CENTRE COUNTY — With one PIAA Softball Tournament finalist, four tournament qualifiers, and all five Centre County teams playoff eligible, it will not be easy to duplicate last year’s successes in the upcoming 2026 season.
But certainly not impossible.
With all five county teams traditionally fielding strong softball teams, 2026 could turn out to be another banner year.
So as the new season is about to begin, here is a brief look at the teams and their early schedules:
Bald Eagle Area
2025 Record: 22-4, District 6 Champions, PIAA State Tournament runner-up. Lost in the final to Pine Grove, 4-3, in 13 innings.
The Bald Eagle Area softball team went as far as it could — and then some — in 2025 in search of a State Championship, only to fall by one run to Pine Grove in 13 innings in the finals.
It was a marvelous run, but now it is 2026, and there are positions to fill.
The most prominent of those is all-everything pitcher Sierra Albright.
Albright pitched every game for BEA last season, had a 22-4 record with 286 strikeouts, 39 walks and just 19 earned runs.
Albright also hit .354 with 23 hits and 16 RBIs.
The Eagles also lost four of their other top hitters, but there are others returning as well, including Kendall Gavlock (.316) and Maelee Yoder (.312).
BEA will begin to defend its title on March 19 at home against Huntingdon.
Schedule:
3/19, Huntingdon
3/23, at P-O
3/27, Chestnut Ridge
Bellefonte
2025 Record: 16-3
The Lady Raiders last season finished with a District 6 Championship, a PIAA play-in victory over Carrick, and a PIAA tournament bid.
They lost in the opening round to Blackhawk, 9-3, but it was still an outstanding season with other losses coming only to Forest Hills and BEA.
Although somewhat rebuilding this season, the team still has solid returnees such as Jaylee Lose and Madalynn Lucas.
Bellefonte will begin the new season against Central at home on March 19.
Schedule:
3/19, Central
3/23, at Huntingdon
3/27, Westmont-Hilltop
Penns Valley
2025 Record: 10-6
The Penns Valley Rams finished 10-6 in 2025 and lost a heartbreaker to BEA in the District 6 Tournament, 3-2, in 11 innings that ended their season.
And the Rams have already begun their 2026 campaign with a tough loss to non-league foe Mount Union on March 10, 8-3, in a pre-season matchup.
PV was led on offense by Haddley Stover, Sydnie Dalton and Beranne Lucas. Lilly Gephart was on the mound for the Rams.
PV will now enter its LHAC season with a home game against Bishop Guilfoyle on March 19.
Schedule:
3/19, Bishop Guilfoyle
3/20, at Huntingdon
3/23, at Bellwood-Antis
Philipsburg-Osceola
2025 Record: 14-8, D6 runner-up and PIAA tournament qualifier.
The P-O Lady Mounties had a solid season in 2025 that included a D6 loss to state finalist Bald Eagle Area and a season-ending loss in the PIAA Tournament to Susquenita.
This season, P-O will be in a rebuilding state with new head coach Becca Kephart and a list of graduates from 2025 to replace.
Key returnees include Mia Butler, Natalee Fleck, Emily Gustkey, Maddyx Hampton, Alli Muir and Jersey Pitts.
The Lady Mounties will begin the new season with home games against Hollidaysburg and Bald Eagle Area.
Schedule:
3/19, Hollidaysburg
3/23, BEA
3/25, at Juniata
State College
2025 Record: 12-9
After winning the 2025 District 6 6A Championship and beating McDowell in the regional final, the State College softball team fell in a heartbreaker to Hempfield in the first round of the PIAA Tournament.
Hempfield broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning with two runs that stood up in a 2-1 win over the Lions.
State College lost seven seniors from that team and will be in rebuilding mode in 2026. However, Sarah Mellott, Kara Rhinehart, Paige Moriarta, Sarah Williams, Lilyana Williams and Elizabeth Sikorski will all return from that team for the new season.
Moriarta was one of the top hitters on the team as well as going 2-2 and having the second-best earned run average on the mound.
State College will open its Mid-Penn season at home against Altoona on March 23 after a pre-season game at DuBois on March 18.
Schedule:
3/18, at DuBois
3/23, Altoona
3/25, Mifflin County
