Softball | 2/9/2026 2:19:00 PM
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball program enters the 2026 season with 10 returners and 11 freshmen. After finishing eighth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with a 6–38 overall record and a 2–18 mark in league play, the Hawks look to take a step forward this spring.
"We really want to surprise people and open some eyes this season," UMES head softball coach Aaron Robinson said. "I think the MEAC is at a point where everyone is rebuilding for the future, and this is a great opportunity for us to cement ourselves where we should be, not just where we want to be, and continue building moving forward."
HEADING THE HAWKS
Robinson enters his third season as head coach of the Hawks, with assistant coach Janelle Higgins returning for her second year with the program.
KEY RETURNERS
Paige Perkins enters her senior season after earning All-MEAC Second Team honors in 2025. She appeared in 43 games, recording 16 hits, seven runs, four doubles and two home runs. Defensively, Perkins anchored the Hawks behind the plate, throwing out 10 runners attempting to steal.
Emily Gunther returns as the second senior on the 2026 roster. She appeared in 40 games, including 17 pitching appearances and 27 innings in the circle, recording two saves and 14 strikeouts. At the plate, Gunther added eight hits, four runs, three triples and two RBIs while posting a .250 on-base percentage with seven walks.
Junior Paris Richards appeared in 34 games as both a pitcher and position player, making 32 appearances in the circle. She earned her first win of the season on April 16 against Lincoln (Pa.), tossing six innings while allowing four hits and one earned run with a season-high four strikeouts.
UMES also returns Clarke Calvin, Lola Meyer and Araceli Manzo following strong freshman campaigns.
Calvin earned All-MEAC Third Team honors, becoming the second freshman in program history to receive a postseason accolade. A versatile presence across the lineup, she ranked ninth in the MEAC in walks (14) and led the Hawks in batting average (.309), slugging percentage (.400), RBIs (12), doubles (8) and total bases (44). She recorded a season-high three hits on March 14 and posted a season-best five assists on March 30.
Meyer appeared in 30 games, totaling six hits, five runs, two doubles and four RBIs. With experience in both the infield and outfield, she recorded 19 putouts and 25 assists, finishing the season with a .830 fielding percentage.
Manzo appeared in 41 games, tallying 21 hits, three doubles and five RBIs. She split time between first base and the outfield, recording 129 putouts and five assists with a .971 fielding percentage. Manzo was named MEAC Rookie of the Week on Feb. 26, becoming the program's first freshman to earn the weekly honor since 2023.
SCHEDULE
UMES will play its home games at the newly renovated Hawk Field in 2026. The Hawks are scheduled to host 23 home games this season, up from 15 a year ago.
The Hawks open the season at the Leonard Moody Collegiate Invitational in Covington, Ga., with matchups against Hampton, Alcorn State, Southern, Fort Valley State and Alabama A&M.
UMES returns home for its opener, hosting Virginia Union in a midweek doubleheader on Feb. 17, before an eight-game road stretch. The Hawks will travel to Baltimore, Md., to face Monmouth and UMBC on Feb. 21 and 22, followed by trips to Greensboro and Charlotte, N.C., from Feb. 27 to March 1 for matchups against North Carolina A&T and Johnson C. Smith.
The Hawks return to Princess Anne on March 4 to host Holy Cross before opening MEAC play on the road against reigning conference champion Howard. UMES then begins a home stretch with midweek games against Colgate and Niagara, followed by a conference series against Norfolk State on March 21 and 22.
To close the final two months of the regular season, UMES will meet Hampton for the second time and travel for midweek contests against George Mason and George Washington. Lincoln (Pa.) will serve as the final midweek doubleheader of the regular season, with the Hawks closing the 2026 campaign at home against Delaware State on April 25 and 26.
PRESEASON ALL-MEAC
UMES sophomore Clarke Calvin and senior Paige Perkins were named to the 2026 MEAC Preseason All-Conference Team. Calvin earned First Team honors at utility and Second Team recognition at second base, while Perkins was named Second Team at catcher.
The predicted order of finish and complete All-MEAC preseason teams were voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
2026 MEAC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
Howard
Delaware State
Norfolk State
North Carolina Central
South Carolina State
Coppin State
Morgan State
Maryland Eastern Shore
FOLLOW ALONG
Stay updated with UMES softball at UMESHawkSports.com and follow the Hawks on Twitter (@UMEShawksSB) and Instagram (@umeshawkssb).