MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Mercy University Softball Team opens their 2026 season on Friday, March 13th when they face Minnesota State University, Mankato and Wayne State University at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. in Florida. Mercy will then face Post University and Purdue University Northwest on Saturday, March 14th at 2:30 & 7 p.m. The Mavericks face Saint Anselm College and Minot State University on Monday, March 16th at 10 a.m. & 12:15 p.m. before concluding the trip on Tuesday, March 17th against Saint Michael's College and Ohio Dominican University at 10 a.m. & 12:15 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Friday, March 13th 10 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.
Records: Mercy (0-0), Minnesota State, Mankato (4-10), Wayne State (4-5)
Location: Melbourne, Fla.
Date/Time: Saturday, March 14th 2:30 & 7 p.m.
Records: Mercy (0-0), Post (0-2), Purdue Northwest (7-5)
Location: Melbourne, Fla.
Date/Time: Monday, March 16th 10 a.m. & 12:15 p.m.
Records: Mercy (0-0), Saint Anselm (4-2), Minot State (10-6)
Location: Melbourne, Fla.
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 17th 10 a.m. & 12:15 p.m.
Records: Mercy (0-0), Saint Michael's (0-0), Ohio Dominican (6-8)
Location: Melbourne, Fla.
Last Meeting vs. Minnesota State
First Meeting
Last Meeting vs. Wayne State
Mercy dropped a 5-4 decision to Wayne State on March 13, 2016.
Last Meeting vs. Post
Mercy earned 13-0 and 5-3 wins over Post on April 23, 2018.
Last Meeting vs. Purdue Northwest
First Meeting
Last Meeting vs. Saint Anselm
Mercy dropped 3-1 and 6-1 decisions to Saint Anselm on February 19, 2023.
Last Meeting vs. Minot State
First Meeting
Last Meeting vs. Saint Michael's
Mercy earned a 6-4 win over Saint Michael's on March 12, 2018.
Last Meeting vs. Ohio Dominican
First Meeting
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy enters the 2026 season picked third in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 23-22 overall and 12-8 in ECC play last season, qualifying for the ECC Championship for the fifth straight season. Mercy earned the No. 2 seed in the ECC Championship last season, earning a win over Molloy before falling to St. Thomas Aquinas and D'Youville. The Mavericks recorded their most wins since 2019 last season and won their first ECC Championship game since 2021. Mercy looks to win their first ECC Championship and qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017.
Leading the returners for the Mavericks is junior Allison Murphy who was named Second Team All-ECC last season after hitting a team-high .353 with 32 RBI, 32 runs, 53 hits and 15 doubles. Junior Dylan Reyer also returns after being named Second Team All-ECC a year ago. Reyer hit .312 with 29 hits, 13 runs, three triples and seven RBI. Junior Averi Miller returns after hitting .261 with 18 RBI, 23 runs and 11 doubles. Returning in the circle is senior Mackayla Secoda who went 4-6 with a 4.09 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 65.0 innings. Sophomore Lauren McSweeney is back after going 6-2 with a 4.67 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 51.0 innings.
Also returning is sophomore Jessica Fox who started 42 games last season and hit .261 with 14 RBI and 31 hits. Sophomore Keira Jantz is back after hitting .245 in 40 starts with 11 RBI and 25 hits and sophomore Mikaela Mammola returns after hitting .324 in 20 games with six stolen bases. Junior Onnika DeBruhl is back after playing in 15 games with three stolen bases and sophomore Talia Salanto hit .232 last year with 10 RBI, and 19 hits. Senior Elizabeth Stark started 15 games last season and is back after recording two hits and sophomore Alexis Lemus returns after playing in 15 games with five hits last season. Junior Julianna Coluccio also returns after hitting .300 in 2024 with nine RBI and six stolen bases.
Returning in the circle is senior Marina Provencio who appeared in five games with 9.2 innings pitched and four strikeouts last season. Sophomore Carly Gaffney started five games last year and returns after pitching 16.2 innings in 2025.
Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo will also look to freshmen Emma Jackson, Madelyn Perrone, Juliana Abbene, Mya Marelli, Kady Olsen, Makayla Rady, Emma Medina and Peighton McKenna to contribute immediately. Sophomore Kayla Zimmerman joins the Mavericks from American International College where she played in 13 games as a freshman.
