Virginia softball’s 2025 campaign ended with a loss to North Florida in the NCAA Regionals. Even with the season at its end, the losses did not cease — that final defeat marked the last time a number of program cornerstones would step up to the plate in the orange and blue.
Gone is two-thirds of the outfield, Kelly Ayer and Kailyn Jones. Gone is a constant anchor behind the plate, catcher Sydney Hartgrove. Gone is utility player and infielder Sarah Coon — her 208 career starts left with her — as well as infielder Reece Holbrook, who was valuable in reserve. To add insult to injury, senior utility player M.C. Eaton, who appeared in nearly every game in 2025, primarily in the outfield or as the designated player, left for North Carolina in the transfer portal. These former Cavaliers’ absences will certainly be felt this season.
“I’m grateful for what this class has invested and has given to our program,” Coach Joanna Hardin said at Senior Day last season. “They’ve brought a ton of joy to this program. I’m proud of them for staying the course and staying loyal to finishing what they started.”
All told, with the departure of the graduates and Eaton, Virginia enters 2026 missing over half its hits from 2025. Fortunately for Hardin’s squad, this program has faced and overcome production deficits as recently as last season. The Cavaliers had lost nearly a third of their hits entering 2025, yet managed to replicate their 2024 success. While the deficit is greater this season, the ingredients are there for a similarly successful campaign in 2026 — there are many underclassmen and upperclassmen who, despite their lack of experience, still bring plenty of intrigue and talent for Hardin to rely on to supplement returning stars.
Beginning in the outfield, senior Kelsey Hackett stands alone as a returning starter. Hackett had a quiet but consistent season behind the plate, ending the year fifth among consistent starters in on-base percentage. Aside from Hackett, the only remaining outfielder with more than a handful of career at-bats is senior Kassidy Hudson. In her 24 at-bats, Hudson managed a .517 on-base percentage, making up for a lack of power.
To fill the last spot in the outfield, Hardin has plenty to work with, particularly sophomore outfielder Addison Thompson and D1Softball Top 100 freshman outfielder Jaiden Griffith. Junior outfielder Kamyria Woody-Giggetts is also an option, but the upside presented by the underclassmen, particularly Griffith — who ranked as a top 40 overall recruit — is undeniable. Griffith arrives at Charlottesville alongside a freshmen class which could contribute to continued success for the program.
“The class brings a combination of utility, speed and depth, but will also continue the unbroken growth of our program on our trajectory to winning championships both on and off the field,” Hardin said. “The class is strong up the middle, adds power and speed on offense — the group knows how to win and expects to win.”
There’s plenty of young talent in the infield, where at third base, sophomore utility player Madison Greene could see increased opportunity for at-bats and appearances in the field. While listed as a utility player, Greene ranked as the fifth-best third basemen in the country coming out of high school by Extra Inning Softball. Even with only 12 at-bats last season, she managed two multi-RBI performances, one of which came in the NCAA Regional. Sophomore infielder Alex Call and junior infielder Brie Biddle are candidates for appearances as well, at second or third base.
Replacing Hartgrove at catcher, junior Melissa Carr will likely step into a starting role. Carr has not seen much action in her first two seasons as a Cavalier, but she arrived at Charlottesville as the 60th-ranked recruit in the country.
While there is plenty of potential in the unproven talent in the infield, Hardin can also turn to familiar stars, beginning with senior infielder Jade Hylton at shortstop. Her First Team All-ACC and All-America Second Team heroics moved her into sole possession of the program’s career home runs record last season, and she enters 2026 as the 33rd-best player in the country according to D1Softball. Hylton’s .802 slugging percentage, good for second in the ACC, led by a full tenth over the next closest Virginia starter.
Still, the multifaceted Hylton is more than just a big bat — she also had the best on-base percentage, at .475, among Virginia starters, giving her a rare blend of power and consistency. She will likely bat leadoff as she did last season, and will maintain her starting role in the infield. Despite committing the second-most errors on the team — typical of a shortstop — Hylton led the ACC in assisted outs with 117.
Cabral at second base, who batted third behind Ayer, and Eaton at first, who hit cleanup, lead the rest of the upperclassmen. Their return, with Hylton, means the Cavaliers retain their top three home run and RBI leaders — in fact, the pair of now-juniors finished closer than any of their teammates to Hylton in just about every statistic. Cabral actually led starters in batting average, at .364, while Eaton led the team with 63 RBIs, good to tie for fourth in the ACC.
Similar to Hylton, both juniors excelled in the field. Cabral finished third in the ACC in assisted outs, with 114, while committing seven errors. Eaton, meanwhile, led the conference in putouts with 388 — aside from one other player, nobody else recorded more than 340. She committed five errors. Hylton, Cabral and Eaton’s experience and expertise will be an asset for Hardin in 2026, especially in conference play, once the margin of error becomes thin.
The new-look Cavaliers will debut in the Kickin’ Chicken Classic in Conway, S.C. — their first matchup comes Feb. 6 against Arkansas.
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