Bradley-Bourbonnais Boilermakers

Coach: Haylee Austell (10th season)

Last season: 23-13

Top returners: Lydia Hammond, sr., P; Bristol Schriefer, jr., OF; Shannon Lee, jr., SS; Abi Hofbauer, jr., INF/P; Avery Moutrey, jr., UTL; Alayna Sykes, jr., UTL

Top newcomers: Leila Middlebrook, jr., 1B; Elise Munsterman, so., SS/2B

Worth noting: The Boilermakers battled through perhaps the best conference in the state last year and once again emerged as one of the top teams in all of Class 4A, winning their fourth regional in a row and second sectional in the last four years. Hammond, last year’s Daily Journal Player of the Year and a second-team All-State pitcher, is back to lead an experienced group looking for even more postseason success.

“With a large junior class full of experience, both regular and postseason, and senior reliability and an elite arm in the circle, we are looking for push past last year’s Elite Eight appearance,” Austell said. “We are excited about the pieces that are returning and the new pieces that are coming in with talent and energy.”

That large junior class took a bit of a hit with Liv Woolman having to miss the season with injury, but it still brings plenty of talent behind Hammond. Middlebrook emerged midway through the year as a varsity contributor, while Munsterman looks to make a splash in her first varsity campaign.

Bishop McNamara Fightin’ Irish

Coach: Jenna Arseneau (1st season)

Last season: 19-6 overall, 14-0 Chicagoland Christian Conference

Top returners: Rhaya DePaolo, jr., 1B; Gabby Burnett, sr., 2B; Joslynn Dole, so., P

Top newcomers: Abbie Bysor, so., C; Sophia Piggush, fr., SS

Worth noting: The Fightin’ Irish will be young in 2026, but that doesn’t mean the reigning CCC champs aren’t aiming to be back in the hunt for a fourth conference title in the last five years. DePaolo highlights a solid returning class for the Irish after batting .524 and earning Class 2A All-State first-team honors. Burnett will provide a little senior leadership after finishing third on the team with a .449 average last season, while Dole will look to follow up a stellar freshman season in the circle, where she went 11-2 with a 1.73 ERA. Bysor and Piggush will look to fill the big shoes of departed seniors Bridget Bertrand and Teagan McCue, while other returners like Camille Czako (1.224 OPS) and Vivian Dole (.902 OPS) bring back productive bats. “This season is about setting a standard of hard work, accountability and belief in one another,” Arseneau said. “This team is focused and full of ambition. Our lineup is young, but strong, determined and ready to compete.”

Kankakee Kays

Coach: LaDesha Nelson (3rd season)

Last season: 16-10 overall, 15-1 Southland Athletic Conference

Top returners: Lillian Landis, sr.; KeLeah Jackson, sr.; Adleigh Cunningham, so.; LyBrty Terrell, sr.

Top newcomers: N/A

Worth noting: Coming off a season in which they secured a Southland Athletic Conference title, the Kays will have a bit of retooling to do in 2026 as they look for a 17th straight season with a record above .500. Of the six players to post an OPS over 1.000, four were seniors a season ago. Landis and Jackson are the two returners and will look to anchor the lineup as seniors. Landis slashed .484/.577/.750 with 13 extra-base hits and a team-high 37 runs, while Jackson slashed .444/.535/.639 with a home run and 14 RBIs in 15 games. Cunningham is the most-experienced returner in the circle, having finished third on the team with 15 ⅔ innings as a freshman last season. She had 25 strikeouts and just three walks in those innings and posted a team-best 1.79 ERA while also finishing sixth on the team with 21 runs scored.

