A final farewell: Honoring the seniors of Rowan softball’s historic Team 51

Rowan softball’s season came to an end on May 31 against Randolph-Macon by a score of 1-0, ending their historic season with a program-best 49-4 record and 31-game win streak to start the season, which was the longest NCAA softball active streak at the time.

This remarkable season was no surprise to those who have followed Rowan Softball in recent years. The 2025 senior class entered the year with high expectations, and they delivered. Despite falling just short of a national championship, this group led the Profs to three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division III Softball Championship — a feat that cements their place in school history.

In a season full of storybook moment, head coach Kim Wilson’s able to claim her 1,000th career win back on March 18 in a win over Wisconsin-Stout. Wilson gave all the credit to the seniors and her players for that honor in the final press conference.

“I didn’t win any of those games. You all won them all,” Wilson said. “You put me in the position to be honored in that sort of thing. For that, I’m proud of them. They are going to do big things and I keep saying that to them. I’m just super proud of who they are and I’m a lucky person.”

“Team 51” has gained national attention and respect across Division III because of the culture and talent these seniors have brought. The seniors were key contributors to one of the greatest runs in Rowan Athletics history as possibly the best senior class ever to wear the Rowan softball uniform, and each have remarkable individual careers that will be remembered as a part of Team 51’s legacy.

#6 Breanna Bryant 

Career stats:

 

228 appearances

225 games started

.308 AVG

.395 OBP

187 hits

33 doubles

3 triples

1 home run

111 RBIs

 

The five-year starter at third base out of Delaware finished her stay at Rowan as a graduate student. After one season at the University of Albany, Bryant decided to transfer to Rowan. It grew into a career that is one of the best the program has seen. Bryant was as consistent as they come with her glove at third and the bat from the left-hander remained just as solid. She posted a career-high in hits with 51 and batting average posting a .347 AVG.

Bryant leaves the program as a long-time starter and contributor to an all-time run in program history.

“From the person I came into who I am now, I’m forever changed by Coach [Kim Wilson] and everyone who I’ve played along with for five years,” Bryant said. “Someone said she recruits amazing people and we are all going to be lifelong friends after we graduate and hopefully meet each other’s kids, weddings, all that fun stuff. Coming here has probably been the best decision of my life.”

 

#7 Payton MacNair

Career stats:

 

.370 AVG

.420 OBP

283 hits

197 runs

70 doubles

18 triples

10 home runs

165 RBIs

 

The Cinnaminson, N.J. native and longtime shortstop played in 231 out of the 235 eligible games in her five-year Profs career. MacNair leaves the program as its all-hit-hits leader with 283. In her final at-bat, she claimed her program record 70th career double. She holds program records in games played (231), at-bats (764), hits (283), and doubles (70).

“For me, this is actually my second senior interview. This one is definitely the last,” MacNair said. “I’m so grateful for playing under coach [Kim Wilson]. She’s an amazing coach and I’ve learned so much from her that’s going to help me now after leaving softball. The girls are incredible, she recruits amazing people, she has amazing coaches, and I’m very grateful that I was able to play five years at Rowan.”

 

#11 Maeve Lougheed

Career stats:

 

35 games played

3 games started

.318 AVG

.348 OBP

7 hits

1 double

2 RBIs

 

The heavily utilized pinch runner from Audubon, N.J., played a part in the success of the Profs. She even had success in limited at-bats for Rowan. Lougheed only spent two seasons as a Prof, but is another player that made an impact.

“I think when I say this I can speak for everyone. When we say that Softball isn’t just about softball,” Lougheed said. “It’s about the friends and memories we make along the way. I also transferred here and I’ve only been here for two years but these memories last forever. I’m just so thankful this is how I’ll end my career.”

 

#13 Rylee Lutz

Career Stats:

 

603.0 IP

497 strikeouts

125 appearances

102 games started

79-20 record

1.57 ERA

 

The right-handed pitcher out of the Gloucester County Insititute of Technology (GCIT) came in and made noise right away as a freshman like some of her peers in this class. For Lutz, she’s claimed multiple Rowan records including all-time wins for a pitcher with 79. The workhorse righty won New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Pitcher of the Year back in 2023 and then followed it with statistically better seasons in 2024 and 2025. 

Lutz had a career-best 0.84 ERA and a 22-2 record in her senior season. She topped it off with two complete games in the Softball Championship, where she allowed just one earned run. For Lutz, she leaves the program as the top pitcher in games (126), games started (102), wins (79), shutouts (34), and best season win percentage in her senior season (.916)

“I’m forever grateful that I got to come here to Rowan with all these girls. These are my best friends for life,” Lutz said. “I learned a lot about myself here. How to be a leader early on, especially being very young, which I’ll definitely put into the younger girls that I coach in the future hopefully. I’m forever thankful for this place.”

 

#18 Liz McCaffery

Career Stats:

 

.380 AVG

.469 OBP

236 hits

182 runs

46 doubles

15 triples

7 home runs

113 RBIs

 

The four-year second basemen started and played in every single game since her arrival at Rowan. McCaffrey has served as the team’s leadoff hitter for multiple seasons and just posted a career-best .425 average this past year. She gave the Profs a boost in the bright lights of the Softball Championship this year behind her two home runs in three games.

With 201 games under her belt, McCaffery managed to tally 236 hits while snagging a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Rawlings Gold Glove. The Swiss army knife player in McCaffery leaves the program better than when she arrived and as the all-time program leader in walks with 104.

“It definitely taught me a lot of who I am as a person,” McCaffery said about playing softball at Rowan. “Giving me a lot of leadership skills that I’ll carry on. I’m just happy that this is where I ended up. I think everything happens for a reason and I wouldn’t want to play with any other team.”

 

#24 McKenzie Melvin

Career stats:

 

193 games started

.364 AVG

.439 OBP

224 hits

47 doubles

13 triples

14 home runs

92 RBIs

 

The centerfielder went to high school less than 15 minutes away from Rowan in Williamstown and made a lasting impact on the program. Like her peers, she posted a career-best season in her last with a .416 AVG and 69 hits. A prolific high school athlete continued it in college earning NFCA All-Region teams and NJAC First-Team All-Conference in every single year. 

She will be remembered as a fierce right-handed bat who also had a stellar glove leading the outfield in center. 

“I transferred my freshman year and it’s been the best decision,” Melvin said. “It’s only 10 minutes away but it feels like home.”

While each of these players leaving was a talented individual on the field, Wilson says that’s not what she appreciates the most. For her, it’s about the people they’ve become now that the curtain has closed on their softball careers.

“For me, the people that they are and have become,” Wilson said. “They were little kids when they came in here, and now they are young women going out into the world.”

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