Salisbury University softball reloads for 2026

SALISBURY, Md. – Salisbury University Softball enters this year trying follow-up on a 2025 season that saw them go 36-8-1.

“We didn’t know how far we were going to go last year,” Senior Merry Pavlik said, reflecting on a 2025 team that reached its second straight NCAA Super Regional–after finishing as the NCAA National Runner-Up in 2023. “And then making it that far was just because we loved each other, and just because we knew we could trust each other at the plate and trust each other in the field.”

But, as Pavlik said, it will be a new-look team on the turf at Margie Knight Sea Gull Softball Stadium: “[The] 2025 squad was definitely very seasoned. They all played every game up until from freshman to senior year. This is a very new team, new to the field even at Salisbury.”

With SU’s softball program graduating big-time sluggers like Carrie Jacoby and the Stockman sisters, among a number of everyday starters, Junior Morgan Moxley thinks the sea gulls will have to change their approach at the plate. “We have a young team this year,” Moxley said, “We have a lot of freshmen and transfers…We’re a different team and we’re just going to have to produce runs a different way this year.”

Though, that’s not to say that scoring can’t continue to be a strength for Salisbury. “I think our offense is going to be really good,” Moxley continued, “And I think as long as we have good at-bats and productive at-bats, we’re going to produce a lot of runs.”

Even with all the new faces, one thing remains constant: a foundational culture that dates back decades, carried on now by Head Coach Lacey Lord heading into her sixth season.

“I think that this team, even if we’re not the best or the prettiest looking, we definitely give a lot of grit and we give a lot of heart to the game. So, it’s going to be tough to beat us,” Pavlik said.

“We’re always striving for excellence here.” Moxley recited, “That’s our motto here at Salisbury Softball. So that’s always our goal to win the national championship.”

The Sea Gulls begin their season at home on Monday, February 28th at 10:30am against Swarthmore College.

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