Roster | Schedule | 2025 Statistics

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team was picked to repeat as Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division champions, the conference office announced its annual preseason coaches' poll Wednesday.

As the reigning PSAC West champions, Slippery Rock earned four first-place votes. Indiana University (Pa.) received three first-place votes and landed second ahead of Gannon University in third, which took the final first-place vote.

Seton Hill University was voted fourth, ahead of California (Pa.) in fifth. Clarion, Pitt-Johnstown and Edinboro rounded out the PSAC West poll.

East Stroudsburg University was voted in the top spot in the PSAC East after finishing the regular season on top of the division a year ago. The Warriors grabbed six first-place votes, while Shippensburg University was picked second in the division with the two first-place votes. Shepherd University was tabbed third in the PSAC East and grabbed the final first-place vote.

Kutztown University, West Chester University, Bloomsburg University, Millersville University, Lock Haven University and Mansfield University rounded out PSAC East's projections.

GOING FOR THE REPEAT
Slippery Rock is coming off a 29-21 season that included a 21-7 mark in the PSAC West as well as a third consecutive PSAC Tournament appearance, the first time a Rock team has accomplished the feat since since 1982-84. SRU also went 13-3 at Kasnevich Field, the most home wins in school history.

Additionally, Slippery Rock set single season records in runs (285), hits (414), doubles (91), RBIs (258) and total bases (660) as well as the second most home runs (49) as an offense during the 2025 season.

If Slippery Rock is able to repeat as PSAC West champions, it will be the first program to accomplish the feat since Gannon in 2018-19.

While Slippery Rock returns 16 of the 23 (69.6%) players from last years roster, it has to replace one of the most talented senior classes in program history. Alexsa Hurd, Julia Montie, Arielle Brown, Julia Nutter, Emma Kennedy and Naomi Childs combined for 83.7 percent (41-49) of The Rock's home runs, 63.5 percent (419-660) of their total bases, 60.1 percent (155-258) of their RBIs and 58.5 percent (242-414) of their hits.

In the circle, Hurd pitched 161 innings and clinched a Rock record 243 strikeouts, while earning a 3.13 ERA and allowing opponents to just a .231 batting average.

Head coach Stacey Rice continues as SRU's longest-tenured head coach with this season being her 12^th at the helm for The Rock. Rice was the 2025 coach of the year in the PSAC West and has led SRU to a 83-72 record in the past three seasons. She will be joined in the dugout by Stacey Herzog, who is set for her eighth year as a full-time assistant coach at Slippery Rock.

IN THE CIRCLE
Slippery Rock returns four pitchers from the 2025 season. Paige Gresgott enters her senior season as The Rock's top returning pitcher. The senior from Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, has 37 career appearances and sports a 7-10 record with a 5.62 ERA in 117 innings. Gresgott has five career complete games, all of which came last season.

Kayla Williams comes into her sophomore campaign after 36.2 innings in 17 appearances during her freshman season. The Latrobe, Pennsylvania native had a 3-3 record and struck out 16 batters, while limiting opponents to a .270 batting average and had a 5.73 ERA. Williams earned a team-high two saves, along with Gresgott.

Mackenzie Borkovich and Alexa Uphold combined for 18 appearances in 2025. The duo pitched 27.2 innings and struck out nine batters.

BEHIND THE PLATE
SRU returns one catcher from last season. Sarah Brown, a junior from Chester, West Virginia, played in 21 games in 2025, all of which were starts. Brown hit .186 with a .256 slugging percentage and a .286 on-base percentage. The junior put together a solid defensive season with a .970 fielding percentage, while only committing three errors.

OCCUPYING THE INFIELD
Aubrey Mansfield returns to The Rock as SRU's most experienced player. The Stow, Ohio native is second in SRU history in doubles (38), eighth in RBIs (83) and 10^th in hits (140). Last season, Mansfield started 50 games and racked up career-highs with 50 hits and 17 doubles. The senior hit .309 with a .343 on-base percentage and a .432 slugging percentage. Defensively, Mansfield held a .926 fielding percentage on the hot corner.

