GREENVILLE – The 2026 Lady Wave softball program is built on youth, opportunity, and a tradition of success, and veteran head coach Jerrod Newland is eager to begin another journey with a team he believes has both promise for the present and excitement for the future.
“Love it – 2026 is a great opportunity for the kids, and really excited to take the journey with this group this year,” Newland said. “Good kids, good families, and love the young kids. Another good freshman class this year, like last year’s, excited for the future, 24 good kids and two seniors this year.”
“Same thing every year, get hot the last week and see what happens. Just excited for the kids. There’s a lot of excitement and enthusiasm amongst the town and the people. I haven’t seen it like this for five or six years, so it is really good and I just love where we’re at. Fifty-one kids in the program, with 27 in the middle school and 24 in the high school, and just excited about everything ahead.”
The Lady Wave enters the new season with 24 players at the high school level, including two seniors, six juniors, six sophomores, and 10 freshmen. That youthful makeup has created immediate competition for playing time and starting positions.
“We’re going to fill all those holes before it’s done,” said Newland. “A lot of opportunities, I call it, for the kids, and new faces and new places is the motto of Lady Wave Softball every year, because it is – new kids and new opportunities and every year is a different year. This is the 26th edition of it, and it’s Team 49 for this program, and it’s kind of odd because we play on 49 and we’re Team 49.”
Newland said the program’s 10-player freshman class has already made an impression and should continue to do so as the season moves along.
“There are 10 neat freshmen this year, and six of them will be in the top 15 before it’s all said and done, and most of them are there now,” Newland said. “Just exciting because it doesn’t matter here what age you are or what grade you’re in or anything, it’s just best kids play, and it really doesn’t matter.”
He added that the young players have arrived prepared to compete after putting in year-round work and facing high-level summer competition.
“The opportunity for those kids to come in and compete for what they’ve put into the game and play it year-round, and top-notch summer ball, they put in, and they just hit the ground running,” Newland said. “I am so excited for a few more kids in this year’s class to be like the two that came in last year and hit the ground running, and two of the best players on the team.
“Excited for both the pitchers, really excited for Ella and Lizzy. Two top-notch kids, both play at the next level, and just excited for opportunities. We have some neat kids, and I’m excited for it. I am really excited for the future of Lady Wave Softball. The next three or four years should be awesome, and just honored to be a part of it.”
Greenville’s coaching staff is another source of pride for the longtime head coach. Newland pointed to the experience and accomplishments of his assistants, including several former standout Lady Wave players now giving back to the program.
Coach Jerrod Newland enters the 2026 season with 588 career wins and is on pace to reach the 600-win milestone midway through the season. His Lady Wave teams have posted 21 consecutive seasons of 25 or more wins. After a 20-10 record in his first season, Greenville has never finished below 25 wins while playing a regular-season schedule of 27 games.
Still, Newland was quick to shift the focus away from himself.
“Coach Newland doesn’t get anything,” he said. “Greenville softball is getting its 600th win since I’ve been the coach. I still don’t have a hit, still haven’t thrown a pitch, I don’t do anything but surround myself with good people, good families, and great things happen.”
Newland’s staff includes an impressive collection of former talent, including All-Ohio selections, Division I college players, and All-Americans.
“Amazing coaching staff this year, especially with the addition of Gilby (Morgan Gilbert) here this year,” Newland said. “With Morgan, Ally (Russell-Bowers), and Justine (Shilt), that’s three former All-State kids, three former All-Americans, three former kids that played DI, and the thing at practice is how fast it goes.”
That depth on the coaching staff has helped create a highly competitive atmosphere each day in practice.
“When you have eight or nine coaches and stations with four to five kids, we get so much done, and it’s very competitive around here,” Newland said. “It’s not for everybody because our competition level, and the practices are amazing. We go at it every day, and cream rises to the top.
“With two seniors, I’ve never cut a kid since I’ve been here. Kids remove themselves, and they were smart kids, and they know where we’re at, but you just work hard and come in, and your opportunities come. I’m so excited this year to have the varsity and JV time going on with 24 kids and that opportunity.”
There is also a strong sense of energy around the program heading into opening day. Newland said the turnout and enthusiasm around the team have been noticeable.
