NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. - The Pace Setters, fresh off a season finishing as one of the last four NCAA DII teams standing, were selected by conference coaches Thursday to repeat at Northeast 10 champions in 2026. Pace received 78 votes and six first-place tallies.
The Setters enter the spring with an outsized hole in the circle, replacing graduated Gisselle Garcia, statistically one of the best pitchers in NE10 history and the league's all-time strikeouts leader. Pace does, however bring back all-conference arm Alyssa Smart and Priscilla Del Toro in 2026. The offense also returns key pieces in all-conference outfielder Willa Poplawski and all-conference first vbaseman Riley Jenkins. Catcher Katerina Luna is back as well.
Assumption, runners-up to the NE10 Championship in 2025, returns a dynamic offensive trio this spring in outfielder Kaitlyn Cahill and infielders Maddy Bland and Grace Heim, who finished last sring with an all-championship flurry in the NE10 Championship bracket. The Hounds received the second-most first place votes from league coaches.
Southern New Hampshire went 26-19 last spring (12-8 NE10) and was selected second in this spring's coaches' poll. Abby Lineman and Peyton Feldman, two of the top hitters in the conference in 2025, both return for their senior seasons to lead the Penmen. Junior duo of Charlotte Donovan and Julianna Colbert both return in the circle.
Franklin Pierce is an notable choice near the top of the poll, boasting immense youth on its roster. Key pitchers, however, Kennedy Morris and Georgia Clough both return to Rindge along with their immense offensive weapon behind the plate in All-NE10 backstop Charlit Hartenstein. The junior hit .372 last spring.
The league boasts a pair of new head coaches, with Brook Capello at the helm of Bentley and Alyssa Williamson at Saint Anselm. The teams were selected tied for fourth and seventh respectively.
Full 2026 NE10 Softball Coaches' Poll results are listed below.
| Place |
Team |
Votes |
1st Place |
| 1 |
Pace |
78 |
6 |
| 2 |
SNHU |
65 |
1 |
| 3 |
Assumption |
61 |
3 |
| T4 |
Franklin Pierce |
52 |
|
| T4 |
Bentley |
52 |
|
| 6 |
Adelphi |
46 |
|
| 7 |
Saint Anselm |
37 |
|
| 8 |
Saint Michael's |
23 |
|
| 9 |
Southern Connecticut |
20 |
|
| 10 |
American International |
16 |
|
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
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