Le Moyne (10-24, 7-8 NEC) at Buffalo (18-25, 7-11 MAC)
Info: Wednesday, Apr. 15 | 1:30 P.M. / 3:30 P.M. | Buffalo, N.Y. | Nan Harvey Field
Watch: YouTube
Live Stats: https://ubbulls.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Buffalo's Links: Schedule | Roster | News 

Buffalo, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College softball team will travel to the University at Buffalo for a mid-week non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, Apr. 15. The Dolphins and Bulls will match up at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. at Nan Harvey Field.

Season Summary:
Le Moyne has played to a 10-24 overall record with a 7-8 mark in NEC play this season, placing them fourth in the conference standings. 

The squad opened the season at the Blue Hose Invitational with losses at the hands of Dayton (7-3) and Presbyterian (2-1) on Feb. 6 before coming out on top against Morehead State, 19-16, the following day. They closed out the weekend with a five inning 10-1 loss against Western Michigan on Feb. 8.  

From Feb. 13-14, the Dolphins traveled to compete in the Winthrop Garnet & Gold Tournament, and came away with losses against Robert Morris twice (12-4, 9-1), Winthrop (7-4), and Kent State (6-5). 

The following weekend, the team took on Bryant and Delaware twice each at the Blue Hen Invitational and came away with four losses. Bryant took down the 'Phins, 19-11, in six innings in game one and 9-0 in five innings in game two while Delaware came away with 9-3 and 8-0 victories over Le Moyne. 

To round out non-conference play, the Dolphins went 2-3 at the Longwood Spring Break Classic from Mar. 6-8. The team fell to Youngstown twice (9-0, 4-3) and the host Lancers (7-1) before finishing out the tournament with a pair of wins over Lafayette, 3-1 and 6-2.  

From Mar. 14-30, the team went 4-6, falling to LIU in three games before coming out on top, 2-1, in three-game NEC sets against New Haven, and Saint Francis. Outside of conference action, the Dolphins fell at UAlbany and Cornell on Mar. 25. 

The Dolphins opened April with a loss at Cornell on the 1st, before earning a series win at home against FDU on Apr. 3-4 and, most recently, dropping 2/3 against Wagner in Syracuse this past weekend.

Stat Leaders:
Through 34 team games, senior infielder Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn./Spring Lake Park) leads all 'Phins with a 1.022 OPS, also sitting fourth in the NEC in the category. She has registered a .582 slugging rate and .440 on-base percentage while starting in every contest. Benderski is hitting .330 while tied for the team-lead with five homers to go along with 23 RBI and six doubles. She is second on the squad with 20 runs scored and has reached on a team-high 16 walks. 

Freshman left fielder Kayla Dunkerley (Purcellville, Va. / Loudon Valley) sits just behind Benderski with a .959 OPS, slashing .324/.405/.554 while starting in 26 games for Le Moyne. Dunkerley has tallied 24 hits with a team-best nine doubles along with one triple and two home runs. She's driven in 10 runs and crossed the plate 16 times. 

Junior right fielder Sydney Nesci (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) has gone 28-98 (.286) at the plate, sitting behind Dunkerley with seven doubles and adding five home runs and 15 walks. Nesci ranks fourth on the squad with a .385 on-base rate while starting in all 34 games this season. 

Sophomore center fielder Maddie Martin (Carlisle, Pa. / Cumberland Valley) has gone 30-84 in the box to register a team-best .357 batting average while also starting in every team game. She has tallied four RBI, three walks, 19 runs scored, and a team-leading 13 stolen bases. 

Junior DP Arianna Exarchakis (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) sits with 17 RBI and has walked 12 times this season, adding one home run for a .297/.375/.330 slash line. 

In the circle, sophomore Isabella Kwashek (West Deptford, N.J. / West Deptford) leads all Dolphins with a 3.62 ERA through 13 starts and another 11 relief appearances in 91.0 innings pitched so far this season. She also leads the team in WHIP with a 1.62 mark while registering five complete games, one shutout, one save, and a 6-7 record. 

