana & Notre Dame
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The 2026 season is here for Rutgers softball as the Scarlet Knights kick off action at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida.
Head Coach: Kristen Butler (Florida '06) - 261-311 overall (12th season)/157-189 at Rutgers (eighth season)
2025 Record: 20-36
2025 Big Ten Record: 3-19
Top Returning Scarlet Knights:
Batting
Head Coach: Now-Allah James (Pace '00) - 171-218 overall (12th season)/13-33 at North Carolina Central (Second Season)
2025 Record: 13-33
2025 MEAC Record: 10-10
Postseason: First Round Elimination Bracket MEAC Tournament
All-Time Series: Rutgers leads 2-0 (Last Meeting: March 6, 2016 - W, 4-1)
Top Returning Eagles :
Batting
Head Coach: Karen Weekly (Pacific Lutheran '86) - 1355-454-2 overall (30th season) | 1132-357-3 (25th Season)
2025 Record: 47-17
2025 SEC: 15-9
Postseason: NCAA College World Series
Rank: NFCA/GoRout - No. 4 | ESPN/USA Softball - No. 7 | D1Softball - No. 2 | Softball America - No. 4
All-Time Series: Tennessee Leads 1-0 leads (Last Meeting: February 21, 2025 - L, 1-10 (5))
Returning Lady Vols:
Batting
Head Coach: Becky Clark (Mobile '95) - 594-398-2 overall (20th Season)/594-398-2 at Southeastern Louisiana (20th Season)
2025 Record: 20-31
2025 Sun Belt: 9-14
All-Time Series: South Alabama Leads 2-0 (Last Meeting: February 19, 2023 - L, 0-4)
Returning Jaguars:
Batting
Head Coach: DRick Fremin (Belhaven '99) - 652-394-1 (21st season)/325-165 (10th Season)
2025 Record: 50-16
2025 Southland Record: 19-5
Postseason: Southland Conference Champions/NCAA Baton Rouge Regional
All-Time Series: First Meet
Returning Lions:
Batting
Head Coach: Kris Ganeff (Notre Dame '99) - 23-31-1 overall (Second Season)/23-31-1 at Notre Dame (Second Season)
2025 Record: 23-31-1
2025 ACC Record: 7-17
Postseason: ACC Tournament First Round
All-Time Series: Notre Dame Leads 34-8 (Last Meeting: March 6, 2022 - L, 3-4 (9))
Returning Fighting Irish:
Batting
The Rutgers softball team will travel to the The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial Tournament in Starville, Mississippi. The Scarlet Knights will meet North Texas to open and face host Mississippi State and Murray State twice.
| TOURNAMENT INFO |
| Tournament: | NFCA Leadoff Classic Clearwater, Florida | Eddie C. Moore Complex |
| Game Notes: | Rutgers | NCCU | Tennessee | South Alabama | SE Louisiana | Notre Dame | Tournament Central |
| Statistics: | Rutgers | NCCU | Tennessee | South Alabama | SE Louisiana | Notre Dame | Big Ten |
| Live Stats & Video: |
Friday, Feb. 6 1:00 p.m. - Rutgers vs. North Carolina Central - Stats | GameChanger 7:00 p.m. - Rutgers vs. Tennessee - Stats | GameChanger Saturday, Feb. 7 Noon. - Rutgers vs. South Alabama - Stats | GameChanger 3:00 p.m. - Rutgers vs. Southeastern Louisiana - Stats | GameChanger Sunday, Feb. 8 12:15 p.m. - Rutgers vs. Notre Dame - Stats | GameChanger * - All times listed ET |
| Social Media: | Facebook | X | Instagram |
| AROUND THE ROSTER |
- 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.
| 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
| ABOUT RUTGERS |
Head Coach: Kristen Butler (Florida '06) - 261-311 overall (12th season)/157-189 at Rutgers (eighth season)
2025 Record: 20-36
2025 Big Ten Record: 3-19
Top Returning Scarlet Knights:
Batting
- Bailey Briggs - .288 BA, 23 runs 46 hits, 3 doubles, 1 HR, 17 RBIs
- Riley Hwang - .246 BA, 11 runs,15 hits, 3 doubles, 1 HR, 6 RBIs
- Baileigh Burtis - .233 BA, 12 runs, 28 hits, 2 doubles 1 triple, 1 HR, 18 RBIs
- Kelsey Hoekstra - 6-11 W-L, 5.84 ERA, 3 CG, 82.2 IP, 38 Ks
- Dezaria Johnson - 2-2 W-L, 5.93 ERA, 2 CG, 1 save, 30.2 IP, 8 Ks
| ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL |
Head Coach: Now-Allah James (Pace '00) - 171-218 overall (12th season)/13-33 at North Carolina Central (Second Season)
2025 Record: 13-33
2025 MEAC Record: 10-10
Postseason: First Round Elimination Bracket MEAC Tournament
All-Time Series: Rutgers leads 2-0 (Last Meeting: March 6, 2016 - W, 4-1)
Top Returning Eagles :
Batting
- Tyler Suttle - .342 BA, 17 runs 40 hits, 5 doubles, 4 triples, 13 RBIs
- Cameron Frye - .315 BA, 13 runs, 28 hits, 3 doubles, 7 RBIs
