CARMEL, Ind - The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) has announced the results of its softball preseason coaches’ poll, with the reigning HCAC Champion Transylvania Pioneers predicted, in a vote amongst league coaches, to repeat as HCAC Champions in 2026.

Just like they finished last year, the Mount St. Joseph Lions are predicted to finish in second place. Franklin, Earlham and Manchester round out the predicted top five finishers.
 
Looking at the returning talent to Transylvania’s lineup, it is easy to understand why the Pios received the maximum allotment of first place votes among the other coaches. 2025 HCAC Softball Coach of the Year Shawn Hendrickson has last year’s Pitcher of the Year, Raegan Gibson (Louisville, Ky.) returning for her senior season with her senior classmate and fellow First Team All-HCAC pitcher, Trinity Bridges (Lexington, Ky.) also returning to assist on the mound.  In addition to Gibson and Bridges, the Pios also feature a pair of other returning All-Conference First Team players.

Following the upcoming regular season, the 2026 HCAC Softball Championship is scheduled to take place Thursday-Sunday, May 7-10 in Kokomo, Ind. The top six teams at the end of the regular season will qualify for the double-elimination tournament with the winner earning the league’s automatic qualifier into the 2026 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.

2026 HCAC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll Results 

1	Transylvania	81 (9)
2	Mount St. Joseph	70
3	Franklin	62 (1)
4	Earlham	60
5	Manchester	49
6	Rose-Hulman	44
7	Hanover	31
8	Anderson	26
9	Bluffton	18
10	Berea	9

  Head Coach = Shawn Hendrickson
2025 Results = 33-7 Overall, 14-2 HCAC, Regular Season and Tournament Champions

Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 5

• (1^st Team) Trinity Bridges, Senior Pitcher, Louisville, Ky.
• (1^st Team) Raegan Gibson, Senior Pitcher, Lexington, Ky. (2025 HCAC Pitcher of the Year)
• (1^st Team) Ella Steczynski, Junior Shortstop, Edgewood, Ky.
• (1^st Team) Emilie Young, Sophomore Catcher, Independence, Ky. (2025 HCAC Newcomer of the Year)
• (2^nd Team) Avery Parsons, Junior Second Base, Walton, Ky.

Other Players to Watch in 2026 =

• Maddie Goddard, Junior Pitcher, Union, Ky.
• Emily Shearer, Junior Outfielder, Louisville, Ky.

 
Head Coach = Beth Goderwis
2025 Results = 28-14 Overall, 12-6 HCAC (2^nd Place)

Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 4

• (1^st Team) Shelby Rakosky, Sophomore Infielder, Fortville, Ind.
• (2^nd Team) Mackinley Lawson, Sophomore Catcher/Infielder, Roachdale, Ind.
• (2^nd Team) Lesleigh Reimers, Sophomore Pitcher, Wauconda, Ill.
• (2^nd Team) Avery Wiltermood, Junior Infielder, Sullivan, Ind.

Other Players to Watch in 2026 =

• Sydney Hughbanks, Junior Utility, New Palestine, Ind.
• Mollie Sharp, Sophomore Pitcher, Hebron, Ky.

 
Head Coach = Brittney Harvey
2025 Results = 23-13 Overall, 10-8 HCAC (4^th Place)

Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 2

• (1^st Team) Zoey Kugelman, Junior Pitcher/Utility, Moorseville, Ind.
• (1^st Team) Olivia "Liv" Staigl, Sophomore First Base, Daneville, Ind.

Other Players to Watch in 2026 =

• Jaylee Fansler, Sophomore Second Base, Bainbridge, Ind.
• Hadley Fuhrman, Senior Shortstop, Haysville, Ind.

 
Head Coach = Stacey Goyette
2025 Results = 25-16 Overall, 11-7 HCAC (3^rd Place)

Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 2

• (1^st Team) Tatum Rickert, Junior Pitcher, Muncie, Ind.
• (2^nd Team) Morgan Cooksey, Junior Pitcher, Williamsport, Ind.

Other Players to Watch in 2026 =

• Ashley Lewis, Junior Outfield, Martinsville, Ind.
• Bo Shelton, Junior Shortstop, Anderson, Ind.

 
Head Coach = Sara Emerich
2025 Results = 21-17 Overall, 10-8 HCAC (Tied 5^th place, No. 4 tournament seed)

Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 2

• (1^st Team) Lizzy Willis, Junior Outfield, Yorktown, Ind.
• (2^nd Team) Kendal Rider, Junior Outfielder, Otterbein, Ind.

Other Players to Watch in 2026 =

• Sabrina Leonard, Senior First Base, Fillmore, Ind.
• Erin Singleton, Senior Second Base, Brownstown, Ind.

 
Head Coach = Brian Shearer
2025 Results = 19-16 Overall, 10-8 HCAC (Tied 5^th place, No. 6 tournament seed)

Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 3

• (1^st Team) Jessica Newsom, Junior Catcher, Lawrenceville, Ga.
• (2^nd Team) Kayla Schnippel, Junior First Base/Pitcher, Decatur, Ill.
• (2^nd Team) Aubrey Smith, Junior Utility/Pitcher, Lebanon, Ohio

Other Players to Watch in 2026 =

• Katelyn Sarvis, Senior Second Base/Outfielder, Deltona, Fla.
• Jadyn Winkler, Senior Shortstop/First Base, Littleton, Colo.

 
Head Coach = Cori Collinsworth
2025 Results = 13-19 Overall, 9-9 HCAC (7^th place)

Players to Watch in 2026 =

• Ashley Fulton, Sophomore Pitcher/Outfielder, Hanover, Ind.
• Addison Smith, Sophomore Infielder/Utility, Jeffersonville, Ind.
• Lulu Van Beek, Sophomore Pitcher/Outfielder, Noblesville, Ind.

 
Head Coach = Tony Holloway
2025 Results = 11-21 Overall, 7-9 HCAC (8^th place)

Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 2

• (1^st Team) Maddie Schoenradt, Senior Outfielder, Lafayette, Ind.
• (2^nd Team) Braelynn Hattendorf, Junior Infielder, West Lafayette, Ind.

Other Players to Watch in 2026 =

• Belle Blickenstaff, Junior Infielder, Logansport, Ind.
• Kylie Coleman, Junior Infielder, Rochester, Ind.
• Paycee Lewis, Sophomore Infielder, Martinsville, Ind.
• Izzy Scott, Sophomore Pitcher, Battle Ground, Ind.

 
Head Coach = Paige Jansen
2025 Results = 15-23 Overall, 5-13 HCAC (9^th place)

Players to Watch in 2026 =

• Kaylee Grant, Senior Designated Player, Lima, Ohio
• Grace Gronberg, Sophomore Pitcher, Danville, Ohio
• Reagen O'Brien, Sophomore Catcher, Bellbrook, Ohio
• Julia Tegeder, Senior Outfielder, Hamilton, Ohio

 
Head Coach = Angela Dean
2025 Results = 2-23 Overall, 0-18 HCAC (10^th place)

Players to Watch in 2026 =

• Josie Hollingsworth, Sophomore Catcher, Florence, Ky.
• Mackenzie Howell, Senior Second Base/Utility, Berea, Ky.
• Emily Searcy, Sophomore Centerfielder, Nicholasville, Ky.
• Jessyca Searcy, Sophomore Shortstop, Nicholasville, Ky