Cobleskill, NY: The SUNY Cobleskill softball team is set to take the diamond for the 2026 season after being voted second in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Preseason Poll by the league's coaches. The Fighting Tigers enter the year looking to build on a historic 2025 campaign that saw the program reach the NAC Championship Game for the first time in school history while setting a single-season program record with 22 wins.

Under the leadership of fourth-year head coach Morgan Flamholtz, Cobleskill returns to the field with momentum following last season's deep postseason run. With a balanced mix of experienced returners and promising newcomers, the Tigers are poised to keep the program trending upward while aiming for their third consecutive winning season.

"We're a really close-knit group, and that chemistry has grown since the fall. We have a lot of young talent that's going to help push our success forward, and the additions to our lineup give us more depth and diversity. The team is eager and ready to compete," said Flamholtz. "Our goal is to continue the success we built last year. We graduated a few key players, but we're confident in the group stepping into those roles and excited about the newcomers who are ready to contribute right away."

Cobleskill returns six First Team All-NAC selections to an experienced lineup. Gabriella Wendelken (Stuyvesant, NY), the 2025 NAC Rookie of the Year, highlights the Tigers' returners as she looks to build on an outstanding freshman campaign. A dynamic two-way player, Wendelken led the team with a .396 batting average, a 1.095 OPS, and 36 hits, including 12 doubles, a triple, and a home run. She crossed the plate 34 times and drove in 21 runs while posting a .582 slugging percentage and a .513 on-base percentage.

Fellow sophomore Avery Prievo (Camden, NY) also emerged as one of the league's top newcomers last season. She finished among the conference leaders in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, RBIs, doubles, and runs scored. Prievo tied for the team lead with 38 hits, drove in 29 runs, and posted a .339 batting average with an .866 OPS.

"Aliyah, Kylie, Gabby, and Avery will be big leaders for us. All of them are coming off first team all-conference seasons and are looking to continue that success," Flamholtz said.

Also returning to the Tigers' lineup are second baseman Kylie Rattigan (Poughkeepsie, NY/Arlington) and Aliyah Neeser (Forest Lake, MN), both of whom played key roles during last season's run. Neeser led the team with 37 RBIs while batting .358 with a .509 slugging percentage and a .939 OPS. She also contributed defensively with 50 putouts and 55 total defensive chances. Rattigan anchored the middle of the infield and finished the season batting .308 with nine doubles, 17 RBIs, and 33 hits. Known for her steady glove at second base, she recorded 72 putouts, 39 assists, turned five double plays, and posted a .957 fielding percentage.

The Tigers also return a strong pitching staff with two All-NAC arms back in the circle. Madelynn Orosz (Seymour, CT) and Jaydaci Chamberlain (Northborough, MA) both turned in standout seasons a year ago. Chamberlain went undefeated in conference play with a 3-0 record and a 3.41 ERA, while Orosz posted a 10-4 overall mark with a team-best 3.01 ERA across 17 appearances in the circle.

Gabriella Wendelken will also see time in the circle after compiling an 8-4 record with a 4.41 ERA and a team-high 75 strikeouts last season. She was especially sharp in NAC play, going 3-0 in the regular season with 36 strikeouts over 25 innings of work. Wendelken ranked second in the conference in total strikeouts while also finishing in the top 10 in innings pitched and top five in wins, giving the Tigers another proven arm to rely on this spring.

Cobleskill will also look to a talented group of newcomers to add depth both at the plate and in the field.

"Samantha Fausti, Julia Barrieau, Sam Lawton, and Mackenzie Carver have already made a strong impression," Flamholtz added. "They bring great energy and will definitely make an impact for us this season."

The Fighting Tigers will host their home opener on March 25 when they welcome MCLA to Cobleskill for a non-conference doubleheader.