Marist softball began MAAC action with a sweep against the Saint Peter’s Peacocks on Saturday, March 22. The Red Foxes, now 24-5, are off to their best start in program history in the 21st century.
Individual and team success is being recognized nationally, with the team ranked in the 15-20 range in each of D1Softball’s Mid-Major Weekly Power Rankings and a top-100 Diamond Sports Ranking. The reigning regular season champions and preseason favorites play 26 conference games to finish the regular season.
The panel answers probing questions and reacts to the season thus far.
This roundtable was written before the start of MAAC play, so not all of the statistics listed are completely up to date.
Which game/tournament stood out?
Aidan Lavin, Softball Beat Writer: There is one specific game and one stretch of games to go with here. The one game is their third matchup of the season against McNeese while the stretch of games against Stetson and Florida Atlantic in DeLand, Florida is also telling.
The bounce-back win against McNeese, the No. 100 RPI team, stood out because of exactly that—a bounce-back win. Without any practice on the softball diamond, Marist traveled to Texas and took a tough 9-1 loss against McNeese. This could have been a moment of early-season doubt, but instead, Marist won the rematch against the Cowgirls 5-1. After that win, the Red Foxes rattled off six more victories, including a shutout win over ACC program Notre Dame.
The 1-2 showing against Stetson and Florida Atlantic displayed that Marist can compete with some of the most talented programs in the nation. A 4-3 loss against the No. 32 RPI team, Florida Atlantic, who at the time just fell out of the Top 25 is respectable. On the theme of bounce-backs, Marist displayed their resilience beating Stetson, the No. 60 RPI program, 6-2 a day after losing 8-3 to the Hatters.
Mike Schiavone, Contributor: The tournament that stood out the most was the Red Foxes’ final non-conference slate of games before MAAC play—the Buccaneer Softball Classic in Johnson City, Tennessee. The Red Foxes went 5-0 on the weekend, outscoring their opponents 46-4 while winning two contests via mercy rule. Graduate student pitcher Kiley Myers continued her dominance in the circle, hurling a complete game shutout while allowing just one hit in her first start of the tournament against Mercyhurst. Myers’ pitched four innings of one-run ball in her second start against St. Bonaventure, striking out five batters en-route to a 10-1 five-inning victory. Myers improved to 10-0 on the season and lowered her ERA to a dazzling 0.60, the best in all of Division I softball. She was named MAAC Pitcher of the Week for her efforts, an honor she has won in all five weeks of the season.
Another bright spot in the circle for Marist was senior pitcher and designated player Maddie Pleasants. Pleasants followed up Myers with a complete game shutout of her own in her start against East Tennessee State. The senior allowed just three hits and struck out 10 over seven brilliant innings, igniting the Red Foxes to a 9-0 win.
Graduate student infielder Miah McDonald led the way for Marist at the plate, securing her second MAAC Player of the Week award this season. The star shortstop hit .412 with a 1.794 OPS for the weekend, belting five home runs and driving in 15 runs. Junior outfielder Peyton Pusey was another notable performer at the plate for Marist. Pusey accumulated multiple hits in three games, including a four hit output in the Red Foxes’ second win over Mercyhurst, 13-3. Pusey hit .550 with two home runs and drove in seven at the Buccaneer Softball Classic. This tournament provided a glimpse of how dominant the Red Foxes can be both in the circle and at the plate.
Mike Duda, Contributor: Despite an impressive undefeated showing in the Buccaneer Softball Classic and a no-hitter from Myers during the Stetson Invitational, the Coach Cooke Memorial Tournament stands out most for Marist’s season thus far. The Red Foxes finished 4-1 in the tournament, only losing to Winthrop University. Marist accumulated 30 runs over the five games and shut out three teams behind Myers’ two shutouts over the weekend.
McDonald and redshirt junior infielder Haley Ahr also broke three program records in the win against Southern Indiana. McDonald drove in her 147th career RBI and notched her 34th career homer, surpassing Amanda Koldjeski’s record and Kyrsten Van Natta’s career mark of 145 RBIs. Moreover, Ahr broke another program record with three home runs in the victory.
—
What has been most impressive about the team so far?
Aidan Lavin: Entering the weekend with the No. 16 ERA in the nation as a pitching staff is most impressive. Headed by graduate student and reigning Co-MAAC Pitcher of the Year, Kiley Myers, this staff accumulated 10 shutouts in 26 games thus far. The Red Foxes finished last season with 10 shutouts total and possessed less depth than this year.