Grace Smith entered Slippery Rock's infield rotation with 21 games and 18 starts last season. Smith primarily played second base for The Rock with a .882 fielding percentage in 2025, but a .902 career fielding percentage.

In addition to the starting lineup from last season, Slippery Rock will welcome back Madison Davis, Olivia Logan and Paige Parker to the infield.

A LOOK TO THE OUTFIELD
Shaylyn Shall enters her sophomore season coming off an impressive freshman campaign. Shall was a spot starter in left field and played most games as Slippery Rock's designated player. The Alquippa, Pennsylvania native sported a slash line of .378/.472/.496. Shall ended her freshman season inside the top 10 in batting average (.378), runs (32), hits (51), doubles (10) and RBIs (36) by a rookie at Slippery Rock.

Jessica Goldhardt returns to The Rock as their top base stealer from last season. The junior stole 23 bases on 24 attempts. Goldhardt played in 33 games last year with 25 starts, primarily in right field. The Purdue Northwest transfer hit .267 with a .408 on-base percentage and a .433 slugging percentage.

Alyssa Sheely is another returning outfielder for The Rock. The senior has played her whole career at SRU and has appeared in 101 games with 73 starts. Last season, the senior played 23 games with 23 starts, all of which were in right field. Sheely's slash line was .219/.240/.301. Sheely earned nine RBIs and one home run as well.

FRESH FACES
Slippery Rock's 2026 squad includes two transfers in Addie Deal and Gabby Perod, as well as six true freshmen: Rachel Baker (P), Maddie Cavenaugh (UTIL), Sydney Lutz (INF), Jordyn Pelles (INF), Brooke Tatar (P/UTIL) and Addie Warzala (C).

Deal is a transfer from St. Francis University (Pa.). She pitched in 16 games for the Red Flash that included three starts and two complete games. Deal finished the 2025 season with a 3-2 record in 49.1 innings and struck out 23 batters.

Perod comes to The Rock from Ashland University, where she  was a reserve catcher as a freshman and appeared in three games.

Baker was selected as the Pac-7 Player of the Year in 2025. The pitcher will look to make a strong impact to Slippery Rock's rotation in her freshman campaign.

THE SCHEUDLE
Slippery Rock's 2026 schedule has the team competing in 52 games. The Rock hit the road to play in The Spring Games Feb. 28-March 4 in Winter Haven, Florida. While in the Sunshine State, The Rock will play two games each against teams from the Northeastern 10 Conference, Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, Mountain Eastern Conference and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, as well as one game against the Sunshine State Conference.

After their return from Florida, The Rock will host West Liberty University and Lock Haven in non-conference doubleheaders. Slippery Rock will then participate in the MEC/PSAC Crossover for four contests.

The PSAC West schedule consists of home and away doubleheaders between each institution in the division. The Rock start their 28-game route of the PSAC West with a home tilt against Clarion March 20. SRU's PSAC West road slate starts March 21 at Edinboro.
 
Slippery Rock's full PSAC West schedule is as follows:
 
Clarion (March 20 – Home / May 1 – Away)
Edinboro (March 21 – Away / April 10 – Home)
Seton Hill (March 27 – Away / April 25 – Home)
California (March 28 – Away / April 24 – Home)
Pitt-Johnstown (April 3 – Home / April 17 – Away)
IUP (April 4 – Home / April 18 – Home)
Gannon (April 11 – Home / May 2 – Away)
 
The top five teams in each division will qualify for the PSAC Tournament in Quakertown, Pennsylvania May 6 -May 9. The Rock are seeking their 10^th all-time berth into the PSAC Tournament and their fourth consecutive trip to the conference's postseason.

2026 PSAC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
WEST (First-Place Votes)
1. THE ROCK (4)
2. Indiana (Pa.) (3)
3. Gannon (1)
4. Seton Hill
5. California (Pa.)
6. Clarion
7. Pitt-Johnstown
8. Edinboro
 
EAST (First-Place Votes)
1. East Stroudsburg (6)
2. Shippensburg (2)
3. Shepherd (1)
4. Kutztown
5. West Chester
6. Bloomsburg
7. Millersville
8. Lock Haven
9. Mansfield





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