2026 WPIAL Class 6A softball preseason breakdown

By: Bill Hartlep
Sunday, March 8, 2026 | 10:20 PM

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Hempfield returned to the top of the Class 6A softball mountain last spring when the Spartans won their ninth WPIAL championship.

Now they will try to tie Baldwin and Sto-Rox for the most championships in district history.

Standing in the way could be 2022 and ‘24 champion Seneca Valley, last season’s WPIAL runner-up, though the Raiders graduated three-time Trib HSSN player of the year Lexie Hames.

North Allegheny, Canon-McMillan, Pine-Richland and Norwin also qualified for the playoffs.

Here is a look at the 2026 preseason top 5 teams, some players to watch and other diamond notes in WPIAL Class 6A softball.

Preseason Top 5

1. Hempfield (23-1 last season)

Hempfield rolled to section and WPIAL championships unbeaten last season and reached the PIAA semifinals before falling to Nazareth. Despite graduating the state’s Class 6A pitcher of the year, Riley Miller (Kent State), and infielder Allie Cervola (Ohio), the Spartans again have a loaded lineup. The Spartans return three first-team all-section honorees — Lauren Howard, Claire Mitchell and Julia Varhola, along with a second-team selection, senior catcher Ella Berkebile. Howard (2B), Berkebile (C) and Mitchell (OF) were all-state selections. Howard is a Virginia recruit who batted .614 with nine doubles, six triples and five homers. Mitchell, a Marist commit, had a .447 batting average, a team-high six home runs, 24 RBIs and a school-record 41 runs scored. Berkebile (Bucknell), Varhola (James Madison), Hailey Uhrinek (Saint Vincent) and Emily Bozek (IUP) also have committed to play at the next level.

2. Seneca Valley (16-4)

Seneca Valley softball will be under new leadership with a familiar face as assistant coach Joe DeCristoforo was promoted to replace Marlesse Hames. They led the Raiders to two WPIAL titles in the past four seasons. Seneca Valley also to replace the state’s player of the year, pitcher Lexie Hames, who graduated and headed to Clemson after accumulating more than 900 career strikeouts. She went 17-3 last season with 279 strikeouts and a 0.48 ERA. The Raiders return all-state utility player Abby Kalkowski, a Gannon recruit, and Waynesburg-bound Neve Miller.

3. Canon-McMillan (13-9)

Canon-McMillan tied for fourth in section play at 9-7 last season and advanced to the WPIAL semifinals. The Big Macs graduated infielder Skylah Steban but return seniors Harley Tournay and pitcher Brooke Bumer, as well as juniors Aurora Shirdon and Lyla Mowery. All were second-team all-section last season.

4. Norwin (10-12)

Norwin upset North Allegheny in the WPIAL playoffs last season before falling to Seneca Valley. The Knights, who were WPIAL runners-up in 2024, rebounded from an 0-4 start to finish in fifth place in section play. Norwin returns senior outfielder Diem Wardzinski, an all-section selection, but will miss graduate Rachel Minteeer.

5. North Allegheny (13-8)

North Allegheny welcomes back junior Zoe Rychel, who was a second-team all-state pick at second base, and junior outfielder Leah Carlson, a second-team all-state honoree. The Tigers went 11-5 in section play last season.

Players to watch

Leah Carlson, jr., OF, North Allegheny

Lauren Howard, sr., INF, Hempfield

Serafinia Julio, sr. OF, Pine-Richland

Abby Kalkowski, sr., U, Seneca Valley

Claire Mitchell, sr., OF, Hempfield

Kyra Olivares, so., U, Butler

Zoe Rychel, jr., INF, North Allegheny

Julia Varhola, sr., DP, Hempfield

Diem Wardzinski, jr., OF, Norwin

Diamond notes

• For the fourth straight season, there is only one section for Class 6A. There will still be eight teams, instead of nine, however.

• Woodland Hills, which finished 0-18 and forfeited eight games last season, will not play a section schedule this season.

• Pine-Richland (13-8) tied for fourth in the section at 9-7 last season. The Rams averaged a Class 6A-high 9.9 runs per game. Pine-Richland returns all-state senior third baseman Abbey Laurent, a Saint Michaels commit, as well as all-state outfielder Serafina Julio, a Converse recruit. The Rams graduated all-state catcher Calle Henne, who is now at Pitt after batting .583 with 13 home runs and 35 RBIs.

• Mt. Lebanon (6-14) returns eight starters, including senior catcher/outfielder Sarah Stroh, a second-team all-section selection, three-year letter winner Becca Davis and pitcher Lily Dwyer.

• Butler (4-16) will miss graduated all-state catcher Lily Vicari and infielder Shylee Karenbauer but returns sophomore utility player Kyra Olivares, who was a first-team all-section pick.

• The top six teams qualify for WPIAL playoffs.

2026 alignment

Section 1: Butler, Canon-McMillan, Hempfield, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Butler, Canon-McMillan, Hempfield, Mt. lebanon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Woodland Hills