The Rockhurst softball team opens the 2026 season this weekend at the Top Gun Lone Star D2 College Classic in Mansfield, Texas. The Hawks face East Central (2:30 p.m.) and Midwestern State (4:45 p.m.) on Friday, and Minnesota State Moorhead (4:15 p.m.)  on Saturday. On Sunday, the Hawks play Minnesota Duluth (9:00 a.m.) and Texas A&M Kingsville (11:15 a.m.).

Dana Goss enters her third season as the Hawks' head coach. The Hawks recorded 18 wins a season ago and earned a GLVC Tournament appearance for the second time in the last three seasons. Rockhurst was picked to finish ninth in the annual GLVC preseason coaches' poll.

"I'm most excited about reaching a point of continuity in the program," Goss said. "Everyone has bought in from day one since I've been back. There is a difference in having consistent standards and values within the program and the leadership from our returners is truly special."
 
Senior outfielder Eva Fulk and sophomore pitcher Riley Braden return after garnering All-GLVC Third Team honors last season. Fulk led the team in batting average (.357) and hits (50), and ranked fourth in the GLVC with 24 stolen bases. Braden led the conference in fewest earned runs allowed (23) and fewest hits allowed (53). She posted five wins and one save, while ranking sixth in the GLVC with a 2.27 ERA.

Senior pitcher/outfielder Avery Huffman and senior pitcher Madeline McCall both return to the circle. Last season, Huffman and McCall tied for the team lead in wins (six).

Senior infielder/utility Claire Tipton, senior infielder McKenna Lester, junior utility Emily Berry and sophomore infielder Claire Long also return, providing key experience for the Hawks. The trio of Tipton (.348), Lester (.317) and Long (.311) all hit over .300 in 2025. Berry was fourth on the team in runs scored (19) and hits (31).

Senior Taylor Sedam, sophomore Trinity Darst and freshman Emma Reeves headline the newcomers. Sedam was a career .281 hitter in three seasons at Upper Iowa with 44 runs scored, seven home runs and 53 RBI.

After the Top Gun Lone Star D2 College Classic, the Hawks play in the Washburn Invitational from Feb. 20-22 in Topeka, Kansas. Rockhurst wraps up February and begins March at the Top Gun Midwest College Classic from Feb. 27-March 1 in Shawnee, Kansas.

The Hawks take part in the Space Coast Spring Games from March 8-10 in Melbourne, Florida before beginning conference play against Missouri-St. Louis at home on March 14.

"I have always believed in playing the toughest schedule possible," Goss said. "As a program, we are closer to where we want to be. Being exposed to great competition will help us continue to be battle tested before we get to conference play."

Goss added: "Our goal is to get everything out of this team that we can, and if we can stay healthy, we expect to do big things. We were really close to knocking on the door of a major turnaround last year, and the team definitely knows they are capable of leaving a championship legacy."