ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley College softball team has its sights set on winning its third consecutive Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Championship in 2026. The Dutchmen are scheduled to play 38 games this spring, including 12 home contests at the LVC Softball Park.

Lebanon Valley is coming off a 2025 campaign in which it won its second straight MAC Freedom title and earned a trip to the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament for a third year in a row. LVC finished the season with a 30-15 overall record, including a dominant 13-1 record against conference opponents. Entering 2026, the Flying Dutchmen are ranked first out of eight teams, with 48 points and six first-place votes in the MAC Freedom Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll.

"I'm excited about the year," Head Coach Scot Adams said. "We have a strong group of returners, and with the addition of the first-year players, I think we'll be right back in the mix again. If we play up to our potential, we should be the team to beat."

Lebanon Valley's roster features 10 returning players and nine first-year student-athletes. The team's group of returnees is led by five 2025 All-MAC Freedom selections: sophomore second baseman and pitcher Holly Grube, sophomore pitcher and infielder Abby Reed, senior shortstop Megan Heard, senior catcher Maddy Gronback, and senior third baseman and shortstop Nicole Kratz. 

Grube is coming off an excellent debut season, in which she was named the MAC Freedom Co-Rookie of the Year, a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region IV honoree, and an NFCA National Freshman of the Year Finalist. At the plate, she led the conference with 63 hits while ranking second with a .450 batting average, a .650 slugging percentage, a .510 on-base percentage, and four triples. Grube also led the team with 30 runs scored and a 1.160 OPS, while tying for the team lead in home runs with three. In the pitching circle, she was second in the MAC Freedom with two saves while ranking third with 13 wins, third with four shutouts, fourth with a 2.75 ERA, and ninth with 50 strikeouts. Reed also played an integral role for the Dutchmen in her first year, tying for fourth in the conference with 12 wins and three shutouts while ranking eighth with a 3.38 ERA and 54 strikeouts. 

Heard will look to build on a 2025 campaign where she was second in the MAC Freedom with 20 walks while ranking sixth with a .464 on-base percentage, tied for seventh with 15 stolen bases, tied for ninth with 27 runs scored, and tied for 10th with 42 hits. Among qualified batters, she was also third on the Flying Dutchmen with a .362 batting average. Additionally, the shortstop led the conference and ranked 23rd in the nation with 105 assists. Gronback is returning after a strong year in which she was fourth in the MAC Freedom with 33 RBIs while ranking fourth with 13 doubles and tied for sixth with 43 hits. Among qualified batters, the catcher was also second on LVC with a .916 OPS, while ranking second with a .508 slugging percentage, fourth with a .358 batting average, and fourth with a .408 on-base percentage. Additionally, Kratz is back after tying for seventh in the conference with three home runs, while tying for ninth with 10 doubles and two triples. On Lebanon Valley, she was tied for third with 21 runs scored and tied for fifth with 30 hits as well.

Sophomore catcher and infielder Bella Mackison is another key contributor who is returning, after a season where she was tied for third in the MAC Freedom with four sacrifice flies and ranked fifth with 12 doubles and tied for fifth with 14 walks. She was tied for third on the team with 21 RBIs as well, while hitting one homer. Senior first baseman and third baseman Nikki Sellers is also expected to see more time at first base this spring, following a year in which she recorded a .310 batting average, a .396 on-base percentage, eight RBIs, six runs scored, and a 1.000 fielding percentage. Additionally, junior outfielder Katie Muller will aim to continue her success, as she registered a .345 batting average, a .418 slugging percentage, a .400 on-base percentage, nine runs scored, seven RBIs, and a 1.000 fielding percentage. Adams also expressed that he is excited about the program's depth, particularly with its pitchers and catchers.

The Dutchmen will open the 2026 season with a 10-game spring break trip to Florida. Opening Day is scheduled for Sunday, March 1, and the program will take on Marian University at 10 a.m. before battling Alma College at 2:45 p.m. in Clermont, Fla. Lebanon Valley will open its home slate with a doubleheader against Moravian University on Tuesday, March 17, at 3 p.m.

The Flying Dutchmen will begin their MAC Freedom schedule with a doubleheader against Arcadia University on Saturday, March 21, at 1 p.m., at the LVC Softball Park. Later in the campaign, Lebanon Valley will host Misericordia University for a Senior Day doubleheader on Saturday, April 18, at 1 p.m. Before the game, the program will recognize its four seniors: Heard, Sellers, Gronback, and Kratz. LVC's full schedule can be found here. 

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