Marist softball recorded its third straight 35-plus win season in 2026, finishing with a 37-21 record. The Red Foxes also made a third appearance in the NCAA Regionals in four years before bowing out after a pair of losses to Texas Tech and Boston University, respectively.
Despite losing multiple starters to graduation after the 2025 season, Marist managed to succeed on the diamond with the help of multiple newcomers, including freshman utility Livia Wiltsie.
Wiltsie, who was named to the MAAC All-Rookie team, hit .317 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI in 168 at-bats. She ranked in the top-10 in the MAAC in several categories, including RBI, home runs and triples, while also hitting a couple of grand slams. That level of play helped to make up for some lost production from years prior and propelled Marist to a conference title and NCAA Tournament bid.
Getting to this point was not always smooth sailing for Wiltsie. As a sophomore in high school in Ballston Spa, New York, she tore her ACL, adding a layer of difficulty to her recruitment process.
“It was definitely a really difficult injury, because it kind of came at a bad time right before I could really talk to coaches,” Wiltsie said. “So that kind of made it really hard to swallow.”
Wiltsie was determined not to let the injury impact her career. Instead of looking back on the experience as a negative, she looks at it in a positive light and as something that helped her more than it hurt her.
“[The injury] really made me a better person and player, because I don’t take for granted anything anymore,” Wiltsie said. “I’m really grateful… my body is able to push to these limits now, and I kind of have a new view of the game and appreciation for everything that I’m able to do, so I think some good definitely came out of it.”
When choosing what school to attend, Wiltsie relied on several factors, but Marist head coach Joe Ausanio stuck by her from day one and was a big reason why she chose Marist.
“Coach Joe was really supportive,” she said. [He] kind of stuck it out through that injury. So that was kind of a bonus.”
Marist’s location only two hours away from her hometown also helped her decision since her family can visit. The distance from her home to campus has helped in case she needs something, and it gives her a “safety net,” but she still had to adjust to being away from home and to balancing schoolwork and softball.
“It’s definitely an adjustment, moving away from home, being on your own schedule, that is an adjustment itself, and then trying to balance schoolwork and softball has definitely been difficult,” Wiltsie said.
As a utility player for the team, Wiltsie has also had to play multiple positions at a high level. During high school, she spent time on the mound, in the infield, as well as the outfield. While this likely made the transition to college ball easier than if she had never done that before, it was still an adjustment.
“There was some adjustment, because I did pitch the majority of high school and a majority of the time up until I got hurt, so focusing more on just hitting was kind of an adjustment, but a good adjustment,” she said.
In a season full of awards and historical moments for the Red Foxes, many moments helped contribute to a special season. For Wiltsie, the entire team was the highlight of the season instead of one particular moment.
“My team is extremely supportive. The upperclassmen really took us all under their wing,” Wiltsie said. “I would definitely not be as confident as I am in myself without their confidence in me.”
Wiltsie has a number of goals for the future of her career. Individually, she wants to become the most consistent hitter she possibly can and also wants to “lock it down in the field,” but her biggest goals come from a team standpoint, and she doesn’t want that to be overshadowed.
“I want to be able to produce and be as good as I can for my team,” she said. “The little piece that I can add, I think, really makes it all happen.”
On a team that needed new players to step up, Wiltsie played a large role in Marist’s success. In 2027, the Red Foxes will once again need younger players to pick up more slack with the departures of several more core players, including infielder Haley Ahr and outfielder Peyton Pusey. If she can continue her production and improve on the facets of her game that she mentioned, Wiltsie is primed to continue being part of the solution.
Edited by Max Rosen and Ryan Eichem
Photo from Jaylen Rizzo
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