After a 29-win season in 2025 that featured a series win over eventual national runner-up Tampa, the Florida Tech softball team begins the 2026 campaign on Friday at the Gulf Shores Invitational confident that they can move past the 30-win plateau for the first time since 2022 and more importantly, make their return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. As she begins her 17th season as Head Coach of the Panthers, Val Silvestrini has full belief her team will make their return back to the Sunshine State Conference's elite.
"I think we have more depth overall," says Silvestrini. "So, I think not only is that going to help us with any challenges that we might face, but I think having more depth is also pushing each other to be the best that they can be."
Leading the way into 2026 for the Panthers is a potent offense that present a variety of ways in which to win a game. Igniting the starting nine for Tech is senior outfielder Ella Niles, who enters her senior season fourth in program history with 77 stolen bases, a constant at the top of the Panther lineup for the past two seasons. Last year, she led the charge as the team set a new program record for swipes in a single season with 118 while hitting .302 herself. The Hesperia, California native approaches each at-bat with full confidence that if she does her job, her teammates will do theirs.
"I ultimately know that the people behind me are going to be able to find a way," says Niles. "Our bottom of the lineup too, we have a really good tendency to be able to flip the lineup. Last year, we had Malaya [Nelson] at the bottom of the order, and I always know that she's going to make something happen. So, I ultimately trust my lineup and the people behind me, and I know that coach is going to make the best decision to put the decision to put the best people in those positions."
At the heart of the Crimson and Gray order is senior third baseman Miranda Schwartz, who begins this season six home runs shy of Jennifer Dixon's (1999-2002) program record of 20. Having slugged .452 with 27 extra-base hits over the past two seasons, the Lutz, Florida native will be the focus of many opposing pitching staff, but trust in her teammates allows Miranda to approach each at-bat with ease.
"It's amazing having those table setters ahead of us," says Schwartz. "It helps knowing that even if I don't do my job, I have people behind me that will. It kind of takes the weight off your shoulders a little bit. I think it also does add another level of confidence as well. I think hitting is contagious. So, when you see people ahead of you and behind you doing well, it kind of helps build you up."
Anchoring the pitching staff are starters Chloe Fariello and Sammy Murphy who each enjoyed impressive debut seasons in 2025. The duo will be counted on to help replace the production of the graduated Alex Hendrian, but they won't have to do it alone as they'll be backed up this season by Kelsey Hahn, Julianna Hynes, Ally DeLisi, Rhianna Hudson and Ava McCormick.
"Sammy and Chloe are our two main pitchers, but we also have Kelsey Hahn," says Silvestrini. "I think the game has changed as well. You don't have to have the pitcher that is going to throw 200-plus innings in a season; it's more pitching by committee. I know that Chloe and Sammy can go the long distance, but we're not afraid to use all our other pitchers when we need them."
Fariello was part of a trio of freshman, along with Malaya Nelson and Haley Rider, that earned Second Team All-SSC honors in 2025. Chloe earned her place thanks to a slash line of .311/.396/.385 with 23 stolen bases and 17 RBI along with five complete games in the pitcher's circle. Being a first-year, two-way player can be awfully demanding, especially against the caliber of competition that Tech face but Fariello passed that test with flying colors and she can enter her sophomore season with those results reaffirming belief in her work.
"It was definitely challenging," says Fariello of being counted on to contribute on both sides. "But the main thing I had was confidence, knowing that my preparation was there. So, even if I was nervous ahead of a game, or if I had second thoughts about something, I knew that my preparation and everything I put in before it was going to show in the game."
In addition to the returners, the 2026 Panthers will have a freshman class of seven that they call on, some of whom could step into roles quickly.
"I think all of our freshmen can provide something and be impactful on this team," says Silvesterini. "I think Brianna Garcia can be really good. Two of our pitchers, Rhianna Hudson and Ava McCormick, showed great things in the fall."
Niles and Schwartz are the lone two seniors on this roster, and Silvestrini considers herself and her team fortunate to have them as players to look up to.
"I'm so proud of Mandy and the way that she has grown as a person, she's an amazing student. She has life figured it out after college, so I'm super proud of her, and that's credit to her. She did all the hard work," says Silvestrini. "Ella has a great mindset. She takes on any challenge and finds a way to make it work. She believes that she can make things better and she does, so I really admire her for that."
She's also quick to point out that the example set by the seniors has been picked up throughout the team.
"I feel like everyone on this team is a leader, and they lead by doing the right thing," says the Panther Head Coach. "There are some leaders that might talk a little bit more, some leaders that talk a little bit less, but we accept them for what they bring. One of our main goals is to be a great teammate and I think this team does a really good job of that."
It's a role that the two seniors take with pride and have been looking forward to being in.
"I don't look at it as an obligation, more so as I get to," says Schwartz. "Ella and I have both been here since our freshman year. and I think with me being an infielder and her being an outfielder, we're able to take our own particular knowledge and how it's usually been run and be able to impart that on to everyone else has been really nice."
"The lowerclassmen are just good people in general, and I'm really happy that they're going to be the people that are going to pass it on to the future," says Niles.
"Our camaraderie is unmatched," says Fariello. "We just get along so well together, and I think that makes us a better team in general. We always say, 'Be where your feet are', so if we notice that someone isn't focused where they should be, we're comfortable with holding each other accountable."
As usual, the Panthers' schedule does not shy away from a challenge as they face 11 teams who played in last year's NCAA Tournament and seven ranked in this year's NFCA Preseason Top 25. That challenge presents itself right out of the gate as the Panthers start the 2026 campaign against a #12 ranked Auburn-Montgomery team that reached the Super Regionals last season.
"I think our first weekend is going to be very challenging. We play six regional games against really good competition," says Silvestrini. "The way that we come out of that is going to give us a very good idea of how our season is going to be. Our whole schedule is very challenging, and our conference is at the best level I've ever seen from top to bottom."
Potential wins in these early season games could boost a potential case for a Panther tournament spot to come early May, which would mean everything to Niles.
"I want to go to Regionals. That's my goal," says Niles. "I want to finish my senior season having something that I can leave as a legacy. I would love to reach 100 career steals, but as a senior, I'm just trying to go out there and have fun."
