INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The NCAA Division III Softball Committee has announced the field of 64 teams which will compete in the 2026 NCAA Championship and UMass Dartmouth has been matched up against Stockton University in the opening double-elimination regional round, hosted by Worcester Polytechnic Institute. It marks the third match-up all-time between the two programs. Game time will be 1:30pm on Thursday, May 14.
The Corsairs, who earned the automatic qualifier after winning the Little East Championship on Sunday, are making their fourth trip in program history to the NCAA Tournament and the first since the 2023 season. UMD is in the WPI Regional, hosted by the Engineers, who enter this year's tournament with a 42-3 overall record. The Engineers – who will face-off against Albertus Magunus - enter the tournament after defeating MIT for the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference title on Sunday.
Led by third-year head coach
Rachael Powers, the Corsairs are 30-11 on the season, having gone 11-5 in conference play – which was good for second overall and a First Round bye in tournament play. UMass Dartmouth opened LEC Tournament action with a narrow 1-0 loss to sixth-seeded UMass Boston.
UMass Dartmouth – which has now won seven of its last 10 contests – went on to post a 4-1 win over fourth-seeded Eastern Connecticut State to advance. The Corsairs then posted a 6-0 win over top-seeded Vermont State University Castleton, before eliminating UMass Boston, 10-1 (6 inn.) on Saturday to advance to Championship Sunday. Needing two victories to claim the crown, UMD defeated fifth-seeded Rhode Island College, 2-1, before recording an 8-3 win in game two to claim their second championship title in program history.
The Corsairs have continued to put forth a strong effort across the board and rank among the Little East's best in a number of categories, including first in team batting average (.345), at-bats (1,138), hits (393), doubles (79), fewest strikeouts (110) and earned run average (2.53). Amongst the national leaders, UMass Dartmouth is first in the nation in double plays (31) and double plays per game (0.76), while ranking 33rd in doubles, 35th in hits, and 37th in earned run average.
Individually, the Corsairs are led by senior third baseman
RaeLynn Perregaux – the 2026 LEC Tournament Most Outstanding Player – who leads the team with a .430 batting average. She has recorded a team-high 65 hits in 151 at-bats, including a team-best 19 doubles, two triples and six home runs – also team-high's. Perregaux, who had produced 38 runs scored with 32 runs batted in, owns a .702 slugging percentage with a 1.162 OPS on the season, having started all 41 games this season.
Senior designated player/catcher
Lena Tsonis is batting .368 on the season, having played in 40 games. She has 46 hits in 125 at-bats with 10 doubles, three home runs and 32 runs batted in – which is tied for the team lead. Junior catcher/designated player
Olivia Silva owns a .359 batting average through 41 games, ranking second on the team in hits with 51, including nine doubles and two home runs with 29 RBI.
In the circle, the Corsairs have been paced by two outstanding starting pitchers in sophomore
Edy Crawford and rookie
Brielle Kenney. The pair have combined for 25 of the team's victories and 141 strikeouts. Collectively, opponents are batting just .248 against Corsairs pitchers this season.
Crawford owns the conference's top mark with 14 victories, owning a 14-8 overall record. She owns a 2.24 earned run average with 29 appearances. In addition to 13 complete games, she has thrown a shutout and recorded three saves over 137.2 innings of work. Allowing 61 runs (44 earned), Crawford has surrendered 142 hits, while striking out 64 and walking 30.
Kenney, who owns an 11-3 record in 22 appearances, owns a 2.98 ERA, having started 20 games in the circle. Posting eight complete games and two shutouts on the season, she has allowed 56 runs (47 earned) on 101 hits over 110.1 innings pitched. Batters are hitting just .237 against her as Kenney has thrown a team-high 77 strikeouts with 30 walks.
Stockton earned its ticket into the NCAA Tournament with an At-Large bid, bowing out of the NJAC Tournament with a tough 2-1 loss to The College of New Jersey on April 30. Under the direction of 11th-year head coach Mavreen Hering, the Ospreys enter the NCAA Tournament with a 30-7 overall record. The Stockton went 16-2 in NJAC action, led by Emma Coldsnow, who is batting .434 through 37 games. She has recorded 43 hits in 99 at-bats with 13 runs scored and 24 runs batted in. Of her 43 hits, four have been doubles and four have been home runs.
In the circle, the Ospreys have seen three pitchers dominate through the 37 game schedule. Lexi Liquori is currently 11-2 overall, owning a 2.05 earned run average over 92.0 innings pitched. She has five complete games and two saves while striking out 62 batters. Casey Sokol has a 9-3 mark, pitching 75.1 innings with a 2.42 ERA and a team-high 76 strikeouts, while Elizabeth Martin is 10-2 overall, sporting a 2.60 earned run average over 70.0 innings pitched with 44 strikeouts. On the season, opponents are batting .246 against Stockton's pitching.
The winner of Thursday's game advances to Friday's 11am game to face the winner of the other Thursday contest between WPI and Albertus Magnus. The losing team from each game on Thursday will meet on Friday at 1:30pm.
