The 2026 high school softball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Record Newspapers coverage area.

Newark

Coach: Jonathan Wood

Last year’s record: 19-15-1 overall, 9-1 (tied for first) Little Ten Conference, regional champions.

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

Top new players: Zoey Carlson, fr., C/IF.

Worth noting: The Norsemen return six starters from last year’s Little Ten Conference co-champion and regional champion led by All-Stater Rylie Carlson. They’re joined by seven freshmen, including Rylie Carlson’s younger sister Zoey Carlson. Rylie Carlson batted .560 with 43 runs scored and 43 RBIs with just five strikeouts in 120 plate appearances as a freshman, and also had 11 wins in the circle. Johnson batted .434 with nine doubles, seven triples, four homers, 21 RBIs, 58 runs scored and 15 stolen bases. Cayla Pottinger batted .290 with 22 RBIs and 27 runs scored, Wallin .294 with 16 RBIs and 35 runs scored, Schutter .275 with five doubles and 21 RBIs and Sadie Pottinger .240 with 14 RBIs. Zoey Carlson brings a high softball IQ, a strong arm behind the plate and powerful left-handed bat.

“Our focus will be playing strong defense, applying pressure on the bases, and competing with energy every inning,” Wood said. “While we are developing depth in the pitching staff, we expect several athletes to step into larger roles in the circle as the season progresses.”

Oswego

Coach: Annie Scaramuzzi

Last year’s record: 38-2 overall, 15-1 (first) in Southwest Prairie Conference, won Class 4A state championship.

Returning starters: Jaelynn Anthony, sr., P; Adalynn Fugitt, so., MIF; Kennedy Gengler, sr., SS.

Other returning players: Amylah Thomas, sr., P; Betsy Jack, sr., 1B; Brynn Broughton, sr., OF; Leah McKenzie, jr., IF; Maya Zamora, sr., C; Ahlivia East, sr., C/IF.

Newcomers: Bri Perry, sr., OF; Brooke Trottier, jr., U; Ellalina Mahoney, jr., OF; Julia Blomstrand, sr., C/UT; Lana Manikowski, sr., C/U; Payton Hatzinger, so., C/U; Sophie Morland, fr., U.

Worth noting: The Panthers come off a record-breaking 2025 season that culminated with the first state championship in program history. Ten seniors graduated, including program pillars Kiyah Chavez and Aubriella Garza, but the cupboard is far from bare. Oswego is ranked Class 4A preseason No. 1 by the Illinois Coaches Association and MaxPreps. Anthony, a Purdue recruit, was Record Newspapers Player of the Year as a junior, posting a 22-1 record with a 1.554 ERA and 193 strikeouts over 139⅔ innings while batting .483 with 13 homers and 57 RBIs. Speedy Fugitt batted .469 with a .504 on-base percentage with 61 hits and a program-record 52 runs scored batting leadoff as a freshman. Gengler batted .312 with 22 RBIs and had the game-winning RBI in the sectional semifinal and sectional final. Scaramuzzi, co-coach with Paul Netzel last year, is head coach. Of Oswego’s 10 seniors, nine are committed to play collegiately.

“While we graduated 10 seniors who played a major role in last year’s success, we have another strong senior class ready to step into leadership and impact roles,” Scaramuzzi said. “This group is talented, experienced and hungry to leave their own legacy.”

Oswego East

Coach: Sarah Davies

Last year’s record: 20-15 overall, 10-6 (third) in Southwest Prairie Conference.

Top returning players: Katie Maday, sr., SS; Olivia Owles, sr., CF; Carleigh Gregory, sr., 3B; Kylie Mannis, sr., C/UT; Danielle Stone, jr., C/UT; Addyson Dunn, jr., P/UT; Katie Silva, jr., UT.

Top new players: Faith Hagerty, so., P; Jayda DeLancy, sr., 3B; Makaylie Malburg, so., C/UT.

Worth noting: With 11 returning players, the Wolves are poised to compete at the top of the SPC. Stone was second team All-State as a sophomore, batting .477 with 51 hits, 19 extra-base hits, four homers and four RBIs. Carroll commit Maday was third team All-State, batting .416 with 42 hits, 27 RBIs, 34 runs scored and 13 steals. Owles hit .400 with a .463 on-base percentage, 44 hits, 41 runs scored and 20 stolen bases and Dunn went 9-10 over 109⅔ innings pitched. Mannis is committed to Spalding University.

