The DODEA-Europe softball scene has the same mission for most teams as it has the past couple of seasons – knock Ramstein and Naples off the throne.

Long a Division I powerhouse, the Royals have claimed the last two European crowns. Naples, meanwhile, has won three in a row in Division II/III.

Neither looks likely to give up their crowns easily.

Whether another team shall reign supreme will be known after all teams converge on the Kaiserslautern Military Community on May 21-23 for the European championships.

Here’s a team-by-team look based off responses from coaches:

Division I

Kaiserslautern

The Raiders are in a year of transition.

Natasha Riggins steps into the head coaching position after three years as an assistant. Kaiserslautern also lost ace and first-team All-Europe honoree Bevanie Cleark, as well as a host of others who helped the squad finish runner-up in 2024.

The Raiders can turn to all-tournament selection Alessia Garcia. The junior is expected to play third base and catcher. Her sophomore sister, Amanda, will try to fill the void in the pitcher’s circle and play first base.

Seniors Giada Taylor (center and right fielder/catcher) and Laylah Cole (left and center fielder) and sophomores Kaleah Conner (second and third baseman/right fielder), Allison Monroe (middle infielder) and Ornella Taylor (second and third baseman) round out the team’s veterans.

Joining the team are senior Sasha Shadrova; sophomores Omarah Butler, Kennedy Donahue, Jayzahbella Dumlao, Skye Hill and Analeiah Nieves; and freshmen Aubrey Hayden, Kaidence Hylton, Sofia Istrate, Kaitlyn Lewis, Mary Sarfo and Kemora Torres-Curry.

Lakenheath

It’s been a rough couple of years for the Lancers, picking up just two league wins over that span.

Laurie Bradshaw takes the reins this season, and she sees promise from the 13 girls on the roster, citing a mix of strong hitters and fast fielders.

Senior Sara Williams will pace Lakenheath. The pitcher and shortstop earned all-tournament honors last spring.

Juniors Audrey Young (third baseman), Ariel Cannon (second baseman/left field), Talor Hitze (first baseman), Emerson Melkersman (catcher), Amiah Morgan and Danee Watson (left fielder/second baseman) and sophomore Audri Applewhite complete the returning group.

Senior Ashley Claire Christensen steps onto the field at first base this season. Also new to the squad are sophomores Lily Christensen (shortstop/pitcher) and Kaleigh Nix (second baseman), Abrielle Hausbach (right fielder) and freshman Alida Hinchcliff (right fielder).

Ramstein

The Royals never seem to be in rebuild mode. Heck, it’s never even reloading, either. It’s rinse and repeat.

The program has missed out on title-game appearances only twice since 1999, and it has claimed the past two European crowns.

It’s in such good shape that despite losing two first-team All-Europeans and another second-teamer, Ramstein’s still loaded.

The Royals have four All-European selections back – senior shortstop Ania Edwards and senior outfielder/shortstop Emma Inthavixay from the first team and senior pitcher/second baseman Arianna Chambers and senior corner infielder Charlotte Rhyne from the second team.

Other veterans looking to run it back are seniors Isabella Chambers (outfielder), Aspen Lindsey (utility player), Parker Ingram (outfielder/catcher/shortstop) and Emerson Moriarty (third and second baseman); juniors Ilana Johnson (catcher/third baseman/outfielder) and Sanai Schneider and Amayah Payton (both outfielders).

Junior infielders Amaya Calderon and Sofia Saavedra and junior outfielder Makayla Pena led the new contingent. A host of freshmen – Aleigha Guillen (pitcher/catcher/second baseman), Aurora Lewis (pitcher/first baseman), Mallory Jackson (right-side infielder), Inara Johnson (outfielder), Noelle Murphy (first baseman/outfielder) and Ava Fontaine (utility player) also will try to make their marks.

SHAPE

Coach Kate Maxson has a solid group of returners from her first season in charge of the program, which raises her expectations for Year 2.

The Spartans have 11 players returning for the 2025 campaign. Seven of them are seniors in outfielder Asia Curtis, pitchers Wiktoria Galas, Paula Knapp and Olivia McLeod, third baseman Colie Meyer, catcher Lily Tjeltveit and first baseman Lucy Vendra.

