With a talented core of returning student-athletes, the Drew University softball team will embark on its 2026 season with high hopes under ninth-year Head Coach Erica Mehalick C'03.
 
Twelve Rangers return from last year's squad that won 20 games and qualified for the Landmark Conference Championships for the first time in a non-Covid season since 2008. Leading the charge will be its two returning all-region selections in seniors Olivia Magliacano and Haley Meierhofer.
 
The team's starting centerfielder, Magliacano is coming off a breakthrough season in which she captured both NFCA First Team All-Region and First Team All-Landmark Conference honors. She led the Rangers in a slew of categories, including batting average (.386), runs scored (41), hits (54), RBIs (26), triples (10), home runs (six), slugging (.707), and on-base percentage (.442). In addition, she fired in seven outfield assists.
 
A three-year starter at second base, Meierhofer garnered Third Team All-Region and Second Team All-Landmark Conference recognition last season. She finished as the team's fourth-leading hitter, batting .333 while also tying for second on the team with 19 runs scored and tying for third among the Rangers with seven doubles. She was even more impressive in Landmark Conference play, leading the Rangers with a .429 batting average – a mark that tied her for first among the conference leaders.
 
Drew will also feature strong depth in the pitching circle, where five Rangers are back this season.
 
Sophomore Gabby Duran is back after an impressive debut campaign in which she finished 4-4 with a 2.23 ERA over 15 games, seven starts, and 59 1/3 innings pitched. She struck out 40 batters and issued only 11 walks while tossing five complete games.
 
Juniors Allie Porbansky and Kaitlynne Streets are also back after pitching at least 45 innings apiece while assembling nearly identical stat lines. Porbansky notched a 4-4 record to go with a 3.23 ERA and four complete games over 11 appearances, eight starts, and 49 innings. She struck out 20 and allowed a mere four walks for the season. Meanwhile, Streets went 2-4 with a 3.53 ERA, 16 strikeouts, and a pair of saves through 11 games, eight starts, and 45 2/3 innings.
 
Providing additional options are senior Amanda Novak and sophomore Olivia Datilio. Novak made a pair of starts last season, going 1-0 with a 3.89 ERA while striking out eight over nine innings pitched. Datilio also appeared in two games and made one start, posting a 1-0 record.
 
A pair of Rangers – senior Aurora Marino and junior Karly Severinsen – will join Meierhofer as returning infielders. Marino played in 29 games and made 24 starts, mostly at third base, a year ago while Severinsen played in 12 games and made eight starts, primarily at shortstop. First-years Sophie Beshear and Izzy Wiemer will likely seek playing time at first base.
 
Behind the plate, junior Natalie Lorenzo is back after appearing in 15 games a year ago. Wiemer will also compete for playing time at the backstop.
 
In the outfield, sophomore Megan Williams and junior Sam Pellegri return with Magliacano. Williams played in 30 games and made 10 starts, mostly in rightfield, last season while Pellegri saw action in 14 games and started nine times. Freshmen Lorelei Lorentzen and Sloan Walmsley will also look to make their presence felt in the outfield.
 
The Rangers open their season March 8-13 when compete at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic, a six-day, 10-game spring break trip in Naples, Fla. Drew plays its home opener on March 19 with a non-conference doubleheader versus Kean University, and its Landmark Conference opener is set for March 21 at Elizabethtown College.