“Great day here at LWSB stadium, a little crisp to open it up, but just fun stuff, great opportunity, and so excited for the community,” Newland said. “There are a lot of folks here today, more than most teams’ opening day. It’s fun, a breath of fresh air, and the sun just came out.”
He said that the bond between players, parents, coaches, and former players is what continues to make the program special.
“I enjoy taking the journey with the kids because when I see some of the former players and parents the last couple weeks, that’s what it’s all about,” said Newland. “Because the next 84 days, everything on their calendar in the next 12 weeks revolves around Lady Wave Softball – the games, the changes because of the rain, and Mother Nature.
“To be the guy that leads the program, it’s very humbling for me, and it’s very exciting, but it’s been a fun 25 years of this, and so pumped for this team and to take the journey with everybody – that’s what it’s all about.”
Fans coming out this spring will also notice improvements at the Lady Wave softball complex. The large scoreboard has received a facelift, and additional facility upgrades are underway.
“Come out and see the new facelift on the large Lady Wave Softball scoreboard,” Newland said. “Fellers and Wintrow did a great job redoing the scoreboard, rebranding it – it’s been 18 years. A lot of new changes coming here and new backstop netting, a little higher, will cut down on some of the deep foul balls that go out.
“But just fun, excited for the kids, and we open in 168 hours, one week from today, Saturday, March 21, 2026. Just excited for Greenville and Darke County softball.”
The program also has strong ties to softball tradition beyond the field. First-year Greenville City Schools Superintendent Julie Sroufe Jones played Division I college softball at Wright State and later served as an assistant coach for a Northmont High School Division I state runner-up team. That Northmont team defeated Springfield South, where Jerrod Newland was in the first of five seasons assisting his father, Greg Newland. Both Greg and Jerrod Newland are now members of the Ohio High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame – Greg in the Class of 2008 and Jerrod in the Class of 2018.
Newland knows the challenge ahead will be difficult, especially with a demanding opening stretch on the schedule, but he believes this year’s mix of experienced players and emerging young talent gives Greenville a chance to continue its winning tradition.
2025 Miami Valley League (MVL) All-League Teams (Greenville LWSB)
2025 MVL Coach of the Year – Jerrod Newland
2025 Athlete of the Year – Ella Oswalt
2025 MVL First Team Honors
Kendal Cromwell C Junior
Leah Force IF Freshman
Ella Oswalt P Freshman
Lizzie Shaffer OF Sophomore
2025 MVL Second Team
Lily Brubaker IF Junior
2026 LADY WAVE SOFTBALL ROSTER
No. 1 Payton Fourman, OF/2B, Freshman
No. 2 Lizzie Shaffer, P/1B, Junior
No. 3 Caleigh Stebbins, OF/C, Sophomore
No. 4 Lily Brubaker, 3B/INF, Senior
No. 5 Alya Weyant, C/1B, Freshman
No. 6 Brianna Klisterman, OF/P, Sophomore
No. 7 Leah Force, SS, Sophomore
No. 8 Karstyn Davidson, C/3B, Sophomore
No. 9 Kara Blumenstock, RF/2B, Junior
No. 10 Elle Kayler, P/2B, Freshman
No. 11 Kendall Cromwell, C/3B, Senior
No. 12 Carlee Yundt, OF, Junior
No. 13 Rielynn Davidson, OF/1B, Junior
No. 14 Jordyn McMullen, C/3B, Freshman
No. 15 Ella Oswalt, P/1B, Sophomore
No. 16 Hallee Fourman, INF, Freshman
No. 17 Rylie Pfledderer, 2B/1B/OF, Junior
No. 18 Riley Thomas, C/3B, Sophomore
No. 20 Cloe Shuttleworth, 1B/OF, Junior
No. 22 Callie Zwiesler, P/1B, Freshman
No. 15 Haylee Fisher, C/OF, Freshman
No. 2 Lily Robbins, INF/OF, Freshman
No. 17 Kai Swisshelm, 1B, Freshman
No. 4 Alexis Yundt, OF, Freshman
LWSB COACHING STAFF
Jerrod Newland, Head Coach
Denny Ruble
Greg Newland
Justine Shilt
Tom Cromwell
Ally Russell-Bowers
Ryan Brubaker
Morgan Gilbert
