Rick Armstrong’s top 10 softball teams and 25 players to watch in the Aurora-Elgin area for the 2026 season
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Oswego looks to defend Class 4A state title, but St. Charles East and St Charles North will push.
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Top Ten Teams1. Oswego (38-2):Jaelynn Anthony (Purdue), the 2025 Beacon-News/Courier-News Softball Player of the Year, returns to lead way as Panthers defend Class 4A state title. She went 22-1 and hit .483 with 13 home runs last spring. Sophomore speedster Adalynn Fugitt, who had 61 hits, is back at leadoff spot. Losing Kiyah Chavez (Iowa) and Aubriella Garza (Northern Illinois) among 10 graduated seniors will be tough for Annie Scaramuzzi, who takes over as head coach after departure of fellow co-coach Paul Netzel.
2. St. Charles East (23-16): The senior battery of catcher Hayden Sujack (South Carolina) and pitcher Makayla Van Dinther (Wisconsin-Parkside) are back from team that reached the supersectional. They will be bolstered by Wheaton North transfer Hannah Wulf (South Carolina).
3. St. Charles North (22-10): The North Stars are loaded with next-level players who will give crosstown rival Saints a run for DuKane Conference title. They include juniors in catcher Ella Heimbuch (Wisconsin) and utility players Faith Maleski (Notre Dame) and Julianna Kouba and seniors in pitcher Carrigan Rich (South Dakota), pitcher/first baseman Abby Zawadzki, middle infielder Ginger Ritter and catcher Miranda Quigley (Missouri-St. Louis).
4. South Elgin (29-5):Anna Kiel, now a freshman pitcher in college at Loyola, has graduated but junior pitcher Jenna Sheehan showed plenty of promise last season by going 7-1 and hitting .409 in varsity debut for sectional finalist. A strong junior group for Storm includes Emma Bell (.389), Kaidence Rumachik (.368), Liv Miller (.341) and Adreana Hauser (.338).
5. Yorkville (24-13):Kayla Kersting (Iowa), a senior catcher/third baseman, returns for fourth varsity season to lead Foxes after hitting .569 with 20 homers last spring. Ellie Fox (Southeast Missouri State), who went 8-3, anchors what should be strong pitching staff. Brooke Ekwinski (St. Xavier), who enters third varsity season, is back after recovering from ACL tear suffered in flag football.
6. Oswego East (20-15): Junior catcher/utility Danielle Stone, a second team all-state selection, headlines list of 11 returnees for the Wolves that includes senior shortstop Katie Maday (Carroll), a third team all-state pick who hit .416, and senior catcher/utility Kylie Mannis (Spalding).
7. Kaneland (24-14): Four seniors who will play in college are back for the Knights, led by pitcher Brynn Woods (Illinois-Chicago), who struck out 176 in 98 innings, plus pitcher/infielder Ellie Peck (Lewis), outfielder Madison Anderson (Wartburg) and utility Natalie Naab (St. Norbert). Sophomore catcher Lillyana Crawford caught 12 runners stealing last season.
8. Aurora Central Catholic (23-10): Senior pitcher Corina Maratea (Georgian Court) went 16-4 with 1.97 ERA last spring for the Chargers. Also returning are senior shortstop Morgan Vaghy (Benedictine) and senior infielder Grace Grunloh, who hit .419 and .350, respectively. Netzel, who won the state title last year at Oswego, takes over as head coach.
9. Waubonsie Valley (9-20): Sophomore pitcher Molly Quinn, a hard-throwing left-hander, helps bolster hopes for the Warriors. Quinn should receive stellar support from third-year varsity player in junior shortstop Aislee Morgan along with junior outfielder Addison Powell.
10. West Aurora (16-17): Four juniors — outfielder Gracie Del Toro, catcher Macie Spenny, infielder Bella Marzullo and pitcher Ally Lambert — hold key to improvement for Blackhawks. Lambert (5-3) returns after missing half of last season with an injury.
The 25 Players to Watch• Jaelynn Anthony, Oswego, senior, pitcher/infielder.
• Gracie Del Toro, West Aurora, junior, outfielder.
• Ellie Fox, Yorkville, senior, pitcher/first baseman.
• Adalynn Fugitt, Oswego, sophomore, pitcher/infielder.
• Sarah Gurley, St. Edward, junior, infielder.
• Ella Heimbuch, St. Charles North, junior, catcher/utility.
• Ali Herrick, Larkin, junior, infielder/outfielder.
• Kayla Kersting, Yorkville, senior, catcher/third baseman.
• Julianna Kouba, St. Charles North, junior, infielder.
• Katie Maday, Oswego East, senior, infielder.
• Corina Maratea, Aurora Central Catholic, senior, pitcher/infielder.
• Aislee Morgan, Waubonsie Valley, junior, infielder.
• Alaina Nolan, St. Edward, senior, pitcher.
• Savannah Page, Oswego, senior, outfielder.
• Molly Quinn, Waubonsie Valley, sophomore, pitcher.
• Carrigan Rich, St. Charles North, senior, pitcher/outfielder.
• Kaidence Rumachik, South Elgin, junior, pitcher.
• Jenna Sheehan, South Elgin, junior, pitcher.
• Hayden Sujack, St. Charles East, senior, catcher/utility.
• Danielle Stone, Oswego East, junior, catcher/utility.
• Morgan Vaghy, Aurora Central Catholic, senior, shortstop.
• Makayla Van Dinther, St. Charles East, senior, pitcher.
• Brynn Woods, Kaneland, senior, pitcher/outfielder.
• Hannah Wulf, St. Charles East, senior, pitcher.
• Abby Zawadzki, St. Charles North, senior, pitcher/first baseman.