Myers is as steady and reliable as they come, currently 10-0 with seven complete games and holds a nation-best 0.60 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and .175 BAA. Sophomore pitcher Anna Sidlowski found her groove after a bumpy beginning, highlighted by a single walk over her last 19 innings pitched compared to 14 in her first 18.2. Sidlowski’s gone the distance in three of her last four starts and could have easily made it all four.
Myers and Sidlowski are picking up from last year while Pleasants is on fire, putting it all together for her senior season. Pleasants struggled with command in the past with a 175:179 strikeout-to-walk ratio in three seasons. That ratio is an impressive 73:17 this season in just 55.2 innings pitched.
Freshman pitcher Emma Bayor is another dependable asset when called upon in relief, tossing 11 innings with a 1.91 ERA and 13 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .175 BAA. The staff can potentially become even more dangerous with the highly anticipated return of redshirt freshman pitcher Stella Blanchard from injury. Blanchard is expected to debut around April 1, according to Marist head coach Joe Ausanio, who raves about what the redshirt freshman can add to the team.
Mike Schiavone: The lineup. Marist leads the MAAC in virtually every major offensive category; batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, hits, runs scored, runs batted in, home runs and total bases. In regard to all of Division I, the Red Foxes have hit 49 home runs, tied with UCLA and Virginia Tech for fifth-most. Additionally, Marist boasts a team slugging percentage of .609, which is good for 14th best in the nation. The configuration of Pusey, McDonald, Ahr and Pleasants at the top of the lineup is lethal, engineering the majority of the offense. Each member of the quartet has an OPS over 1.000, something most college softball lineups can not say.
Pusey has been a catalyst in the leadoff spot, getting on base at a .466 clip and setting the stage for the big boppers behind her. One of those big boppers is McDonald, who has gotten off to a red-hot start and is solidifying herself as one of the best players in program history. McDonald broke program records for home runs and runs batted in earlier this season, besting the previous high marks of 33 home runs and 145 runs batted in. In fact, McDonald has hit 14 round-trippers this season, tied for second-most in the country behind Arkansas’ Bri Ellis who has 15. The graduate student leads the team in hits (42), runs batted in (42), total bases (96), slugging percentage (1.079) and OPS (1.614).
Ahr’s season got off to a delayed start due to injury, and is arguably having a better season than one that landed her on the MAAC First Team a year ago. She ranks in the top 25 nationally in four major offensive categories: fourth in batting average (.535), 14th in runs batted in per game (1.43), 19th in on-base percentage (.571) and 23rd in slugging percentage (.901). Ahr is also coming off a ridiculous performance in the Red Foxes’ doubleheader sweep of Lafayette, in which the infielder went seven for eight and reached base safely in nine of her 10 plate appearances. The redshirt junior’s efforts earned her MAAC Player of the Week honors for the third time this season. To round out the “core four” is Pleasants, whose numbers are nothing to slouch out. The two-way player is hitting .329 with a 1.178 OPS and has hit the second-most home runs on the team (10).
Other players who have taken noticeable strides from last season to this season are junior catcher Isabella Manory (.313 AVG, .983 OPS), sophomore outfielder Samantha Rogers (.781 OPS), senior outfielder Kaitlyn Husic (.810 OPS) and senior utility Ronni Howard (.303 AVG, .779 OPS). Freshman infielder/catcher Sienna Kunze has made an impact as well, hitting .333 with a .902 OPS. With the firepower at the top of the order and emerging role players in the middle and at the bottom, the Red Fox offense may be too potent to handle in MAAC play.
Mike Duda: Marist’s consistency has been the most impressive aspect of the 2025 squad. Despite finishing 36-19 (.655) overall en route to their MAAC Regular Season Championship last season, the Red Foxes went 19-13 (.594) in non-conference play. This year, however, the team amassed an impressive 21-5 (.808) non-conference record, which greatly exceeds their 2024 performance. Moreover, the Red Foxes entered conference play on a three-game losing streak last season. However, they enter on a 10-game winning streak this season.
Marist outscored opponents 187-63 overall in non-conference play. They assertively lead the conference in runs scored, but they also gave up the fewest runs in the conference despite playing five more games than every other team in the MAAC. The Red Foxes finished above .500 in each of their five tournaments, which occurred far from Poughkeepsie in Texas, South Carolina, Florida and Tennessee.
—
What is the biggest difference between this year’s and last year’s team?