Series History:
Le Moyne and Buffalo will meet for the first time in their programs' histories this Wednesday.

Newcomers:
The Dolphins have brought in six freshmen this offseason, including utility players Coral Enscoe (Webster, N.Y. / Bishop Kearney) and Adrianna Laraway (Colonie, N.Y. / Colonie), catchers Camryn Shenk (Rome, N.Y. / Camden) and Elizabeth Gleghorn (West Henrietta, N.Y. / Rush-Henrietta), outfielder Kayla Dunkerley (Purcellville, Va. / Loudon Valley), and pitcher Tatum Nessman (Calgary, Alberta / National Sport School). 

NEC Outlook:
Le Moyne was selected to finish fifth in the regular season standings in the NEC preseason coaches' poll, after going 7-11 in conference play a year ago. They placed behind favorite LIU, CCSU, FDU, and Wagner while ranking ahead of Saint Francis, Stonehill, Mercyhurst, and New Haven. 

2026 NEC Weekly Award Winners & Prime Performers:
Dolphins players have earned four NEC Weekly Awards and 13 NEC Prime Performer honors so far this season. 

Pitcher of the Week:
Isabella Kwashek (Mar. 24) 

Rookies of the Week:
Tatum Nessman (Feb. 10)
Kayla Dunkerley (Mar. 10, Mar. 31) 

Prime Performers:
Maddie Martin (Feb. 10)
Shannon Gavigan (Feb. 10)
Sydney Nesci (Feb. 17, Mar. 24)
Cianna Benamati (Mar. 3)
Audrey Benderski (Mar. 3, Mar. 10, Mar. 31, Apr. 7)
Kayla Dunkerley (Mar. 10, Mar. 31)
Adrianna Laraway (Mar. 10)
Isabella Kwashek (Mar. 24) 

Coach Roman:
Tracey Roman was named the head coach of the Le Moyne softball program on Oct. 7, 2019 after gaining over 20 years of coaching experience as an assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts, head coach for the Baldwinsville Central School District, Cicero Renegades, and Sports Zone organizations, and head coach and recruiting coordinator with the UNY Revolution club program.  

Scouting the Bulls:
Buffalo has played to an 18-25 overall record and a 7-11 mark in MAC action this season. The 2026 campaign marks head coach Chelsea Plimpton's first as leader of the program. 

The Bulls kicked off the season with a 7-14 record through four early-season tournaments hosted by UCF, East Carolina, FGCU, and James Madison along with a non-conference game against Niagara from Feb. 6-Mar. 8.  

Since then, Buffalo has worked a .500 record through six conference series against Northern Illinois, Kent State, Bowling Green, Miami (OH), UMass, and Akron and non-conference matchups with Canisius and Niagara in recent weeks. 

Sophomore catcher/utility player Bella Smithson leads all hitters with a 1.071 OPS, slashing .336/.440/.631, tallying 41 total hits with nine doubles, nine homers, 23 walks, 38 RBI, and 20 runs scored through 41 games started.

Junior outfielder/utility player Reagan Terwilliger ranks just below Smithson with a 1.062 OPS, leading the Bulls with a .398 batting average, four triples, 30 walks, 24 stolen bases, and 48 runs scored.

In the circle, sophomore Genevieve Longsdorf leads all Buffalo pitchers with a 6.13 ERA through 18 starts and 31 total appearances, going 7-9 with eight complete games and three saves through 104.0 innings this season. 

The Bulls added one freshman, utility player Sophia Avin, and six transfers to their squad this season after going 17-33 overall and missing out on the MAC Tournament in 2025. 

Buffalo was voted to finish ninth in the MAC Preseason Coaches' Poll after going 10-17 in the conference last year. 

What's Next:
Le Moyne will travel to Stonehill College for a three-game NEC weekend set this Saturday and Sunday, Apr. 18-19.