LONGVIEW, Texas – The LeTourneau softball program prepares for its first year in the SCAC in 2026.

Led by second-year head coach Macey Mize, the YellowJackets return to the diamond on Saturday for a doubleheader against reigning CCS champion and No. 14-ranked Belhaven (1:00 p.m.).

LeTourneau's home opener will also begin conference season as the program enters its first year in the SCAC, hosting Austin College (Feb 13-14).

THE ROSTER

The 2026 roster is compiled of five returners -- four of whom were all-conference selections a year ago -- and 11 newcomers.

Maddie Flanery and Raina Doggett were All-ASC second team selections in 2025. Flanery, a senior, comes off a year in which she started all 43 games, hit .328, swiped 28 bags, and was named ASC Hitter of the Week twice. Doggett enters her sophomore campaign after collecting second-team honors a year ago. Doggett batted .287 with a pair of homers and 15 RBIs as a freshman.

Jenna Carter and Jenna Rosson join the list of all-conference returners for the YellowJackets, with Carter earning honorable mention and Rosson third team. Carter hit .323 a year ago and added 15 runs scored, while Rosson batted .302 with a pair of bombs and 17 RBIs. Rylie Shipp rounds out the returning class, after hitting .273 in 20 games last season.

Bree Brege joins Doggett on the list of sophomores after missing all of 2025 with an injury.

Leah Becerra (Clarendon), Taylor Gouge (Northeast Texas), and Natalie Noriega (Galveston) all transfer into LeTourneau via the JUCO route, while Mandy Hoback played the previous two years at SCAC member Centenary. The freshman class is composed of Campbell Marler, Laynie Davis, Kylee Davis, Laila LaCapra, Tessa Reeves, and Brooke Bubert. 

"This group has been special from the start. Our seniors have embraced leadership, our underclassmen and transfers have blended seamlessly, and the chemistry throughout the roster has been outstanding," said Mize about her 2026 squad. "As we prepare to compete in the SCAC, there's a genuine excitement and confidence within our team."

SCAC OUTLOOK

LeTourneau was selected to finish sixth of 11 teams in the SCAC preseason poll, garnering 66 total votes. The poll is based on ballots solely from the league's head coaches.

The YellowJackets are coming off an 18-27 record from a season ago, including a run to the ASC championship game.

Defending SCAC champion and Division III World Series qualifier Texas Lutheran was picked first in the poll, receiving eight of the 11 first-place votes and 118 points in total.

THE SCHEDULE

The YellowJackets prepare for a 40-game slate in 2026, 21 of which will be played at home. With the YellowJackets competing in their first year as members Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, 10 opponents make up 30 conference games in 2026.

The season kicks off on Feb. 7, as LeTourneau travels to Jackson, Miss., for a doubleheader against reigning CCS champion, the Belhaven Blazers. The home opener and first SCAC action will be the following weekend, Feb. 13-14, as the YellowJackets host Austin College for a three-game series.

A long SCAC road trip then begins for LeTourneau, with the YellowJackets traveling to McMurry (Feb. 20-21), 2025 WCWS qualifier Texas Lutheran (Feb. 27-28), and Concordia Texas (March 6-7) in a three-week span, all of which are three-game series.

A slightly forgiving stretch follows, as the YellowJackets then return for a 12-game home stand, albeit in 14 days. LeTourneau hosts doubleheaders against Millsaps (March 10), Howard Payne (March 18), and Mary Hardin-Baylor (March 24) and conference series versus Centenary (March 13-14) and Ozarks (20-21).

LeTourneau gets a 2025 ASC Championship rematch when the YellowJackets travel to Marshall, Texas, on March 28 to take on perennial power East Texas Baptist in a doubleheader.

The YellowJackets will host St. Thomas prior to Easter on April 2-3. The Celts received an at-large bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

A pair of road conference series follows for LeTourneau, traveling to Dallas on April 10-11 and Hendrix on April 17-18. The YellowJackets close out the regular season with a three-game home series with the Schreiner Mountaineers on April 24-25, with Senior Day festivities being Saturday, April 25.

LeTourneau is set to face four teams ranked in the NFCA Preseason Top 25: Texas Lutheran (No. 8), East Texas Baptist (No. 9), Belhaven (No. 14), and St. Thomas (No. 19).

The SCAC Tournament is set for May 1-3 in Abilene, Texas. The top six SCAC teams qualify for the tournament.

FOLLOW THE YELLOWJACKETS

Be sure to follow LeTourneau athletics all season long on letuathletics.com and social media at Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram for up-to-date scores, news, and other information.