THE 2026 ROSTER
The Hawks, who were picked to finish tied for fifth in the AMCC Preseason Coaches' Poll, will add five incoming players (four freshmen and a transfer) to a roster that features 13 talented returners that will contribute all over the diamond.

Juniors Alana Yadov and Kailey Stolowski were named as "Players to Watch" in the poll and will look to build upon their already decorated careers in the royal and white.

Yadov, a two-time AMCC All-Conference honoree, registered 77 at bats with 21 hits and 19 walks while scoring 12 runs a year ago. She posted a .273 batting average with 13 RBI, including five doubles and two home runs at the plate. Yadov also went 4-3 in the circle with a 4.79 ERA, recording 42 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched. After just two seasons with the Hawks, she finds herself on several top ten statistical lists that she will look to continue climbing in 2026.

Joining Yadov on many of those all-time program lists is Stolowski, who already sits as the program career leader in saves (three) and shutouts (five), while she also set a new single-season mark with two saves last season. In 2025, Stolowski posted a 3.82 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 47 innings while recording a .327 batting average with 18 hits at the plate.

Kimberly Bentley will also be relied upon in the circle after a strong 2025 campaign that saw her become the program leader in games finished (20) and the single season leader in games finished (12). She posted a 2-2 record across 20.2 innings pitched.

Seniors Emma Gionta and Madison Esmond, junior Kaitlin Stolowski, and sophomore Jazlynn Soliz will all be key pieces in the lineup and in the field for Hilbert. They each started in at least 21 games for the Hawks in 2025 and will look to lead on and off the field as the team looks for a third straight playoff appearance.
 
THE 2026 SCHEDULE
The Hawks will navigate a 30-game schedule including 16 AMCC games as the team looks to return to the postseason for third time in three years under head coach Dan Opera.

The Hawks open the season on March 17^th with a road doubleheader at Houghton University before returning to Hamburg for the team's home opener on March 25^th, hosting Elmira College in a pair of games.

Conference play begins on March 28^th, when the Hawks travel to Penn State Altoona for their AMCC opener. Hilbert hosts Pitt-Bradford on March 31^st for the team's conference home opener.

Hilbert will stay in Hamburg for much of April, highlighted by visits from SUNY Brockport, Keuka College, and Buffalo State, along with conference tilts versus Carlow University (April 16) and Alfred State (April 20). The Hawks will close out conference road play with trips to Mount Aloysius (April 25) and Alfred State (April 28).

After the regular season concludes the conference's top six teams will compete in the AMCC Double Elimination Championship Tournament taking place May 6^th – 9^th in Dubois, PA at Rose & Dennis Heindl Memorial Field.
 
THE COACHING / SUPPORT STAFF
Head coach Dan Opera enters his third year with the program carrying a 65-55 career AMCC record while guiding his teams to six postseason tournaments (four while at Medaille). Opera has coached three AMCC All-Conference recipients in his time with the Hawks and led the 2024 squad to single season records in wins (16), most strikeouts/9 inning game (8.76), most saves (2), most shutouts (5), most strikeouts (209), and highest fielding % (.924), and the pitching staff led the AMCC in strikeouts and strikeouts/7 inn game (6.85).

Joining Opera for a third season is assistant coach Audra Marley, who shares much of the same AMCC success, having played four years under Opera at Medaille before playing a key role in Hilbert's last two postseason trips.