Bradford, PA -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team is ready to begin their 2026 campaign, looking to improve on its 6th-place finish from last season.

The Panthers finished their 2025 season 11-25 overall with a 7-9 record in AMCC play. They finished the year tied with Hilbert for 6th place. They had the 5 seed in the AMCC Tournament and lost both postseason games. They fell to Penn State-Behrend 80 in the opener, and then 5-4 to Mount Aloysius in the first elimination game.

Krislyn Clement led the Panther offense, finishing the season with a .430 batting average, 22 extra base hits, 5 home runs, 31 RBI, and 17 runs scored. She was also the Panthers' ace in the circle, finishing 5-12 with a 5.73 ERA and 37 strikeouts. Sara Stroup was named 1st team All-Conference after hitting .376 with 6 home runs, 28 RBI, and 27 runs scored while splitting time between shortstop and catcher. Sandra Watne had 4 wins for the Panthers with a 6.35 ERA, while Christa Koagel finished the year with 2 saves and a 5.04 Era.

Looking forward to 2026, the Panthers return the majority of their contributors from last season. Stroup, Clement, and speedy leadoff hitter Miranda Groll will lead the offense that will mix an experienced core with an exciting crop of freshmen. In the circle, the Panthers return all by 3.0 innings from last year, but the returning pitchers cannot rest on their past performance, as they will be pushed by a deep group of first-year pitchers. 

The Panthers begin their season in Fort Myers, Fla., with 10 games over 7 days at the Gene Cusic Classic. They will begin play onSunday, March 8th, when they face a familiar foe, La Roche, in a non-conference tilt. The Panthers will play their first home game on Thursday, March 26th, against Keuka, and then open conference play on the 28th at Mount Aloysius. 

Pitt-Bradford was predicted to finish tied for 5th in the annual AMCC Preseason Coaches' Poll.