Coal City Coalers

Coach: Rodney Monbrum (6th season)

Last season: 20-13 overall, 11-3 Illinois Central Eight Conference

Top returners: Khloe Picard, sr., C; Masyn Kuder, sr., P; Addison Harvey, sr., 1B

Top newcomers: Rileigh Eddy, jr., INF; Ava Kenney, sr., 3B/OF; Sydney Larson, sr. UTL

Worth noting: Last year’s senior class for the Coalers knew nothing but regional titles during their varsity careers. A solid returning senior class will look to extend that streak, but there are plenty of players stepping into new roles. “We have a great group of athletes out this year, and we will be very competitive,” Monbrum said. “For the first time in my career, we have six new starters, and I am excited to move our athletes around to find what works best for our lineup. We will lean on Khloe Picard to lead our dugout this year, as well as be a leader between the lines.” Picard was a second-team All-State pick as a junior, throwing out a third of potential base stealers while also hitting .420. Kuder had 11 wins and a 3.40 ERA last season, while Harvey hit .390. Eddy will step into the left side of the infield while Kenney takes to the diamond for the first time since her freshman year. The athletic Larson will bring versatility to the table.

Herscher Tigers

Coach: Mike Cann (11th season)

Last season: 19-12 overall, 7-7 Illinois Central Eight Conference

Top returners: Keira Ahramovich, sr., C/OF; Chloe Kinkade, sr., C/OF; Emery Fritz, jr., OF; Lilly Tucek, jr., P

Top newcomers: N/A

Worth noting: The Tigers battled through a stacked conference and won a regional title in 2025. While a large senior class that helped secure those regional titles has moved on, Herscher brings back some firepower in 2026 that will try to pick up a regional four-peat. Headlining that returning class is Ahramovich, one of the area’s most powerful hitters who posted a 1.409 OPS with nine home runs and 48 RBIs last season. Kinkade finished third on the team with an OPS of 1.256 and drilled five home runs of her own. These two are the only returners among the team’s top six hitters by average, but Fritz batted .298 as the team’s most productive offensive underclassman. Tucek also emerged as a sophomore last season, pitching 88 innings, the second-most on the team, to a 3.82 ERA.

Manteno Panthers

Coach: Josh Carlile (19th season)

Last season: 21-8 overall, 13-1 Illinois Central Eight Conference

Top returners: Aubrie Goudreau, sr., SS; Sophie Peterson, sr., 2B; Alyssa Singleton, sr., OF; Amiya Carlile, sr., OF; Savanna Watkins, so., 3B

Top newcomers: Maddie Jones, jr., 1B/3B; Mady Dye, fr., P

Worth noting: Despite having three seniors from last season’s team about to spend their spring playing softball at the college level, the Panthers’ goals have not changed after consecutive ICE-winning seasons. “We always set our goal for the state tournament,” Carlile said. “This year we will have a lot of new faces; however, our talent is still strong. There are many girls that are ready to step forward. We plan to be in the running for a conference title and look to make a deep run in the postseason.” A strong senior class had been battle-tested by years of fighting through a strong conference schedule that does not get easier as they look for a three-peat. Jones will bring her powerful bat to the varsity lineup, and while Dye may be a freshman, she has plentiful postseason experience leading the middle school team to a state title last season.

Peotone Blue Devils

Coach: Kim Pagliarulo (2nd season)

Last season: 13-14 overall, 5-9 Illinois Central Eight Conference

Top returners: Sophie Klawitter, sr., P; Payton Schnelle, jr., SS; Jillian Roark, jr., OF; Ava Kosmos, jr., IF

Top newcomers: N/A

Worth noting: Few pitchers in the state were as dominant as Klawitter was for the Blue Devils in 2025. The Class 2A first-team All-State selection racked up 329 strikeouts while pitching 158 ⅔ of the team’s 166 2/3 innings. She also slashed .354/.506/.485 to lead the team in each category. She will look to put up an equally impressive senior season before heading to play at Louisville, while several of her teammates will look to capitalize on promising seasons last year. Schnelle (.312 batting average) and Roark (.264) were second and third on the team in hitting as sophomores in 2025, with Schnelle’s 12 RBIs being the second most on the team. Roark led the team with 13 runs while Kosmos was second with 12.