- Daiyah Bailey - .312 BA, 27 runs 44 hits, 4 doubles, 13 RBIs
- Simone Mack - 0-3 W-L, 7.68 ERA, 1 Save, 27.1 IP, 11 Ks - Preseason All-MEAC
- Elana Krupy - 1-11 W-L, 9.05 ERA, 3 CG, 60.1 IP, 20 Ks
- Janea Hudson - 0-5 W-L, 13.59 ERA, 5 CG, 17.0 IP, 8 Ks
| ABOUT TENNESSEE |
Head Coach: Karen Weekly (Pacific Lutheran '86) - 1355-454-2 overall (30th season) | 1132-357-3 (25th Season)
2025 Record: 47-17
2025 SEC: 15-9
Postseason: NCAA College World Series
Rank: NFCA/GoRout - No. 4 | ESPN/USA Softball - No. 7 | D1Softball - No. 2 | Softball America - No. 4
All-Time Series: Tennessee Leads 1-0 leads (Last Meeting: February 21, 2025 - L, 1-10 (5))
Returning Lady Vols:
Batting
- Saviya Morgan - .340 BA, 48 runs, 54 hits, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 14 RBIs
- Gabby Leach - .292 BA, 24 runs, 38 hits, 8 doubles, 2 triples, 7 HRs, 21 RBIs
- Ella Dodge - .244, 32 runs, 33 hits, 7 doubles, 2 triples, 7 HRs, 15 RBIs
- Karlyn Pickens - 25-11 W-L, 1.17 ERA, 35 CG, 7 shutouts, 3 saves, 226.2 IP, 306 Ks - Preseason All-SEC, D1Softball Preseason All-American, NFCA First Team All-American, SEC Pitcher Of The Year, First Team All-SEC
- Sage Mardjetko - 12-2 W-L, 2.50 ERA, 5 CG, 2 shutouts, 95.1 IP, 118 Ks
- Erin Newer - 6-4 W-L, 2.32 ERA, 4 CG, 4 shutouts, 57.1 IP, 65 Ks
| ABOUT SOUTH ALABAMA |
Head Coach: Becky Clark (Mobile '95) - 594-398-2 overall (20th Season)/594-398-2 at Southeastern Louisiana (20th Season)
2025 Record: 20-31
2025 Sun Belt: 9-14
All-Time Series: South Alabama Leads 2-0 (Last Meeting: February 19, 2023 - L, 0-4)
Returning Jaguars:
Batting
- Olivia Branstetter - .320 BA, 20 runs, 40 hits, 7 doubles, 1 HR, 26 RBIs - Preseason All-Sun Belt; First Team All-Sun Belt
- Presley Lively - .286 BA, 48 runs, 42 hits, 4 doubles, 5 triples, 2 HRs, 20 RBIs
- Megan Davidson - .200 BA, 15 runs, 22 hits, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 8 RBIs
- Ryley Harrison - 10-8 W-L, 3.26 ERA, 11 CG, 1 shutout, 2 saves, 11.2 IP, 96 Ks
- Olivia Cato - 4-6 W-L, 5.17, 5 CG, 92.0 IP, 51 Ks
- Tori Miller - 6-9 W-L, 5.76 ERA, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 1 save, 79.0 IP, 48 Ks
| ABOUT SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA |
Head Coach: DRick Fremin (Belhaven '99) - 652-394-1 (21st season)/325-165 (10th Season)
2025 Record: 50-16
2025 Southland Record: 19-5
Postseason: Southland Conference Champions/NCAA Baton Rouge Regional
All-Time Series: First Meet
Returning Lions:
Batting
- Shenita Tucker - .398 BA, 38 runs, 61 hits, 7 doubles, 2 triples, 24 RBIs - First Team All-Southland
- Maria Detillier - .365 BA, 69 hits, 15 doubles, 6 triples, 4 HRs, 55 RBIs - First Team All-Southland
- Chloe Magee - .358 BA, 54 runs, 67 hits, 5 doubles, 3 triples, 1 HR, 39 RBIs First Team All-Southland
- Celia Lamkin - 2-0 W-L, 1.80 ERA, 3 CG, 11.2 IP, 13 Ks
- Macie LaRue - 19-3 W-L, 2.29 ERA, 4 CG, 1 shutout, 149.2 IP, 128 Ks - NFCA Third Team All-Gulf Region Team | Southland Newcomer Of The Year | First Team All-Southland
- Hallie Burns - 12-6 W-L, 2.66 ERA, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 102.2 IP, 61 Ks
| ABOUT NOTRE DAME |
Head Coach: Kris Ganeff (Notre Dame '99) - 23-31-1 overall (Second Season)/23-31-1 at Notre Dame (Second Season)
2025 Record: 23-31-1
2025 ACC Record: 7-17
Postseason: ACC Tournament First Round
All-Time Series: Notre Dame Leads 34-8 (Last Meeting: March 6, 2022 - L, 3-4 (9))
Returning Fighting Irish:
Batting
- Caroline O'Brien - .268 BA, 20 runs, 30 hits, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 17 RBIs - ACC All-Freshman
- Olivia Levitt - .243 BA, 9 runs, 18 hits, 2 doubles, 1 HR, 9 RBIs
- Paige Cowley - .221 BA, 3 runs, 15 hits, 3 HRs, 9 RBIs
- Micaela Kastor - 10-9 W-L, 4.41 ERA, 5 CG, 122.1 IP, 123 Ks
- Kami Kamzik - 4-10- W-L, 4.65 ERA, 2 CG, 90.1 IP, 82 Ks
| PRESEASON PREVIEW PODCAST |
| UP NEXT |
The Rutgers softball team will travel to the The Snowman: Alex Wilcox Memorial Tournament in Starville, Mississippi. The Scarlet Knights will meet North Texas to open and face host Mississippi State and Murray State twice.
Follow Rutgers softball on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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