2025 Softball Season Preview
The Rock Valley College Golden Eagles softball team is gearing up for an exciting season, aiming to build on last year's successful campaign where they finished 7th at the NJCAA DII national tournament and recorded a strong 34-15 overall record. With a pre-season ranking of #8 in the NJCAA DII national poll, the team is focused on making an impact this year.

Schedule
Rock Valley opens their season on Friday, February 14^th and Saturday, February 15^th with four games at the Fun City Sports Dome in Burlington, Iowa.  They open up on Friday with Ellsworth CC in game 1 before a Top 10 showdown with NJCAA DII #9 Des Moines Area Community College.  On Saturday, they will face a pair of NJCAA DI opponents in Indian Hills CC and Southeastern CC. 

From there the Golden Eagles will play four games inside the Louisville Slugger Dome Complex in Peoria, IL on February 27^th and 28^th taking on Illinois Central College on Thursday and a rematch of 2024 NJCAA national tournament first round opponent Lake Michigan College on Friday. 

The Golden Eagles will then travel south for their annual spring break trip from March 7-12 as they travel Georgia and Florida as they play 10 games vs NJCAA DI opponents, including two games against returning NJCAA DI #4 Northwest Florida State and two games against returning NJCAA DI #11 Gulf Coast State College, before ending their trip against NJCAA DII #16 Marion Military Institute.    

"Our early part of the schedule is one of the toughest it has ever been. We will get an opportunity to play against some of the best teams in the country right out of the gates," stated Head Softball Coach Darin Monroe. "Playing powerhouse programs early will allow us to get exposed and learn our strengths and weaknesses so we can improve as the season goes on."
 
Battery
Returning sophomore Natalie Lower (IPFW commit) had a standout freshman year with a 3.14 ERA and 109 strikeouts. The team also welcomes promising freshmen pitchers Sienna Stingley, Molly Roe, Lilly Kunzer, and Nyah Allen.
Behind the plate the team returns 3 experienced sophomores in Ashley Russell (Luther College Commit), Sam Vetter and Christine Venditti.  Russell appeared in 20 games last season and hit .318 overall.  Vetter appeared in 35 games last season with 7 doubles and 4 home runs.  Venditti appeared in 26 games, hit .344 with 4 doubles and 5 home runs. The Golden Eagles also welcome talented freshmen Sidney Spindel
 
Infield
Up the middle the team returns sophomore Chloe Wamboldt who missed half of the 2024 season with injury.  Wamboldt appeared 29 games last season and hit .396 with 34 stolen bases and 38 runs scored.  The Golden Eagles welcome freshmen McKenzie Culvey, Alyse Harris and Sydney Dannenberg up the middle. 
On the corners, the club will return sophomore Grace McClain.  McClain appeared in 49 games last season and hit .369 with, 5 home runs and 43 RBI.  Also adding to this group are newcomers Makayla Henline, Izzy Burd and Nyah Allen. 
 
Outfield
The Golden Eagle outfield will return plenty of experience in sophomores Briella Sendele, Diamond Blomlie and Maia Carlson.  Sendele appeared in 44 games last season and hit .270 overall with 13 doubles and 24 RBI.  Blomlie appeared in 46 games last season  and hit .347 with 42 runs scored.  Carlson appeared in 29 games.  The Golden Eagles also welcome freshmen Nadia Casanova, Nyah Allen and Jadyn Shaw to the mix.   
 
With a mix of returning talent and fresh faces, the Golden Eagles are poised for a competitive season ahead. For complete schedule, Click Here.