IMMACULATA, Pa.- The Immaculata University softball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina set to open their 2025 season at the Fast Pitch Dreams Classic. The Mighty Macs will open the season on Monday morning when they play Penn State Beaver at 9:00 a.m., and will play Penn State Harrisburg at 11:00 a.m. The Mighty Macs will play eight games in South Carolina.

Immaculata will return to the IU Softball Field for their home opener doubleheader vs Penn State Abington on March 18^th at 3 p.m. Immaculata will open Atlantic East Conference play at Marymount on March 29^th.

Preseason Outlook

Immaculata finished tied for first place in the Atlantic East Conference pre-season coach's poll. Marywood was voted first in the poll with 22 points with three first-place votes. Marymount was second with 19 points and one first-place vote. Gwynedd Mercy was third with 15 points and one first-place vote. Centenary was fourth with 12 points and one first-place vote. Immaculata and Neumann finished tied for fifth with 11 points each.

Head Coach Stefanie Feinstein returns for her fourth season at the helm, and assistant coach Stephen Elinski is back for another season. Immaculata welcomes a new Assistant Coach Kaitlyn Delaney to the staff. Delaney joins the Immaculata staff after finishing her collegiate playing career at Cabrini last season.

Immaculata has been working hard for the past couple of weeks to prepare for the season and will enter tomorrow's opener after playing one scrimmage last week.
"The team has looked good so far this preseason," stated Head Coach Stefanie Feinstein. "I am excited to get started because the demeanor around the team is quite different from years past. There is a certain level of confidence and excitement that I have not seen before.

Roster Check

The Immaculata roster will feature 16 returning players, including six 2024 All-Atlantic East Conference selections.

Returning First Team All-AEC selections centerfielder Bryele Anthony (Chatsworth, N.J. / Shawnee) hit .358 11 RBIs and 21 stolen bases, first baseman Rylee Martin (Dillsburg, Pa. / Northern York) hit .324 with 6 HR and 29 RBIs, third base Carlee Karcher (Maple Shade, N.J. / Camden Catholic) .328, 1 HR, 10 RBIs, and shortstop Jess Oldham (Wilmington, DE / AI Dupont) .339, 4 HR, 22 RBIs.

Returning Second Team All-AEC selections catcher Emma Pinto (West Chester, Pa. / West Chester East) .235, 0, 3 RBI, with eight runners caught stealing, and second base Allison Hill (West Chester, Pa. / West Chester East) .230, 1 HR, 10 RBIs.
In the circle Immaculata will count on Fifth year pitcher Riece Onorato (Cinnaminson, N.J. / Cinnaminson) 2-2, 4.57 ERA with 17 strike outs, senior pitcher Emma Mercadante (Midland Park, N.J. / Midland Park) 5-8, 5.42 ERA with 36 strikeouts, and sophomore Nadia Bhuiyan (Burlington, N.J. / Doane Academy) 2-3, 3.91 EAR with 10 strikeouts.

Other returning players include senior outfielder Steph Kelly (Stratford, N.J. / Sterling) .130, 0, 1 RBI and was 6-6 on stolen bases, and senior catcher Emma Murphy (Mount Laurel, N.J. / Lenape) .375, 0, 2 RBIs. Returning sophomores include third base Destiny Howard (Trevose, Pa. / Bensalem) .286, 0 HR, 2 RBIs, first base/catcher Lily Hagan (Egg Harbor Twp, N.J. / Holy Spirit) .091, 0, 0, Infielder Isabella Pastella (Norristown, Pa. / Norristown) .200, 0, 0, infielder Naila Valdez (Philadelphia, Pa. / Franklin Learning Center) .214, 0, 3 RBIs, third base Grace Truppi (Westwood, N.J. / Westwood Regional).

When asked about leadership in her returning players Feinstein states "We are incredibly happy to have Jess Oldham and Riece Onorato back as 5th year players. They bring a lot of softball IQ and game day intensity which we will rely on this season. Our senior class brings leadership to the table as well. These players are the first group to play for me for four years. Watching them grow as individuals and ball players has truly been a pleasure. I know the team is going to rely heavily on their guidance through the ups and downs of this season, but I am excited to see them lead the way."

Welcome to the Team

The Immaculata softball team welcomes a ten-member class of freshmen to the team for the 2025 season.

The freshmen include Shortstop Alexis Andrada (Maple Shade, N.J. / Maple Shade), outfielder Kate Daly (Alexandria, Va. / Saint Paul the Great), outfielder, Emily Davis (Levittown, Pa. / Harry S. Truman), outfielder Natalia Donofrio (Oxford, Pa. / Oxford), outfielder Maddy Formica (Gibbstown, N.J. / Gloucester County Institute of Technology), first base Keira Joyce (Dumont, N.J. / Dumont), third base / pitcher Ava Marchese (Royersford, Pa. / Spring-Ford), outfielder Makayla Martinez (Union, N.J. / Mother Seton), pitcher/first base Aubrey Seider (Bristol, Pa. / Franklin Towne Charter), and third base Rakudzo Taruwinga (Philadelphia, Pa. / Archbishop Ryan)

"Our freshmen class is impressive," continued Feinstein. "There is a lot of talent there that is going to benefit us, offensively and defensively. I know they will be strong contributors even from the start of the season."

Season Outlook

"As a coach, you know when a team is special," concluded Feinstein. "There is something different about this group of players. Our goal, as it is every year, is to play confidently and together as a unit—everything else will take care of itself.