GROUP 1
First Team
- P: Abby Buser, Waldwick, So.
- P: Lexi Reyes, Midland Park, Fr.
- UT: Grace Wien, Saddle Brook, Jr.
Second Team
- P: Emma Vallone, Hasbrouck Heights, Fr.
- C: Brianna Maye, New Milford, So.
- INF: Angelina Cecere, Cresskill, So.
- INF: Olivia Valladares, Midland Park, Jr.
Third Team
- P: Mikayla Eutermarks, Butler, Jr.
- P: Gabriela Perez, Wood-Ridge, So.
- OF: Emma Kulish, Pompton Lakes, So.
- UT: Isabella Buccheri, North Arlington, Jr.
NON-PUBLIC
Third Team
- P: Emma Mullins, Trinity Hall, Jr.
- P: Kahlan Vough, Immaculate Heart, Fr.
- P: Sidney Araujo, St. Mary (Ruth.), Jr.
Player of the Year & other postseason baseball honors in the NJIC
The 2026 New Jersey softball season has come and gone and all over the state there were plenty of teams, players and coaches who left their mark.
That was especially true in the NJIC where two pitchers had over 300 strikeouts and five teams won 20-plus games.
Here are the Team, Player and Coach of the Year plus other storylines and more from around the NJIC in 2026.
Team of the Year: Midland Park
The Panthers were one of the most impressive, surprising teams in the state from start to finish but also one of the best, finishing the year at 24-5 in coach Krysten Perez’s second year.
They started the year at 20-0 and were the state’s last remaining undefeated public school at the time. They’d go on to make their first Bergen County Tournament quarterfinal in over a decade with a 1-0 win over Waldwick and followed that up by making their first section final potentially ever after beating Pompton Lakes, 2-1, in the section semis.
Helping lead the charge was first-team All-County player Lexi Reyes, who hit .488 with 39 hits, 36 RBI and 11 homers while also posting a .66 ERA and 243 strikeouts in 116 1/3 innings. They ranked sixth in run differential and fifth in both runs allowed and runs allowed per game as a team.
Player of the Year: Abby Buser, Waldwick, So.
After a strong rookie year last year, Buser emerged as one of the best two-way players in North Jersey this year as a sophomore.
Buser struck out 344 batters this year, which was the second-highest mark in New Jersey this season and set the Waldwick single-season program record. She had 22 double digit strikeout games and managed to guide Waldwick to leading the state in fewest runs allowed and fewest runs allowed per game, even ahead of the state’s No. 1 team, St. John Vianney.
She was equally as adept at the dish, hitting .440 with 37 hits, 20 extra-base hits, eight home runs and 32 RBI.
Coach of the Year: Laura Germano, Cresskill
Germano is in her eighth season as head coach of the Cougars, but this was by far their best season in recent program history.
After a 9-11 campaign last year, Germano guided the Cougars to their first 20-win season ever and their first divisional title in 40 years, clinching a share of the title with New Milford thanks to a 20-2 win over Harrison.
The Cougars ranked Top 20 in the state in runs scored, runs per game and run differential as two players — Angelina Cecere and Brianna Depalo — had 40-plus hits while Cecere had seven homers and Depalo had 43 RBI.
Senior pitcher Sophia Coleman struck out 106 and had a 2.36 ERA in 118 2/3 innings of work as well.
Other storylines
- Wood-Ridge (21-8) was one of the top teams in the NJIC all season. While they got upset as the top seed in North 2, Group 1, the Blue Devils went from 9-13 last year to 21-8 in their first year under coach Gianna Sarlo. A whopping three players had 50-plus hits, including Natalia Nieves, who had a conference leading 58. She and Gabriela Perez also were strong in the circle, averaging nearly 1.5 strikeouts per inning.
- Garfield (13-11) made its first playoff berth since 2019 this year as the No. 16 seed in North 1, Group 3. The Boilermakers hit .369 with three players who had 20-plus hits, led by Ava Eisenman who hit .465 with for home runs and 20 RBI.
- Saddle Brook (17-10) more than doubled its win total from last year where they went 8-16. A big reason for the Falcons’ turnaround was the fact three players had 30-plus hits, including pitcher Grace Wien. Wien established herself as one of New Jersey’s top strikeout pitchers this year as well with 305 punchouts, just 50 walks and a 2.10 ERA in 153 2/3 innings.
Final NJIC rankings
- 1-Midland Park (25-4)
- 2-Waldwick (24-5)
- 3-Pompton Lakes (21-6)
- 4-St. Mary (Ruth.) (17-10-1)
- 5-Butler (16-8)
- 6-Rutherford (11-16)
- 7-Hawthorne (15-8)
- 8-Hasbrouck Heights (14-10)
- 9-New Milford (21-5-1)
- 10-Wood-Ridge (21-8)
