Greg Wall

SOFTBALL TO HOST FDU IN THREE-GAME WEEKEND SET

4/2/2026 3:00:00 PM

By: Dylan Dariano, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant

Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College softball team will host FDU in a three-game NEC weekend set at home this Friday and Saturday, Apr. 3-4. The Dolphins and Knights will face-off at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. at the Softball Complex on Friday before finishing out the series at noon the following day.

Season Summary:
Le Moyne has played to a 7-21 overall record with a 4-5 mark in NEC play in the 2026 season.

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.

Le Moyne opened NEC play on Mar. 14 and fell to LIU in three consecutive games, 8-0 (6 inn.), 12-4 (5 inn.), and 5-4 on the road through the weekend.

The team then traveled to NEC-newcomer New Haven for a three-game set on Mar. 21-22 and came away with their first series victory of the year. Le Moyne shutout the Chargers, 9-0, in five innings in game one on Saturday before falling 2-1 in 10 innings in game two and taking the rubber match, 4-3, in eight innings on Sunday.

Last week, the Dolphins dropped a mid-week non-conference matchup on the road against UAlbany, 10-2, on Wednesday, Mar. 25 before taking two of three against Saint Francis in their home-opening series this past weekend.

Most recently, the team traced to Ithaca and fell to the Cornell Big Red, 14-5, on Wednesday, Apr. 1.

Stat Leaders:
Through 28 team games, senior infielder Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn./Spring Lake Park) leads all 'Phins with a 1.032 OPS, posting a .592 slugging rate and .440 on-base percentage while starting in every contest. Benderski is hitting .329 with a team-high four homers and 19 RBI to go along with six doubles. She is tied for the team-lead with 17 runs scored and 13 walks.

Freshman left fielder Kayla Dunkerley (Purcellville, Va. / Loudon Valley) sits just behind Benderski with a .907 OPS, slashing .316/.381/.526 while starting in 20 games for Le Moyne. Dunkerley has tallied 18 hits with a team-best seven doubles and one home run. She's driven in seven runs and crossed the plate nine times.

Junior right fielder Sydney Nesci (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) has gone 24-81 (.296) at the plate with six doubles, three homeruns, and 13 walks while adding 14 RBI and 17 runs scored. Nesci ranks second on the squad with a .392 on-base rate while starting in all 28 games this season.

Sophomore center fielder Maddie Martin (Carlisle, Pa. / Cumberland Valley) has gone 24-72 in the box to register a team-best .333 batting average while also starting in every team game. She has tallied three RBI, two walks, 15 runs scored, and a team-leading 12 stolen bases.

Junior DP Arianna Exarchakis (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) sits with 13 RBI and has walked 11 times this season, adding one home run for a .289/.379/.329 slash line.

In the circle, sophomore Isabella Kwashek (West Deptford, N.J. / West Deptford) leads all Dolphins with a 3.91 ERA through 10 starts and another 10 relief appearances in 68.0 innings pitched so far this season. She also leads the team in WHIP with a 1.74 mark while registering three complete games, one shutout, one save, and a 4-6 record.

Series History:
Le Moyne and FDU are tied 3-3 in their all-time series history with the Knights coming away with a pair of wins in the teams' first three game set in Syracuse in 2024.

Last season, the Dolphins came away with the series win, taking a pair of wins on the road over the Knights.

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 12 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)
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 FDU:
The Knights sit with a 7-23 overall record and are winless, 0-6, in NEC action this season. This season marks head coach Chris Foye's ninth at the helm of the program.

FDU opened the campaign with a 3-10 record through three early season tournaments hosted by UC San Diego, George Mason, and Norfolk State from Feb. 13-Mar. 8.

Since then, the Knights have gone 0-6 through a pair conference series at CCSU and at home against LIU while going 4-7 in non-conference matchups with Stony Brook, Rutgers, Monmouth, Saint Peter's, Manhattan, and Army in recent weeks.

Senior first baseman Ayden Stone leads all qualified FDU hitters with a .796 OPS, slashing .300/.325/.471, tallying six doubles, two homers, four walks, 15 RBI, and nine runs scored through 28 games started.

In the circle, sophomore Jamie Sencion leads all qualified pitchers with a 4.31 ERA through eight starts and 10 total appearances, going 2-6 with two complete games and one shutout through 39.0 innings this season.

The Red Flash added 10 freshmen to their squad this season after going 24-26 overall and falling in two consecutive games to open the NEC Tournament in 2025.

FDU was voted to finish third in the NEC Preseason Coaches' Poll after going 13-8 in the conference last year.

What's Next:
Le Moyne will host Wagner in another three-game NEC set at home next weekend, Saturday and Saturday, Apr. 11-12.

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