Hampton celebrated its first WPIAL championship last spring by earning a pair of playoff shutouts and beating Blackhawk, 4-3, in the Class 4A finals.
Blackhawk and Elizabeth Forward joined the Talbots in the PIAA playoffs, while semifinalist Beaver just missed out. All four teams again look to be title contenders along with a host of others.
Here is a look at the 2026 preseason top 5 teams, some players to watch and other diamond notes in WPIAL Class 4A softball.
Preseason Top 5
1. Hampton (18-5 last season)
Hampton showed strong balance throughout last season, averaging nearly 7 runs per game while allowing 2.6 en route to winning the Section 3 title at 12-0 and capturing its first WPIAL championship. The Talbots, who won 13 in a row at one point last season, return three first-team all-section picks — junior pitcher Marissa Snyder, junior DP Teresa Fritsch (.379) and sophomore infielder Alena Zottola (.424) — to help make a run toward a title defense. Snyder finished with a 2.05 ERA and 124 strikeouts. She also hit .417. Junior Eden Lawrence batted .339.
2. Elizabeth Forward (16-5)
Elizabeth Forward secured the No. 1 seed in the WPIAL playoffs last season but fell to Blackhawk in the semifinals. The 2004 WPIAL champion Warriors return Robert Morris recruit Julia Resnik, a senior shortstop who hit .541 with four home runs and 37 runs scored and earned first-team all-state recognition. Elizabeth Forward also returns senior all-state third baseman Addy Nigut (Saint Francis), junior pitcher/infielder Berlyn Holibaugh (Virginia), senior outfielder Hannah Evans (UConn), senior all-state outfielder Aubri Cimba and junior catcher/first baseman Sophie Pasinsky, among others. All-state catcher Alivia Grimm is now at Gannon.
3. Knoch (17-4)
Knoch will try to maintain its standing atop Section 1 after rolling to the title at 12-0 last season. The Knights averaged a robust 9.8 runs per game while allowing 2.5. They went on a 17-game winning streak before losing their final three games to Laurel, Shaler and Beaver. Senior pitcher/infielder Marlee Fraser returns after she hit .348 with 13 RBIs and also was 5-1 with a 1.00 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 42 innings. Among 10 returning letter winners are sophomore shortstop Emersyn Jones, who hit .509 with 10 homers and 37 RBIs and earned first-team all-state honors, all-section junior pitcher/outfielder Kaila Purcell, all-section senior pitcher/infielder Lindsey Wise and senior outfielder Lizzie Danik.
4. Beaver (15-7)
Beaver, which won WPIAL titles in 2021 and ‘22, returns a pair of all-state players after reaching the WPIAL semifinals last season. The Bobcats tied for second with Blackhawk in Section 3 at 8-4. They averaged 8.7 runs per game. Olivia Peabody returns after earning all-state honors at first base as a freshman. Junior third baseman Bridget Mayo was a second-team all-state honoree. Senior outfielder Cali Coups was an all-section selection. All-state shortstop Sami Springman graduated and is now at Clarion.
5. West Mifflin (14-7)
West Mifflin was a WPIAL quarterfinalist a year ago after finishing second in Section 2. Senior all-section pitcher Rylie Dobnak (West Liberty), all-section outfielder Kaleigh Tatters (Point Park) and Aubrey Jaskulski (Point Park) are returning college-bound prospects, and outfielder Mia Bey (.377, 5 HR, 33 RBIs) also earned all-section honors. Dobnak was 13-6 with a 2.08 ERA and 170 strikeouts and hit .352 with 14 RBIs.
Players to watch
Mia Bey, jr., OF, West Mifflin
Rylin Blystone, jr., OF, Indiana
Kennedy Brown, jr., P, North Catholic
Addyson Caruso, sr., INF, Freeport
Kaylee Cass, jr, OF, Indiana
Cali Coups, sr., OF, Beaver
Francesca DePalma, sr., OF, Derry
Harlie Dirda, sr., OF, Laurel Highlands
Rylie Dobnak, sr., P, West Mifflin
Teresa Fritsch, jr., DP, Hampton
Aubrey Grater, sr., INF, Central Valley
Nina Hillard, sr., INF, Oakland Catholic
Emersyn Jones, so., INF, Knoch
Samantha Martin, so., P, Indiana
Bridget Mayo, jr., 3B, Beaver
Emmaleigh Noah, sr., P, Uniontown
Hannah Olbeter, so., C, Greensburg Salem
Eva Parris, jr., INF, Blackhawk
Olivia Peabody, so., 1B, Beaver
Kylie Prisuta, sr., P, Blackhawk
Kaila Purcell, jr., P, Knoch
Payton Rambo, jr., OF, Laurel Highlands
Addy Ramer, sr., OF, Blackhawk
Julia Resnik, sr., INF, Elizabeth Forward
Alle Scarpa, sr., P, Greensburg Salem
Payton Senge, so., DP, Laurel Highlands
Marissa Snyder, jr., P, Hampton
Kaleigh Tatters, sr., OF, West Mifflin
Juliet White, so., C, Uniontown
Lindsey Wise, sr., INF, Knoch
Alena Zottola, so., INF, Hampton
Diamond notes
• Derry (11-7) is chasing its first WPIAL title after a promising 2025 campaign that ended in the WPIAL quarterfinals. The Trojans finished second in Section 1 at 8-4. They return senior centerfielder Francesa DePalma, a Salem commit who was an all-section and all-state selection last season. Junior pitcher Haylee Myers also is back. Derry will miss graduated catcher Sophia Doherty (Carnegie Mellon), who hit .478 with 11 homers.
• Indiana (10-11), the Section 1 co-runner-up, has three all-section players back in junior outfielders Rylin Blystone and Kaylee Cass and sophomore pitcher Samantha Martin.
• Greensburg Salem (12-6) will try to return to the postseason with senior all-section pitcher Alle Scarpa, a Seton Hill recruit who was 10-6 with a 2.94 ERA and 194 strikeouts while batting .417 with five homers and 22 RBIs. Sophomore catcher Hannah Olbeter (.519, 17 RBIs) also returns after earning all-section honors.
• Freeport (5-12) will try to improve on its sixth-place finish in Section 1 with senior all-section infielder Addyson Caruso (Waynesburg), as well as junior Leah Clark, Addison Gourley (Pitt-Johnstown) and Reese Selker (Gannon).
• Five-time WPIAL champion Belle Vernon (9-11) returns seven starters, including Kent State commit Kaylee Sypolt (.381), Marley Hayes (.386), Saint Vincent commit Lily Crawford, Pitt-Greensburg commit Taylor Beech and Chatham recruit Bella Williams (.339).
• Oakland Catholic (3-11) welcomes back eight starters as well as six freshman. Shortstop Nina Hillard hit .467 last season, and outfielder Natalie Waffensmith batted .375.
• Blackhawk (15-7) was a PIAA qualifier last season behind three all-section players — senior pitcher Kylie Prisuta, senior outfielder Addy Ramer and junior infielder Eva Parris.
• Five starters return for Western Beaver (6-13), which will be led by veterans Bella Colatriano, Cadence Verba and Alana Covalt.
• The top four finishers in each section qualify for the WPIAL playoffs.
2026 alignment
Section 1: Derry, Freeport, Greensburg Salem, Highlands, Indiana, Knoch, Valley
Section 2: Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward, Laurel Highlands, Oakland Catholic, Ringgold, Uniontown, West Mifflin
Section 3: Ambridge, Beaver, Blackhawk, Central Valley, Hampton, North Catholic, Western Beaver