Rutgers-Camden Athletics

Softball team picked for ninth place in NJAC pre-season coaches' poll

2/17/2026 11:13:00 AM

CAMDEN, N.J. (Feb. 17, 2026) – The Rutgers University-Camden softball program is looking for a bounce-back year in 2026.
 
After a 5-30 campaign in 2025, including a 3-15 mark for eighth place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, the Scarlet Raptors are hoping five newcomers will combine with eight letterwinners to produce better results in 2026.
 
Rutgers-Camden was picked for ninth place in the NJAC in a pre-season poll of the conference's 10 coaches, released today. Rowan University was picked as the NJAC favorite, receiving nine first-place votes, while The College of New Jersey was picked for second place and received the other first-place vote. Rounding out the top six teams that coaches predicted to reach the NJAC playoffs were Ramapo College, Stockton University, Kean University and Montclair State University, respectively.
 
William Paterson University was tabbed for seventh place and listed as the NJAC's dark horse team. Rutgers University-Newark was picked for eighth place, followed by the Scarlet Raptors and New Jersey City University.
 
Rutgers-Camden graduated a pair of career 100-hit players in Emily Dubiago (105 hits) and Luci Hutchinson (100) along with NJAC Honorable Mention designated hitter Devyn Jordan, but returns sophomore center fielder Ryleigh Lender, who earned NJAC Honorable Mention as a freshman. Lender finished second on the team in hitting as a freshman, posting a .349 average, while leading the team with nine doubles, a .523 slugging percentage and a .446 on-base percentage. She tied for the club lead with two home runs and 15 RBIs.
 
Junior Gianna Bauer anchored shortstop last season and the two-year Raptor letterwinner returns with a .286 career batting average and 66 hits. She's on pace to become the 17th player in program history with 100 career hits.
 
A pair of key letterwinners who return with junior and sophomore eligibility, respectively, are third baseman Alana Gannon and catcher Madi Carr. Gannon led the team with 18 runs scored last season, tied for the team lead with two home runs and was tied for second on the team with six doubles and 14 RBIs. Carr, in her first season at Rutgers-Camden last year, hit .309 while playing second base. She'll move back to her natural position behind the plate this season to replace the graduated Kendall Lafferty.
 
In the outfield, junior right fielder Kali Baker returns after compiling a .241 career batting average over her first two seasons. Sophomore catcher Zoie Mantzell also returns after appearing in 10 games as a freshman.
 
The Scarlet Raptors feature a pair of junior pitchers who are returning for their third year with the program. Southpaw Sammie Friel and righty Anna Milillo combined for 114.1 innings last season, with Friel starting 16 of her 17 games and hurling four complete games and one shutout. Milillo, meanwhile, hurled 14 of her 17 appearances in relief and brings two career saves into the season.
 
The Raptors' roster includes five versatile newcomers, including juniors Ava Iepson (middle infield/outfield) and Victoria Connelly (outfield/third base), and a trio of freshmen in Natalie D'Angelo (pitcher), Kaede Walsh (corner infielder/utility) and Sade Whittingham (outfield).
 
Meredith McCarthy returns for her ninth season as the Scarlet Raptors' head coach. Her team will open its season Sunday when it hosts SUNY-Oneonta in a non-conference doubleheader.
 
The Raptors' schedule includes an eight-game trip to the PFX Spring Games in Florida from March 14-18. The NJAC schedule begins March 28 when Rutgers-Camden visits New Jersey City University for a doubleheader.