Junior Kaitlyn Kelly can play both in the infield and outfield. Sophomore Naimah Goldsen will slot at second base and outfield, as will fellow sophomore Maddie Hansen, who also can pitch. Sophomore outfielder/first baseman Laila Ioane rounds out the veterans.

New to the team are junior shortstop/outfielder Johana Borovcova, sophomore second baseman/outfielder Stella Green, sophomore outfielder Dimitra Karpontini, freshman outfielder Doga Mert and freshman catcher/outfielder Kaja Vidic.

Stuttgart

The Panthers made it to the semifinals a year ago and will look to improve in their second season under coach Kelli Weinreich.

They have four veterans with postseason honors to lead the way. Senior second baseman/pitcher Taryn Lockhart was named a first-team All-European player last year.

Junior shortstop Serenity Sampson made the second team as well as the all-tournament squad. Senior catcher Hannah Bruce and senior first baseman/left fielder Jaylee Brown also earned second-team All-Europe selections.

Also back for Stuttgart are catcher/center fielder Kaci Gruver and right fielder Aabrielle Schulz.

Vilseck

The Falcons fell on hard times, going from a championship in 2022 to last place in 2024.

Coach Cathleen Burgess doesn’t expect a repeat of last season when Vilseck takes the field this spring.

One of the more exciting prospects is the addition of Bella Smith. A third baseman, the senior received first-team All-European honors at SHAPE last season.

Back from last year’s squad are senior pitchers Julissa Neal and Alisia Andrew, junior catcher Ava Bentley, junior shortstop Natalie Ingram, senior outfielder Noemi Rosario and senior third baseman Liliana Johnson.

Others who could contribute are junior Zymyria Bailey; sophomores Lilly Estrada, Katelynn McMillan, Chloe Seymour and Aniaya Slocum; and freshmen Chloe Fowler, Willa Greenwood, Taila Neal, Keilani Notkin and Hannah Wayland.

Wiesbaden

First-year coach Cody Clinton inherits a senior-laden roster that reached the semifinals in the tournament last year.

He’s expecting the Warriors to take a step or two up the podium this spring.

Of the 12 returners, nine are seniors. Shortstop Kyra Cole is chief among them, making the all-tournament team. She is one of three senior captains with pitcher/outfielder Valerie Fisher and catcher Delaney Hodges.

Outfielder/first baseman Imani Coley, outfielder/pitcher Lyann Cortes-Espanol, shortstop/outfielder Evelyn Traugutt, catcher/first baseman Cydnee Lassiter, third baseman/pitcher Nicole Suh and second baseman Roni Massey make up the rest of the senior contingent.

Sophomores Catherine Mellon (outfielder/pitcher) and Paige Welch (outfielder) also are back. Senior infielder Olivia Office transferred back to Wiesbaden this year.

New to the team are juniors Kai Maree Malaga (infielder) and Julie Orozco (outfielder), sophomore Riley Shamblen (outfielder) and freshmen Alice Fuller (pitcher) and Natalia Gonzalez (outfielder).

Division II/III

Alconbury

Coach Duke Eidt said his team must fill many holes defensively, but the Dragons can turn to some solid returners to guide them through the season.

Kalila Te’o made others take notice as a pitcher and catcher, making the all-tournament team as Alconbury finished fourth.

Also back are pitcher/first baseman Naomi Little, second basemen Jamie Goenen and Mireya Hernandez, pitcher/third baseman Miranda Cowen, center fielder Stephanie Sprouse, left fielder Kylie Henson, third baseman Ana Alejandro-Diez and right fielder Lana Reyes.

A trio of seniors join the team in Rylee Pfleegor, Aila Zentner and Alyssa Dawson. Sophomores Miiyah Parker and Meredith Rochefort are new as well.

Aviano

Third-year coach Jordan Gurganus plans on using this as a growing season, with hopes of pulling off a couple of upsets.

Six Saints are back this spring. In their third year on the squad, juniors Jae Rodriguez and Kaylee Gillispie are captains, with Rodriguez a catcher and Gillispie a utility player.

Senior utility player Audrina Nelson enters her third season with Aviano, while junior Lillian McGowen (outfielder) and sophomores Hayley Solis (infielder) and Michal Barthold (outfielder) are in their second seasons.

