WINONA LAKE, Ind. - With the start of the 2026 campaign mere days away, Grace College's softball team is ready and energized for the season under new leadership.

The Lancers will be under the direction of first-year head coach Amanda Jones who was tabbed to lead the softball team, kicking off a new era for the program.

Jones was a standout player during her college career at Messiah, earning four all-conference honors as well as helping the Falcons finish as the NCAA Div. III national runners-up in 2016. She also boasts an impressive coaching resume, having served as an assistant coach at Covenant and Messiah, the latter of which averaged 30 wins during her four-year tenure.

When asked, Jones was enthused and ready to lead the Lancers into 2026. "I am feeling optimistic and ready for the challenge," commented Jones. "My staff and I have worked to flip everything in this program on its head and change it from the smallest to the biggest of details. I'm excited for our players to showcase these changes, and for them to experience true success and see validation for their efforts."

Grace welcomes a large recruiting class this year with eight freshmen joining the fold. Despite their youth, the coaching staff has been encouraged by the talent and competition level that they have brought right away.

"I couldn't have asked for a better freshman class in year one," raved Jones. "They are a class full of competitive, driven, and eager players. I commend them for the way they've not only adjusted to college, but to me, and the level of which I'm asking them to perform at. This is not the same program they signed up for just a year prior."

Grace also returns a complement of upperclassmen. Sami Lemler returns for her second year in the program after leading Grace in runs scored, extra base hits and home runs. She was also second in RBIs. Sydney Argo and Halle Nett were second and third respectively in batting average and will also return to the lineup this season.

"As much as I love our freshman class, this returning group has absolutely set the tone," Jones noted. "Our captains have done a fantastic job, but I look at our returning group as a whole and I can see the refusal to stay stagnant. They've created a culture where complaining isn't acceptable, giving up is not an option, accountability is important, care for each other is genuine, and the decisions to have the difficult conversations are made, even when uncomfortable, and that, to me, exudes leadership."

With opening day on the horizon, Jones feels confident with where her team is at currently. "I expect us to excel in playing as one. Playing for each other and trusting the one next to us." Jones said. "We have a desire to be excellent and respected and belief that we can and we will. It can be a daily battle to kill the inner critic, but we know we must in order to overcome new challenges in practice, fight the temptation to lower the bar, and learn how to accept and move on from failure."

"These players are truly each other's biggest fans, support systems, and accountability partners," Jones continued. "That's actually been the most surprising thing for me to see this year, how pure and authentic their love and enjoyment of one another is. I think through this year they've learned the dependence each one of them has on God, and how much they need Him on a daily basis in various ways, and that has allowed some deeper connection and conversation to happen between them."

Winning games will always be a goal for Jones, but she wants the motivation to go beyond that "I can go on record and say our goals and expectations are to be better and to win lots of games, and albeit true those are just words," Jones added. Really, that just scratches the surface. Our goals and expectations are deeper than that, and deeper than just words, they require action. I expect our team to give full uninterrupted focus in our practices and games. I expect our players to treat each other with respect and build trust. I expect for us to glorify and honor God at all times, both on and off the field. I expect excellence to be a triune: faith, athletics, academics. These are only fulfilled by actions. We will be doers, not simply sayers or watchers. We will meet our moments."

The first pitch of the 2026 season is scheduled for Feb. 20 as the Lancers travel south to face Alice Lloyd for a four-game series. The Lancers' home opener will take place on March 4 when they welcome Indiana Tech to Coach Phil Dick Field. Crossroads League play will also open at home against No. 20 Indiana Wesleyan.