ALBANY, N.Y. - The University at Albany softball program and head coach Chris Cannata have announced a class of 10 newcomers ahead of the 2026 season.

A well-decorated class, the 10 incoming student-athletes consist of eight freshmen and two transfers. Hailing from all over the Northeast, the Great Danes welcome four from New York, including two locals, two from Ontario, Canada, and four from additional east coast states - Maine, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Marley Connor

INF | 5-8 | Crofton, Md. | Crofton High School | Gold Coast Hurricanes

Quick Facts: A four-time First Team All-Anne Arundel County honoree, Marley Connor led her team to back-to-back regional champion titles in 2024 and 2025. A three-time Baltimore Sun First Team All-Metro member, she has been named Honorable Mention All-Met by the Washington Post twice. As a sophomore, she was named a 15U HPP National Top Performer.

Taylor Hooven

INF/UTL | 5-5 | Doylestown, Pa. | Central Bucks High School West | Rock Gold

Quick Facts: Taylor Hooven just wrapped her final season at Central Bucks West with a Second Team All-Suburban One League Colonial Division honor. It is her second time being honored by the league after an honorable mention nod in 2024.

Gaelen Kelly

C | 5-5 | Hopewell Junction, N.Y. | John Jay Senior High School | Empire State Huskies | Rutgers & Notre Dame

Quick Facts: Entering as a redshirt-junior, Gaelen Kelly was named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar at Rutgers. In high school, she was named a three-time all-league honoree while being honored by the Poughkeepsie Journal on their First Team twice. The Diamond Nine First Team award winner hit eight doubles with 16 RBI in 22 games as a senior. The year prior, Kelly led John Jay High to a 14-8 record with a .567 average and 30 RBI.

Pyper Morley

C/UTL | 5-5 | St. George, Ontario, Canada | Paris District High School | Team Ontario

Quick Facts: Competing for Team Ontario on the regional stage, Pyper Morley helped her team to the 2024 Provincial Gold Medal. An all-around athlete, she competed in multiple sports as a high schooler - volleyball, basketball, ice hockey, ultimate frisbee, and golf. 

Becca Munslow

P/UTL | 5-9 | Charles Town, W.V. | Jefferson High School | VA Fury Platinum Bacci

Quick Facts: A four-year varsity starter, Becca Munslow is a highly-decorated pitcher. As a freshman, she collected multiple individual awards as a member of the West Virginia AAAA Champion team, Jefferson High. In her final season at JHS, she averaged two strikeouts per inning pitched to be named the EPAC Player of the Year while earning First Team All-EPAC honors as a pitcher and Second Team All-EPAC honors as an infielder. 

Katie Parisi

OF | 5-8 | Colonie, N.Y. | Colonie High School | Empire State Huskies 18U National

Quick Facts: A local to the Capital Region, Katie Parisi is fresh off her fifth season as a varsity softball player. She closed her high school career as the Section II Player of the Year and Suburban Council MVP. Playing for UAlbany alum, Kelly Barkevich, at Colonie High, she is a three-time Suburban Council First Team member who led her team to the Section II Championship in 2025. 

Julia Pike

P/OF | 5-8 | Kennebunk, Maine | Kennebunk High School | Rip City Gold National

Quick Facts: A team captain, Julia Pike was named a three-time all-conference and All-Maine honoree. As a junior, she was the SMAA Offensive Player of the Year. In both 2023 and 2025, she was named a finalist for the Gatorade Player of the Year. Pike also played soccer for her high school.

Sierra Roy

C/UTL | 5-9 | Georgetown, Ontario, Canada | Christ the King Catholic School | Team Ontario

Quick Facts: Sierra Roy has represented her province on the regional level and helped her team to a first place finish at the 2024 Provincial Championship. In addition to softball, she has competed in swimming, track and field, field hockey, slow pitch, baseball, and lacrosse.

Isabelle Scandurra

INF/OF | 5-3 | Albany, N.Y. | Albany High School | Capital Region Reign Elite

Quick Facts: An athlete in both diamond sports, Isabelle Scandurra played club softball and varsity baseball. In addition to playing softball with Capital Region Reign Elite, she was a member of the New York Girls Baseball’s NY Wonders (16U Seniors) roster for the DCGB DMV Tournament. Excelling both on and off the field, Scandurra was inducted into the National Honor Society in January 2025.

Amanda Stalker

INF/OF | 5-4 | Howes Cave, N.Y. | Schoharie High School | Dutchess Debs | College of Staten Island

Quick Facts: An incoming junior, Amanda Stalker began her collegiate career at the College of Staten Island. A two-time ECC All-Conference honoree, Stalker led her team with a .391 batting average in 2025 and ranked top four with a .344 batting average in 2024. Hitting 20 doubles in two seasons, she was named First Team All-Region (NFCA Division II) as a sophomore.

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