Reed-Custer Comets

Coach: Madison Hiestand (4th season)

Last season: 12-15 overall, 3-11 Illinois Central Eight Conference

Top returners: Amber Syc, jr., C; Caysie Esparza, jr., OF; Kamryn Wilkey, so., SS; Sophia Moyers, so. P

Top newcomers: N/A,

Worth noting: The Comets had a tough time finding wins in one of the state’s top conferences last season, but went five games over .500 in nonconference play and will return a young cast of contributors. “You can feel a real shift in the energy this year, and it’s obvious our players have returned with a much higher level of focus and intent,” Hiestand said. “My expectation is that we play a relentless, high-energy brand of softball every time we step between the lines.” Two-time All-ICE selection Syc is back behind the plate. Esparza got on base at a clip of .442 last season, while Wilkey hit .370 as a freshman. Moyers will look to build on a freshman campaign where she had 126 strikeouts in 121 ⅔ innings.

Wilmington Wildcats

Coach: Jack Skole (26th season)

Last season: 23-7 overall, 12-2 Illinois Central Eight Conference

Top returners: Molly Southall, sr., OF; Taylor Stefnacic, sr., 3B; Nina Egizio, jr., SS; Keeley Walsh, jr., 2B; Taryn Gilbert, so., P

Top newcomers: Taylor Tenn, fr., UTL/P; Chesnee Geiss, fr., INF; Meredith Marquardt, fr. P/UTL

Worth noting: The Wildcats posted the second 20-win season in program history last year and gave eventual Class 2A state champion Beecher a run for its money in the regional title game. They did this without a senior on the roster, and will now bring back an experienced group looking to follow up on the promise shown in 2025. Southall, a first-team All-State slugger and North Carolina State commit, posted an OPS of 1.808 last season. She will be joined by a trio of star infielders in Stefancic, Egizio, Walsh and returning ace Gilbert. Tenn, Geiss and Marquardt will provide valuable reinforcements for a team that had just 10 players a season ago. “We’re returning this season with a group of experienced players who have high expectations, building off last season’s success,” Skole said.

Beecher Bobcats

Coach: Kevin Hayhurst (24th season)

Last season: 37-2 overall, 12-0 River Valley Conference, IHSA Class 2A state champions

Top returners: Taylor Norkus, sr. P/3B; Makenzie Johnson, C/OF; Allie Johnson, so.; OF; Elena Kvasnicka, sr., 2B; Liliana Irwin, OF/UTL

Top newcomers: Carmela Irwin, so., P/INF; Maddy Grooms, so., IF/OF

Worth noting: One of the very best teams in the state last season, regardless of class, the reigning Class 2A state champion Bobcats head into 2026 primed for another deep postseason run, even with some key departures. Third-team All-State shortstop Ava Johnson graduated and three-time first-team All-State star Ava Lorenzatti is foregoing her senior season. Still, the Bobcats have plenty of talent set to take the field. Norkus struck out 196 batters and had just 18 walks last season, posting a 0.98 ERA. She earned first-team All-State honors while Makenzie Johnson was a second-team pick. She slashed .463/.522/.760 with five home runs and a team-high 48 runs scored. Kvasnicka, Allie Johnson and Lilana Irwin were also among the 15 Bobcats to hit over .300 last season, nine of whom will be back this season. Carmela Irwin and Grooms both impressed with limited plate appearances last season and will be back as sophomores.

Clifton Central Comets

Coach: Matti Lanie (1st season)

Last season: 15-13-1 overall, 10-4 River Valley Conference

Top returners: Rayven Perkins, sr.; Lia Prairie, jr.; Emily Ponton, so.; Keira Donnelly, sr.

Top newcomers: N/A

Worth noting: Following a third-place finish a season ago, the Comets are set to return a large portion of the team that posted the program’s third winning season in the last four years. That continuity will be beneficial with a new head coach in Lanie, who said she expects the team to build on last season’s successes. “We have a strong outlook for the spring 2026 season,” she said. “Eager to start the new season with a solid foundation of returning players and additional newcomers.” Only one of the Comets’ top eight players in OPS last season was a senior. That player, Sydney Jemar, also did the bulk of the pitching, but sophomore Ponton is back after throwing 38 ⅔ innings to a 4.116 ERA as a freshman. She was also second on the team with a .371 batting average. Perkins (.421) and Prairie (.361) are also expected to be back and provide some firepower for the Comet lineup.