Hohenfels

Coach Stephanie Schnabel expressed hope the squad will take another step forward after placing third at the European championships last spring.

To do so, the Tigers will look up to a group of 11 returners. Heading that group is infielder Tyleigh Shamoon, who was named to the all-tournament team a year ago.

Infielders Maia Brewer, Katy Burges, Evie Chernock, Zofia Hefflefinger, Kelcey Smith and Rinoah Takacs and outfielders Emily Burnside, Chloe Detar, Rihanna Quinones Garcia and Suseshery Sigrah are back.

New to the team are Emily Ahmet, Azariah Baleto, Ellie Berumen, Hannah Carter, Brooklyn Clark, Alexis Ellertson, Natalia Hefflefinger, Olivia Johnson, Bella Porto, Ava Silberberg, Amelia Solberg, Lana Tatum and Aaliyah Ayuni Torralba.

Rota

Rota is a young squad after losing some of its top talent that navigated the team into last year’s championship game.

First-year coach Jessica Markowski has just three seniors and five juniors to lead eight underclassmen. Catcher/right fielder Becca Owins is the lone senior who played with the team last year, while juniors Taylor Zimmerman (shortstop/pitcher), Asia Mascarenas (left fielder/third baseman), Addison Kryger (middle infielder) and Jada Jaindl (first baseman/right fielder) bring experience.

Sophomore second baseman/pitcher Rachael Orlowski also returners.

Center fielder/pitcher Bianca Westberg and catcher/third baseman Mia Werner add senior leadership, while junior shortstop/center fielder Aliana Haber joins the squad. Also new are sophomore second baseman/left fielder Nasrine Hamani and freshmen Jess Bloker (catcher/right fielder), Taylor Borchansky (left fielder/second baseman), Kayla Brown (center and left fielder), Mallory Lyons (outfielder) and Natalie Ryder (catcher/third baseman).

Sigonella

The Jaguars experienced a down year in 2024 by finishing fifth, but coach Kendra La Rocca anticipates her team to be more competitive this season.

Senior Alex Quintanilla is expected to lead the way. The pitcher/outfielder/shortstop earned all-tournament honors for her efforts last year.

Junior Nyeema Fernandez should share third-baseman duties with sophomore Alysia Dobbins, who also will line up in the outfield. Junior Addison Steele and sophomore Briar Love will play second base and outfield, fellow junior Victoria Dry at first and in the outfield, and sophomore Vina Dimapilis in the outfield and at shortstop.

New to the team are sophomore Marie Navarro, who has no experience playing the game but could see time in the outfield, and freshmen Terra Love (pitcher/catcher/first baseman), Kaytlin Stang (pitcher/catcher/shortstop), Izzy Ortiz (outfielder/shortstop) and Londyn Smith (outfielder).

Spangdahlem

The Sentinels enter this spring with a lot of new players, with just five returners – first baseman/catcher Allie Adkins, shortstop/pitcher Sandrine Bennett, second baseman/catcher Isabel Garver, third baseman/pitcher Adriana Tijerina and second baseman Salma Stevenson.

New to the team are Makenzie Brown, Amicay Farrer, Zoe Figueroa-Arriaga, Maci Loving, Jayla Malave, Reina Odom, Madison Roe, Vivienne Saville, Nazeema Stephan, Natalie Tanner, Charlotte Walters, Mia Watts.

Vicenza

Coach Osvaldo Garcia said the team’s quarterfinal loss to Naples last year has motivated the Cougars this spring.

Garcia pointed out Adysen Johnston and captain Hannah Findlay for their leadership skills. Johnston, a utility player who plays often behind the plate, made the all-tournament team, while Findlay will play shortstop.

Center fielder Nala Herron, pitcher/infielder Rielynn Casper, Katherine Green, Jayden Stokes, Cecilia Owens and Peyton Atkinson bring back experience.

Katherine Green’s younger sister, Isabelle, is expected to make an immediate impact for Vicenza. Kayden Parmlee has shown power at the plate in practice, and Sophie Rainey transferred from Wiesbaden. Megan Becker, Makayla Slack, Natalie Hall and Junesy Belanger are new to the sport.

K-town Sports

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