“We have depth in our lineup offensively, a ton of speed and a full pitching rotation, all with varsity experience,” Davies said. “The team is eager to show what they can do together, and I am excited for this year’s seniors to take charge and leave a legacy for OE.”

Plano

Coach: Dwayne Love

Last year’s record: 8-21-1 overall, 1-13 Kishwaukee River Conference.

Top returning players: Belle Solis, sr., C/3B; Alyssa Dexter, sr., 3B; Cami Nunez, jr., CF; Chloe Rowe, jr., 1B/3B; Emily Klein, jr., LF; Chesney Schimandle, jr., P/2B.

Top new players: Gigi Bryant, fr., 2B/OF; Sam Downs, SS/2B/P; MaKenzie Strausberger, fr., 1B/P; Maci Klatt, fr., 3B; Elizabeth Hansel, fr., SS/P.

Worth noting: Three-time All-Stater Lindsey Cocks has graduated, but Love said the Reapers are “looking forward to an aggressive, fast paced, hard hitting style of play.” All-conference pick Nunez batted .378 with a .537 slugging percentage and 30 RBIs. Solis, committed to play at the University of Dubuque, played all 30 games last year and hit .272 with a .372 on-base percentage. Dexter posted a .278 on-base percentage and has good quickness and speed in the outfield. Rowe batted .375 with a .457 on-base percentage and Schimandle had a .376 on-base percentage with five wins in the circle over 148 ⅓ innings. Plano now has four pitchers who will share duties.

“We are going to bring a high energy combined with strong defense, lots of pitching styles and strong hitting,” Love said.

Sandwich

Coach: Riley Limon

Last year’s record: 13-12 overall, 8-6 (fifth) in Kishwaukee River Conference.

Top returning players: Kayden Corneils, sr., C/IF; Pagie Danner, sr., P/OF; Makenzie Hemmingsen, sr., IF/1B; Audryna Brain, sr., OF; Anna Timmerman, jr., C/IF; Jillian Freemon, jr., P/IF; Ali Martin, jr., IF; Kyra Johnson, so., IF; Abigail Johnson, so., P/IF; Kendal Petre, so., P/IF; Karlie Hardekopf, so., OF; Rylle Austin, so., OF.

Top new players: Raena Moyer, fr., IF; Coraline Stevens, fr., C/IF; Nevaeh Parker, fr., C/IF.

Worth noting: Limon takes over as head coach, but is no stranger to the Sandwich program. She served as JV head coach last year and played in the Sandwich program. The Indians return several key contributors, led by Corneils, who led the Kishwaukee River Conference with a .573 batting average last season. Due to smaller turnout in numbers this spring, the program will field just one team this season, but the roster will also feature three freshmen who are joining the program. Sandwich opens the season the week of spring break, March 23 at Coal City. Sandwich is bringing its outfield fence, which previously stretched to 285 feet in dead center, in to 200 feet closer to the standard distance.

“While the larger field helped the Indians prevent many home runs in the past, the team is looking forward to the new dimensions and the opportunities it may create offensively this season,” Limon said.

Yorkville

Coach: Jory Regnier

Last year’s record: 24-13 overall, 10-6 (third) in Southwest Prairie Conference, won regional title.

Top returning players: Kayla Kersting, sr., C/3B; Ellie Fox, sr., P/1B; Brooke Ekwinski, sr., IF; Callie Ferko, sr., 3B/C/OF; Liv Lathen, jr., MIF/OF; Addi Grayson, sr., P/IF; Maddie Mendez, sr., 1B/P; Bella Rosauer, so., P.

Worth noting: Fourth-year starter Kersting leads an experienced team that led eventual state champion Oswego into the sixth inning of the sectional semifinal. Kersting, an Iowa commit, batted .569 with a .679 on-base percentage and 10 homers, 50 runs scored and 40 RBIs last year. Third-year varsity player Fox, committed to Southeast Missouri State, batted .302 with 21 RBIs and 10 runs scored, and was 8-3 with a 2.688 ERA in the circle. Saint Xavier commit Ekwinski is a third-year varsity player who hit .286 with four homers, 32 runs scored and 19 RBIs and is recovering from a torn ACL from flag football. Ferko, committed to Spring Arbor, hit .357 with 19 runs scored and 34 RBIs. Rosauer also had time in the circle as a freshman and will team with Fox there.

“This year the Foxes will have a nice combination of experienced veterans and some talented younger athletes,” Regnier said. “With a few three-year starters and one four-year starter, Yorkville will look to continue to contend in a tough Southwest Prairie Conference.”