Donovan Wildcats

Coach: Trevor Schultz (5th season)

Last season: 9-14 overall, 5-9 River Valley Conference

Top returners: Laylah Lou Walters, sr., P; Bailey Henneike, so., C; Lily Anderson, sr., OF; Madelyn Loy, sr., 1B

Top newcomers: Lylow Kaufman, fr.; Hazel Olson, fr.

Worth noting: The nine wins posted by the Wildcats last season were their second most in nine years, and they will be without just one senior from that team while adding a pair of freshmen to the fold. Two-way standout Laylah Lou Walters pitched 87% of the team’s innings, posting a 3.12 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 116 2/3 innings. She also slashed .308/.403/.419, finishing second on the team in each category. Henneike was first, slashing .357/.438/.771 with five home runs, five triples, four doubles and 15 stolen bases. Anderson and Loy are back as seniors after finishing third and fourth on the team in OPS, respectively. Kaufman and Olson help provide a little more depth for a team that had 10 players last season.

Gardner-South Wilmington Panthers

Coach: Matt Finn (1st season)

Last season: 21-11 overall, 11-3 River Valley Conference

Top returners: Maddie Simms, sr., P; Ella Mack, jr., SS; Kayla Scheuber, sr., C; Nina Siano, sr., OF; Liv Siano, jr., OF

Top newcomers: Lily Eddy, fr.; Kaylee Tousignant, fr.

Worth noting: The Panthers posted the first 20-win season for the program in a decade last season, and they did so without a senior on the roster. Leading the way was Simms, a Class 1A All-State first teamer who was one of the area’s most lethal two-way threats. She slashed .495/.556/.884 with eight home runs and was equally impressive in the circle, posting a 2.22 ERA with 199 strikeouts in 122 innings. Mack was also an All-Stater, earning a third-team nod after posting a 1.043 OPS. Scheuber hit .402 with 32 RBIs, while Nina and Liv Siano were the top two on the team in runs scored with 33 and 32, respectively. Eddy and Tousignant are part of a seven-player freshman class that gives the Panthers plenty of depth as they aim for their first regional title since 2015.

Grant Park Dragons

Coach: Robert Crivokapich (10th season)

Last season: 14-11 overall, 9-5 River Valley Conference

Top returners: Cheyenne Hayes, sr., P; Lola Malkowski, jr., SS; Abigail Roberts, sr., OF; Abigail Garcia, jr. C; Reegan Thompson, jr., OF

Top newcomers: Delaney Heldt, fr., UTL; Mackenna Wells, fr., UTL

Worth noting: Hayes was one of the area’s top two-way players last season for a Dragon team that had just two seniors on the roster. With her back and plenty of experience behind her, Grant Park will look to use last season’s 14 wins as a launching pad. “Expectations are high,” Crivokapich said. “With the mixture of upperclassmen and underclassmen talent and incoming talent, we are expecting great things this season.” Hayes had 223 strikeouts in 118 1/3 innings and a 2.13 ERA in the circle while also posting an OPS of 1.609 with seven home runs at the plate. Roberts and Thompson tied for the team lead with 29 runs scored apiece last season, while Malkowski was second in team OPS at .974. Heldt and Wells arrive to take the place of the two graduated seniors and will look to help the Dragons to another winning season.

Momence

Coach: Dave Singleton (1st season)

Last season: 1-19 overall, 1-11 River Valley Conference

Top returners: Brooklyn Moeller, sr., OF; Delilah Latham, sr., INF; Emma Varnak, sr., P; Alexis Cook, sr., INF

Top newcomers: N/A

Worth noting: With a large number of players playing high school softball for the first time, the 2025 season was a learning process for Momence. They picked up steam as the season went on, scoring 31 runs over the final five games of the season after scoring just 27 in the first 15 games, and will look to carry some of that momentum into a new season with a new head coach. Moeller’s .860 OPS led the team last season, and she and Cook led the team with a home run apiece. Latham’s .280 batting average last season is the best among returning players, trailing only 2025 senior Sydnee VanSwol’s .333 average, while Varnak did most of the pitching, recording 62 strikeouts in 53 innings.

