MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – With seven first-place votes, MIT has been voted to defend its title in the 2026 NEWMAC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll. MIT has won three straight NEWMAC titles under head coach Madison Trotman. NEWMAC Rookie of the Year and first team all-conference selection Delaney Benevides returns for the Engineers after a rookie season in which she led her squad with a .449 batting average and broke the program record for steals in a season with 34. Fellow first-team all-conference honorees Ava Ladd and Layla Thiessen also return to the field.
 
Springfield College claims three first-place votes to take second place in the poll. Led by head coach Sam Garcia, the Pride return first team All-Conference honoree Amelia DeRosa, who went 11-9 in the circle last season, while also hitting .342.
 
Babson lands in the third spot. Led by second-year head coach Tori Roche, Babson returns All-NEWMAC first-team outfielder Sophia Pak after reaching the NEWMAC Tournament final for the second year in a row last season. Pak led the league with a .481 batting average last season.

Landing in the fourth spot with the final first-place vote is WPI, led by head coach Heather Ross. The Engineers return first team All-Conference honorees Destiny Lum and Riley O’Brien. NEWMAC Defensive Player of the Year, Virginia McKinney, also returns after committing only one error on 75 chances in the outfield last season.

Wheaton College enters the poll in the fifth spot. Wheaton is coached by Erin Miller, who is entering her third season with the Lyons. Pitcher Sofia De La Rosa returns after going 14-7 with a 1.99 ERA and earning second-team All-Conference honors last season. Fellow all-conference honoree Ella Molinari also returns after hitting .409 last season.
 
Sixth place goes to U.S. Coast Guard Academy.  Arielle Porter returns for her sixth season with the Bears, who reached playoff contention last season. Dana Walker returns after earning second Team All-Conference accolades and leading the NEWMAC in strikeouts with 152. First Team All-Conference honoree Aubriana Schmutz also returns.
 
Wellesley lands in the seventh spot as Head Coach Keri O'Meara returns for her 20th season with the Blue. Wellesley returns NEWMAC All-Conference Second Team pitcher Sarah Wicker and former Second Team first baseman Jill Colgan. Six first-years join a team returning all but three regulars.
 
Emerson College takes the eighth spot, as veteran head coach Phil McElroy returns for the Lions. First team All-NEWMAC performer Riley Caiazza returns after hitting .368 last season.
 
Clark University fills in the ninth spot. The scarlet and white are led by Katelyn Barton and return 19 players from last year’s team, including sophomore Avery Della Piana, who batted .297, while adding 21 RBI’s and 22 hits. Megan Dube also returns after earning seven wins and 10 complete games on the bump a season ago. At the dish, Dube added 27 hits and 19 RBI’s.
 
Salve Regina University, led by Shauna DeLade, rounds out the top ten. Skylar Wicklund returns after hitting .303 for the Seahawks in 2025.
 
Smith College slides into the eleventh-place spot. Smith is coached by Emily Lopez, and will return Kat Wajerski, who led the Bears with a .310 batting average and 12 doubles last season. 

The NEWMAC Softball Championship will take place May 4 through May 10.  
 
2026 NEWMAC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll

1. MIT (7)
2. Springfield (3)
3. Babson
4. WPI (1)
5. Wheaton
6. Coast Guard
7. Wellesley
8. Emerson
9. Clark
10. Salve Regina
11. Smith

 
About the NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with eight Associate Members: Brandeis University (Women's Lacrosse, 2026-2027), New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 20 sports.