Here is a team-by-team 2026 season preview for softball teams across The Times coverage area.

Editor’s note: Separate team previews for Ottawa, Seneca, Streator and Marquette have run in print and online at shawlocal.com/illinois-valley.

Newark Norsemen

Coach: Jon Wood (3rd season)

Last season: 19-15-1 overall (9-1 Little Ten)

Top returning players: Rylie Carlson, OF/P, so.; Baily Schutter, OF/IF, jr.; Cayla Pottinger, P/2B, so.; Brooklyn Wallin, SS/C, so.; Adelaide Johnson, OF/3B, jr.; Sadie Pottinger, C, sr.

Top newcomer: Zoe Carlson, C/IF, fr.

Worth noting: The Norsemen won a Class 1A regional title for the ninth consecutive postseason and shared the Little Ten Conference championship. A lot of the key pieces from that team are gone, and only one senior is on this spring’s roster, but six starters return, as do the high expectations Newark softball has lived up to year after year. “We are a young team with seven hardworking freshmen joining the program this season,” Wood said. “Our focus will be playing strong defense, applying pressure on the bases and competing with energy every inning. While we are developing depth in the pitching staff, and we expect several athletes to step into larger roles in the circle as the season progresses.” Johnson (honorable mention after hitting .434 with four home runs and 58 runs scored) and Rylie Carlson (first team after batting .560 with 43 RBIs and 43 runs scored) were both 2025 Times All-Area honorees, and Rylie’s younger sister Zoe – a strong catcher and left-handed hitter – could join them this spring.

Serena Huskers

Coach: Katie Huss (1st season)

Last season: 27-7 overall (9-1 Little Ten)

Top returning players: Cassie Walsh, P, sr.; Brynley Glade, OF/C, jr.; Maddie Young, OF, jr.; Anna Hjerpe, OF/SS, jr.; Finley Brodbeck, 3B, jr.; Emily Hoffman, OF, jr.

Top newcomers: Caylin Cantlin, UT, fr.; Jordyn Warren, P/1B, fr.; Parker Twait, 1B, so.; Kaitlyn Johnson, P/2B, so.

Worth noting: The Huskers are coming off a conference co-championship season, a third consecutive Class 1A regional championship and two straight appearances in the 1A Illinois Wesleyan Supersectional, but will be looking to replace a lot from that team. That includes longtime head coach Kelly Baker (retirement from coaching) as well as both ace pitcher Maddie Glade and all-everything position player RayElle Brennan (graduation). The cupboard is far from bare, though, with Walsh taking over in the circle and Times All-Area second-teamer Glade leading a strong group of returnees for a program that has done nothing but win in recent years. “The girls work hard day-in and day-out, always asking questions on how to improve on any skill and/or learning new skills,” said Huss, who was a Huskers assistant/head coach in training last season and a star athlete at Serena in the late 2000s/early 2010s. “This year, I have high expectations because we have so many returning from last season. This team is capable of good things, and [we] would love to continue our conference and postseason runs. Our energy will start high and finish high, regardless of the outcome.”

Earlville Red Raiders

Coaches: Shannon Cook (29th season) and Sarah Johnson

Last season: 11-10 overall (5-5 Little Ten)

Top returning players: Audrey Scherer, C, so.; Bailey Miller, SS, sr.; Addie Scherer, P/C, jr.; Riley Kelly, P, so.; Shelby Garbacz, sr.

Top newcomers: Savana Lawton, 3B, so.

Worth noting: The Red Raiders, like many teams across the area, will be young this season, with eight of the 13 girls on the varsity roster underclassmen. The ones who do return almost all have starting experience going back to their freshman years, though, “so experience is a plus,” Cook said. Addie Scherer earned Times All-Area second-team accolades last season, with both Audrey Scherer and Miller earning honorable mention after solid seasons, and both Scherers were named All-Little Ten. Speaking of the conference, “Be competitive in the LTC,” was the coach’s reply when asked for team goals. Earlville was the first in the area to start the 2026 season, falling 13-3 at Orangeville on Monday.

Somonauk/Leland Bobcats

Coach: Hannah Keister (5th season)

Last season: 10-14 overall (4-6 Little Ten)

Top returning players: Brooke Bahrey, SS/P, jr.; Kaydence Eade, P/3B, jr.; Kammy Ambler, 1B, sr.; Kayla Anderson, 2B/SS, sr.; Maddie LeCuyer, 2B, sr.; Ashley McCoy, C/OF, so.; Kennedy Barshinger, OF/C, jr.; Kira Barnes, C, so.

Top newcomers: Brielle Deacon, P/2B, fr.; MacKenna McMahan, UT, fr.; Kenzie Anderson, 2B, fr.