St. Anne Cardinals

Coach: Candy Torres (7th season)

Last season: 3-19 overall, 2-12 River Valley Conference

Top returners: Christey Moore, so., C; Tessa DeYoung, jr., P

Top newcomers: Tatum Kirkland, fr., P/UTL; Leah Lobaugh, fr., 1B/3B

Worth noting: The young Cardinals are heading into the 2026 season looking to build up its core. Players like Moore and DeYoung will bring some valuable experience to the table, with each coming off an All-RVC season. Kirkland and Lobaugh headline a large group of newcomers that will look to make an impact right away. “We are a young team with several new players, but the girls have been putting in the work every day to improve,” Torres said. “I see a lot of potential in this group, and as we continue to develop consistency, especially in our circle, I believe we will grow stronger and more competitive as the season progresses. Trust the process because hard work today equals success tomorrow.”

Iroquois West Raiders

Coach: Matt Honeycutt (3rd season)

Last season: 10-15 overall, 3-7 Vermilion Valley Conference

Top returners: Amelia Scharp, sr., SS; Kyla Dewitt, so., INF/P; Leah Honeycutt, sr., INF; Autumn Miller, P/INF; Cameron Bork, sr., C

Top newcomers: N/A

Worth noting: With their 10 wins, the Raiders secured consecutive seasons with double-digit wins for the first time since 2006 and 2007. With a vast majority of the production back in 2026, they will look to make it three such seasons for the first time in program history. Scharp is back to anchor the lineup after slashing .468/.558/.565 last season. Her 28 runs scored also led the team. Dewitt drove in a team-high 22 runs and also led the team with five doubles. She also split time in the circle with Miller, pitching 40 ⅔ innings with a team-best 4.99 ERA while Miller struck out 88 batters in 91 innings. Honeycutt was third on the team with her .299 average, while Bork ranked third with her .481 slugging percentage.

Milford-Cissna Park Bearcats

Coach: Alyse Morefield (10th season)

Last season: 15-10 overall, 5-5 Vermilion Valley Conference

Top returners: Addison Lucht, sr., SS; Kami Muehling, jr., P; Lillie Harris, sr., 2B

Top newcomers: Ellie Schwartz, fr., P; Ainsley Niebuhr, fr., INF

Worth noting: With the senior shortstop Lucht looking to follow up a first-team All-State season, her third All-State selection, and lead a returning cast of players, Morefield said she expects the Bearcats to make a bit of a jump this season. “We have the core of our team returning with the addition of some key underclassmen,” she said. “I expect our team’s record to improve and to continue to strongly compete within our conference.” Newcomers Schwartz and Niebuhr will bolster a roster that has Lucht, Muehling and Harris back in the fold. Lucht, a Northwestern commit, slashed .570/.760/1.263 last season with seven home runs. Muehling and Harris were each All-Iroquois County selections.

Watseka Warriors

Coach: Barry Bauer (23rd season)

Last season: 11-14 overall, 4-6 Vermilion Valley Conference

Top returners: Christa Holohan, sr., 3B; Noelle Schroeder, sr., SS; Emma Klopp, so., C; Abigail Neukomm, sr., OF/DH; Kyah Westerfield, sr., OF; Thayren Rigsby, sr., OF; Rennah Barrett, jr., 2B

Top newcomers: Ainsley Urban, sr., OF; Taylor Chattic, jr., 1B; Lilly Kingdon, so., P

Worth noting: There is a large returning class back for the Warriors in 2026, but there will be a big hole to fill this season. “Sarah Parsons pitched the vast majority of innings for us over the past three years,” Bauer said. “With her graduating, we turn the pitching circle over to sophomore Lilly Kingdon. Our success will be determined by our defense behind her.” Kingdon will have plenty of experienced teammates to lean on. Holohan and Schroeder will anchor the left side of the infield after earning All-VVC nods last season, while Klopp brings her experience back behind the plate. Urban is expected to step into a bigger role as a senior, while Chattic, who started as a freshman, is back after missing last season with an ACL injury.