Yorktown 2016 graduate and former Husker softball player Gianna Degaltini enjoyed a great first season as coach at her alma mater, going 14-6 in 2025, finishing as the No. 7 seed, losing to No. 10 Fox Lane 2-1 in the opening round of the Section 1 Class AA Tournament at Lakeland.
In her second season as coach, Degaltini is looking for the Huskers to go even farther this spring.
“Our goal as a team is to build off the great success that we had last year,” Degaltini said. “We had a better year than some may have expected but ultimately fell short of winning it all. We have it all from four-year varsity seniors all the way to freshmen newcomers, ready to step up to the challenge of competing at the varsity level.”
Top returning players from last year’s squad include two players who were both All-Section honorable mention and All-League a season ago in junior pitcher/first baseman Kate Brown and sophomore infielder Mia Horn.
Sophomore All-League infielder/pitcher Adriana Barca brings power at the plate and composure in any facet of the game while senior third baseman/catcher Ava Huffman, a captain who earned All-League honors in 2024, also has a power bat.
Senior captain Alicia Cinicolo is the anchor of the infield at first base and can hit with a balance of power and contact. The leader in the outfield for the Huskers is senior captain Ally Pace, who has great speed, range and arm strength and is willing to put her body on the line to make the play.
Outfielder Sienna Katzenberg and infielder Kayla DiSanzo are the Huskers’ two other senior captains.
“Katzenberg brings positive energy and comes to the field every single day wanting to put in the work,” Degaltini said. She has become a leader by example.”
Degaltini said that DiSanzo has also became a leader by example as well.
“Kayla has great range at second base, with a knack for wanting to perfect her craft,” Degaltini said.
She added that DiSanzo “has shown tremendous growth within the last year.”
Yorktown’s top newcomers are freshmen, pitcher/outfielder Katie Egan and catcher/third baseman Kaitlyn Horn. Egan brings a lot of versatility to the team, pitching accuracy and spin, and has a high level of composure for a young athlete.
Horn has high softball IQ for such a young player while being a stellar backstop and a top-of-the-lineup bat with her power and bat-to-ball skills.
Yorktown will start its season when it hosts Carmel at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 25.
Lakeland is also coming off a playoff campaign, finishing 11-11 in 2025 and as the No. 9 seed, holding top-seed Albertus Magnus scoreless through five innings, before losing 3-0 in the quarterfinals of the Section 1 Class A Tournament.
Coaching the Hornets is Danielle Fiore, who is in her third year of being head coach after being an assistant to head coach Steve Fallo before he retired. Fiore is a 2004 Lakeland graduate and member of the school’s athletic Hall of Fame, who was a team captain and catcher for the Hornets.
Lakeland’s top returnees include senior pitcher Nicole Mautone, who earned All-Section and All-League honors last spring and will pitch at Western Connecticut State University.
“Nicole has been our starting pitcher for five years now,” Fiore said. “She continues to control our infield and is dominate at the plate.”
All-Section honorable mention and All-League sophomore shortstop Liliana Aguirre is the heart of the Hornets’ infield.
“She is mentally tough and holds us down,” Fiore said. “At the plate she sees pitches so well and works counts.”
All-League senior catcher Jenna Yazzetti brings positive energy wherever she goes.
“That’s important in a catcher,” Fiore said. “She’s also our cleanup hitter.”
Fiore said that staying positive and supporting teammates, being mentally tough after mistakes and playing smart and focused softball are the Hornets’ goals this spring.
Second-year captain, senior center fielder Taryn Bruno, along with Mautone, Yazzetti and Aguirre are the Lakeland captains.
“We expect them to encourage their teammates in positive ways, communicate with them and the coaches, support the entire team and putting the team first over themselves,” Fiore said.
Lakeland begins its campaign at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 25 at sister school Walter Panas.
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