Aidan Lavin: It appears the offense took another step. Yes, it certainly helps that the top-of-the-lineup of Pusey in center field, McDonald at shortstop and Ahr at first base all are somehow improving their video game numbers from last year. Pleasants has already surpassed her 2024 home run total of eight while batting cleanup, hitting 10 in 102 fewer at-bats this year.
More importantly, Manory, Howard and Rogers are taking positive steps, becoming more comfortable with balancing the lineup.
Kunze, a new addition, is filling now-assistant coach Alyssa Grupp’s shoes nicely at second base and backing up Manory behind the plate. Kunze offers slightly less on-base percentage and speed, but more slug in the middle of the lineup. Junior outfielder Ava Hampton, a transfer from Coastal Carolina, will be a nice addition once she returns from injury as well.
As good as Marist played in the regular season last year, winning the third most games in program history, it felt there were times when the offense experienced lulls. This season, the Red Foxes seemingly hit no matter the situation. Last season, they reached double-digits in 11 games, six of which came during MAAC play. The Red Foxes have already done so in nine games this year, including their last five.
Mike Schiavone: Offensive depth. Last year, the Red Foxes had Pusey, McDonald, Ahr and Pleasants at the top and they put together great seasons. Pusey, McDonald and Ahr all had an OPS north of 1.000 and were First Team All-MAAC selections, with McDonald being named MAAC Player of the Year. Pleasants and senior utility Alyssa Grupp had strong seasons as well, forming a proficient nucleus at the forefront of the lineup.
Slots 6-9 saw a major dropoff in terms of production however, which may have contributed to Marist’s early exit from the MAAC Championships last season. Those slots were filled primarily by graduate student outfielder Sophia Recrosio (.268 AVG, .601 OPS), Manory (.258 AVG, .660 OPS) and at the time freshman pitcher/outfielder Anna Sidlowski (.245 AVG, .602 OPS). Rogers and Husic also saw 24 starts apiece, in which they struggled (.173 AVG, .610 OPS … .172 AVG, .698 OPS), respectively.
This season, the big four has replicated their production and the lineup has seen tremendous growth from many players that had down years last season. Manory has become a formidable threat, seeing her OPS jump over 300 points from last season. Kunze has had a nice start to her collegiate career both at the plate and by providing defensive versatility. Additionally, Rogers and Husic have enjoyed bounceback campaigns thus far, providing stability at the bottom of the order. All in all, Marist is going to give the opposition fits if the depth pieces in their lineup continue to produce at a high level.
Mike Duda: Retention and further development mark a key difference between Marist’s 2024 and 2025 teams. The Red Foxes lost just three players, none of whom were transfers. Marist replaced backup catcher Rowan Drew with Kunze, whose average greatly exceeds that of Drew’s. The Red Foxes trot out two Preseason All-MAAC outfielders, Pusey and Sidlowski, despite losing Recrosio to graduation. Marist did lose Grupp to graduation; however, they retained her mentality.
Grupp joined the staff as an assistant coach after concluding her playing career in 2024. Although Grupp declined to play her fifth year and coached instead, the Red Foxes retained arguably their two most important players for graduate seasons: McDonald and Myers. Amidst countless awards, both earned Preseason All-MAAC Team honors, with McDonald also receiving MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. Overall, everyone on the team will benefit from another season of playing behind them, allowing them to further develop and likely play better this year than they did in 2024.
—
Outside of Marist, which team will be most competitive in the conference?
Aidan Lavin: Last year head coach Casey Bump’s Siena squad continued climbing and won the MAAC Championship. Since 1976, the Saints finished more than three games above .500 just one time in 1981. After Bump’s promotion from the pitching and assistant coach to head coach, she finished four games above .500 in her first season as skipper. She then produced back-to-back 30-win seasons and led the program to its first conference championship in the following two years.
Siena will continue flourishing under Bump’s leadership and will be Marist’s toughest competition this year. The Saints rank 134 in RPI, currently sit at 10-9 and return redshirt junior pitcher Alissa Eimont, the MAAC Tournament MVP. Senior pitcher Kaycie Kennedy also appears to have made a leap, pairing with Eimont.
The Saint’s staff, headed by Eimont and Kennedy who have thrown 102.2 of 126 innings, owns the second-best BAA (.259) in the MAAC. The large bulk of innings is on-brand for Bump, who threw Eimont and Nicole Patille for 192.1 of their 366.2 innings last year.
The Saints lost a lot, including Patille and the team AVG leaders, catcher Jocelyn Ulrich and outfielder Isabella Pardo. They do, however, return two MAAC tournament catalysts in junior infielder Emma Peterson and senior outfielder McKenzie Swinson.