Scouting the Mavericks
Minnesota State is coming off a 6-5 loss to Washburn on February 28th. The Mavericks will face Thomas More and Felician on Thursday before facing Mercy on Friday. Minnesota State was picked third in the NSIC Preseason Poll after going 39-20 last season, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Leading the Mavericks is Maddie Helin who is batting .293 with a team-high eight RBI and two home runs. Ireland Broderick is batting .278 with three RBI and Jorey Fry has a team-best 5.69 ERA with a 2-5 record and 17 strikeouts in 35.2 innings. Maddie Oetzmann is 2-3 with a 5.91 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 32.0 innings.
Scouting the Warriors
Wayne State is coming off 2-0 and 6-2 losses to Oakland on March 9th. The Warriors were picked fifth in the GLIAC Preseason Poll after going 24-32 last season. Wayne State is led by Hunter Near who is batting .429 with five RBI, 11 runs and one home run. Elly Koopman is batting .357 with a team-high nine RBI. Sydney Long is 3-3 in the circle with a 2.31 ERA in 30.1 innings with 19 strikeouts.
Scouting the Eagles
Post is coming off 11-5 and 7-5 losses to Southern Connecticut State on Monday. The Eagles will face Goldey-Beacom and Ursuline on Friday before facing Mercy on Saturday. Post was picked 10th in the CACC Preseason Poll after going 4-38 last season. The Eagles have been led by Angelica Tompkins who is batting a team-high .667 with two RBI and by Hannah Searles who is batting .333 with a team-high four RBI. Bailey Ruel is 0-1 with a 2.33 ERA in 3.0 innings.
Scouting the Pride
Purdue Northwest is coming off an 8-7 win over Maryville on Sunday. The Pride will face Northern State, D'Youville, Ursuline, Thomas More, and Saint Michael's before facing Mercy. Purdue Northwest went 14-32-1 last season. The Pride are led by Gracie Jensen who is batting a team-high .469 with seven RBI and by Emma Fair who is batting .355 with a team-high eight RBI. Jordyn Roop is 2-0 with a 2.06 ERA in 17.0 innings with seven strikeouts and Hailie Charmat is 2-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 21.1 innings with 16 strikeouts.
Scouting the Hawks
Saint Anselm is coming off an 11-2 win over Seton Hill on March 3rd. The Hawks were picked seventh in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 23-16 last season. Saint Anselm will play Ursuline, Minot State, Ferris State, Felician, Molloy and Minnesota State before facing Mercy. The Hawks have been led by Caitlyn Duquette who is batting a team-high .500 with six RBI and by Brooke Tardugno who is batting .444 with two RBI. Kendra Lee is 2-0 with a 0.97 ERA in 21.2 innings with four strikeouts.
Scouting the Beavers
Minot State is coming off a 3-1 win over Thomas More on Tuesday. The Beavers will face Saint Anselm, Goldey-Beacom, Felician, and Southern Connecticut State before taking on Mercy. Minot State has been picked to finish 8th in the NSIC Preseason Poll after going 27-25 last season. The Beavers have been led by Sara Van Wickler who is batting a team-high .391 with 11 RBI and 18 runs. Paige Kellogg is hitting .304 with nine RBI and seven runs. Katie Newberry is 4-1 with a 0.82 ERA in 34.0 innings with 35 strikeouts.
Scouting the Purple Knights
Saint Michael's will open their season taking on D'Youville and STAC on Friday before facing Purdue Northwest, Felician, Wayne State and Minnesota State. The Purple Knights were picked eighth in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 18-19-1 last season. Leading the returners for Saint Michael's is Brooke Edgerly who hit .315 last season with seven RBI, 27 runs and nine stolen bases. Brooke Bishop returns after hitting .265 with 22 RBI and three home runs. Kate Parker returns after going 9-8 with a 3.22 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 106.2 innings.
Scouting the Panthers
Ohio Dominican is coming off 5-2 and 4-0 losses to Illinois-Springfield on Tuesday. The Panthers will face Wayne State, Minnesota State, Purdue Northwest and Lewis before taking on Mercy. Ohio Dominican was picked fourth in the G-MAC Preseason Poll after going 27-27 last season. The Panthers have been led by Addie Triplett who is batting .389 with six RBI and 10 runs. Kendrick Sterling is batting .361 with seven RBI and Alyvia Lawrentz is 2-4 with a 3.45 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 44.2 innings. Emma Grau is 4-3 with a 3.68 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 45.2 innings.
Next Game
Mercy hosts St. Thomas Aquinas for a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 24th at 2:30 p.m.