Worth noting: “Depth” and “versatility” are two words Keister used to describe her 2026 Bobcats, who are loaded with both pitchers and catchers, including Bahrey (Times All-Area second team in 2025) and Barshinger (Times All-Area honorable mention last spring). Finding the right on-the-field combinations and taking advantage of the competition that depth provides to improve will be keys to Somonauk/Leland improving on last year’s season, where they hovered just below the .500 mark both overall and in the Little Ten Conference. “Finding a workable groove/flow as a team,” she said when asked in what areas her Bobcats need to improve. “Maintaining a positive energy and showing up ready to work for wins, and coming in with the mindset that every win needs to be earned. Nothing will come easy, and we can’t keep thinking things will be, but also the difficult games are not out of reach for us this season.”

Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell

Coach: Sydnee Plesko (2nd season)

Last season: 2-17 overall (1-13 Tri-County)

Top returning players: Kora Edens, OF/IF, sr.; Kaylee Henert, C/UT, jr.; Taylor Heidenreich, P/OF, sr.

Top newcomers: Emme Wallace, 2B/SS, sr.; Abigail Rients, P/IF, fr.; Maci Cooper, UT, fr.; Teagan Rich, UT, fr.; Adrianna Kuehn, OF, fr.; Bristol Flowers, UT, fr.

Worth noting: Outside of a few returnees, it will be a new-look Warriors team in 2026 playing a scaled-back schedule. “We have a lot of underclassmen who want to play softball and be competitive, which leaves a lot of room for growth and spots to build our program,” Plesko said. “Our goal for this season is to simply get better. We have six girls who have never seen an ounce of varsity time, so our goal is to improve every game as players and as a team.” Heidenreich will take over the bulk of the pitching duties, spotted by Rients as the freshman gains varsity experience. WFC is scheduled to open the season March 24 at home against Dwight with an eye on becoming competitive now and building for the future. “We have a lot of potential in the upcoming years with big numbers coming up and a whole lot of talent,” Plesko said. “This year will be a learning curve for all our freshmen, but I look forward to seeing how they improve and grow throughout not only the season, but the years to come.”

Dwight Trojans

Coach: Megan Borgra (1st season)

Last season: 9-16-1 overall (5-9 Tri-County)

Top returning players: Madi Ely, P, sr.; Taylor Heath, sr., IF/P; Raegen Brown, C, so.; McKenna Woodcock, SS/UT, so.; Taylor Frobish, 1B, sr.; Dori Wilson, 2B, sr.; Sarah Parker, CF, sr.

Worth noting: Ely’s return to the circle is a cornerstone this year’s Trojans can build upon, as is the senior leadership of Parker, Wilson, Frobish, Heath and Ely on an otherwise young ballclub with a new head coach. “I have a great group of seniors to lead my team,” Borgra said. “Communication and hustle are definitely two of our biggest strengths. A big strength we have is a lot of our girls are very versatile players. ... We are a pretty young team with a lot of incoming freshmen. Building their confidence is going to take some work.”

Fieldcrest Knights

Coach: Liz Kay (12th season)

Last season: 0-18 overall (0-11 Heart of Illinois)

Top returning players: TeriLynn Timmerman, SS, jr.; Emry Conroy, IF, sr.

Worth noting: Despite the winless season last spring, Timmerman put together an amazing individual season for the Knights, batting .658 and earning a unanimous first-team spot on the loaded All-HOIC Team, Times All-Area second-team honors and third-team ICA All-State accolades. Conroy is the only senior on a varsity roster on which half of the players are underclassmen, but Kay believes the leadership for an improved 2026 is in place. “We have strong leadership from our upperclassmen and great team chemistry,” Kay said. “We are a young team [that] will improve through game experience.”

Sandwich Indians

Coach: Riley Limon (1st season)

Last season: 13-12 overall (8-6 Kishwaukee River)

Top returning players: Kayden Corneils, C/IF, sr.; Audryna Brain, OF, sr.; Paige Danner, P/OF, sr.; Makenzie Hemmingsen, 1B, sr.; Ali Martin, IF, jr.; Anna Timmerman, C/IF, jr.; Jillian Freemon, P/IF, jr.

Top newcomers: Kyra Johnson, IF, so.; Abigail Johnson, P/IF, so.; Kendal Petre, P/IF, so.; Karlie Hardekopf, OF, so.; Rylee Austin, OF, so.

Worth noting: The Indians – now led by former JV coach and Indians player Limon – are scheduled to open the season at Coal City on March 23. Corneils was a Times All-Area first-teamer after batting .573 with 19 extra-base hits and a 1.500 OPS in 2025. The Indians will feature a new pitching staff after the graduation of Aubrey Cyr and Brooklyn Marks, with Danner, Freemon, Abigail Johnson and Petre all options. Due to low numbers, Sandwich will not field a JV team. “Sandwich remains focused on its consistent program goal of finishing the season with a record above .500,” Limon said. “The Indians will open their schedule during the week of spring break and look to build momentum early.”