Sophomore utility Chloe Cummings, outfielder Gracie Goewey and senior infielder Ashley Giampolo are playing much-improved ball through 19 games this season and they can always hang their hat on clean team defense. The Saints currently boast the MAAC’s best fielding percentage (0.981), just like they did last year, while committing minimal errors.
Mike Schiavone: Canisius. The Golden Griffins received 120 total points in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll, tied for third place with Niagara and Rider. Despite not having any players selected to the Preseason All-MAAC Team, Canisius has a plethora of dynamic hitters. Like Marist, the Golden Griffins have four players with an OPS north of 1.000: sophomore outfielder Ella Johel (1.219), freshman catcher/infielder Cara Edwards (1.129), junior infielder Bailey Alatorre (1.112) and senior infielder Rosie Gomez (1.017). However, the offense does not stop there. Canisius features three other players that have made valuable contributions to their lineup as well: freshman infielder Vivi Vargas (.333 AVG, .953 OPS), senior infielder Emily Ilano (.328 AVG, .934 OPS) and freshman outfielder Tabitha von Kolen (.344 AVG, .912 OPS).
The Golden Griffins rank second in the MAAC behind Marist in several offensive categories including batting average, runs scored, hits, home runs, runs batted in, total bases, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Canisius finds themselves at 9-12 through non-conference play despite the explosive offense, suggesting that pitching might be a weak point of their team. Canisius has struggled to keep runs off the scoreboard outside of sophomore pitcher Olivia Manchester (3.83 ERA in 54.0 innings pitched). Three out of their four other pitchers have ERA’s higher than 10.00, which is not a recipe for success. However, if the Golden Griffins can figure out their pitching woes, their offense will give them a chance to compete with any team in the MAAC, including Marist.
Mike Duda: Canisius should provide the most competition for Marist amongst the rest of the MAAC. Although the MAAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll ranked Siena above them, the Golden Griffins consistently perform better. Canisius made the playoffs in each of the last four seasons and won the MAAC regular season in both 2022 and 2023, including the MAAC tournament in 2022.
While Siena won the tournament in 2024, they entered as the sixth seed and it was the first championship in program history. Canisius finished in fourth and made it to the championship game on the other hand, losing by just one run to the Saints. Despite Siena’s above .500 record this season, half of their wins occurred in the first five games they played. Therefore, they carry a cold streak into conference play. Overall, Canisius built a winning philosophy and should provide the most competition for Marist and the rest of the MAAC in 2025.
—
Predict the final record and tournament results for the Red Foxes.
Aidan Lavin: Marist’s final regular season record will be 43-11, two short of the most wins in program history. The Red Foxes will get those two wins and a third (or fourth, if necessary) in the postseason to break the program record and earn their fifth MAAC Championship in school history.
The Red Foxes fell short last season and embrace that. They feel more prepared to host the MAAC tournament again and are dead set on righting the wrongs of the previous season. Their mentality is evident through their play and demeanor in the first 26 games of the season, accumulating a 187-63.
Ausanio consistently utters that anything can happen in the MAAC which is true across all sports as the favorite often does not win. Marist softball looks tough to beat as the favorite and appears prepared to do anything to ensure they are the last team standing.
Mike Schiavone: I have Marist finishing 43-11 on the season, going 20-6 in MAAC play. The Red Foxes will be motivated to avenge what happened in the MAAC Championships a season ago and come out on top for the second time in the last three years. Myers, Pleasants and Sidlowski will anchor the pitching staff while the MAAC’s top offense will show up when it matters most.
Mike Duda: Marist can legitimately play undefeated MAAC softball while searching for the program’s fifth MAAC championship. Since coaches can only vote on other schools, Marist finished just one vote away from a unanimous first-place finish in the MAAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Additionally, seven of the 11 Preseason All-MAAC Team members play for the Red Foxes, including the Preseason Player of the Year. Marist is the only MAAC team ranked in the top 25 mid-major colleges, and they lead the MAAC in every category except triples, hit by pitches, and fielding pitches.
However, even the best teams lose in softball. Therefore, I believe the Red Foxes will finish 43-11. It would be an enormous disappointment if Marist does not win the MAAC, but I believe they have too much talent to fall shy of that feat. I believe the Red Foxes’ 43-11 record will lead them to a MAAC regular season championship and tournament victory.
Edited by Michael Burns
Photo from Luke Sassa
For more coverage of Marist athletics, follow @cfmarist on Instagram, X and TikTok, and sign up to receive daily alerts here.