DETROIT (2/6/25) – The Detroit Mercy softball team travels to the Windy City to kick off the 2025 season, playing five total games against five different teams in host DePaul, Western Illinois, Butler, St. Thomas, and Evansville at the DePaul Rosemont Tournament. The Titans open play against the host Blue Demons on Friday, Feb. 7 at 3:30 p.m. ET. On the second day, UDM opens against the Leathernecks of Western Illinois on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 11 a.m. ET, followed by the Butler Bulldogs at 1:30 p.m. ET. The Titans open Detroit Mercy concludes action against St. Thomas on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. ET, followed by the Beacons of Valparaiso at 3 p.m. ET.
 
Team Breakdown:
Oh Captain, My Captain:
Senior Jordan Kavanagh, junior Trinity Fessler, and sophomore Claire Borg were named team captains for the 2025 season.
 
2024 Kavanaugh Highlights:
• Saw action in 36 games, making 28 starts
• Led the pitching staff in strikeouts (68), complete games (8), and innings pitched (109.2 – 7th HL).
• Earned the win on the mound against Green Bay, giving the Titans their first #HLSB series victory since 2019 (5/4).
• Tossed her third complete game of the season, which proved to be the charm as she picked up her first career win in a Detroit Mercy uniform, allowing only one run on five scattered hits with a strikeout as the Titans locked down a 2-1 Metro Series win over arch-rival Oakland for the first time since the 2019 season (4/11).
• Recorded first career complete game, tossing 6.0 innings with a season-high eight strikeouts at IUPUI (4/6).
• Also went 3-for-7 overall with an RBI double and walk at the plate.
• At the plate, hit .294 in 51 at-bats with two home runs and nine RBI
 
2024 Fessler Highlights:
• Started all 44 games
• Led the team in hits (30), doubles (8), runs (20), walks (19), batting average (.254), slugging percentage (.441), total bases (52), in multi-hit games (7), at-bats (118), and games started (44).
• Ranked second in home runs (4), RBI (11), triples (1), and stolen bases (2).
• Went 2-for-5 with a grand slam home run in the season finale against Green Bay (5/4).
• In game two of the doubleheader, she hit 1-for-2 with three RBI and two walks while coming up huge hitting a clutch two-run double to tie the game in the seventh inning sparking a 5-4 come-from-behind win against NKU (4/27).
• Overall in the DH, she went 3-for-5 with four RBI, two doubles, two walks, and two runs scored while hitting her third home run of the season.
• Went 3-for-3 with a walk in the first game and drew three walks in game two at IUPUI (4/6).
• Hit the team's first triple against EIU (2/25) which also was the first of her career.
• Hit 3-for-4 with two doubles and a pair of runs at North Alabama (3/7).
• Posted a .925 fielding percentage
 
2024 Borg Highlights:
• Played in all 44 games, starting 42
• Ranked second on the team in walks (15)
• Posted her first career hit vs EIU (2/23) and first career double at MTSU (3/3).
• Posted a .933 fielding percentage
• Made 12 appearances on the mound, including four starts
• Drove in two runs at Oakland (4/10)
• Closed the door on the Norse, picking up her first career win in the circle, tossing 1.1 innings in relief helping the Titans to a 5-4 win at NKU (4/27). Borg also hit 1-for-3 in both games, with an RBI in game two.
 
Returning Starters (8)
Junior Jenna Holt, junior Trinity Fessler, sophomore Jada Davis, senior Amanda Schick, sophomore Alexis Hoff, junior Elyssa Adams, sophomore Claire Borg, and senior Jordan Kavanagh.
 
2024 Holt Highlights:
• 2024 College Sports Communicators Academic (CSC) Academic All-District® NCAA Division I Softball Team selection.
• 2024 Valeo #HLSB All-Academic Team Honorable Mention with a 3.85 GPA.
• Started in 37 of 38 games played leading the team in triples (2), stolen bases (4), and sacrifice bunts (4).
• Also finished the season ranking second in batting average (.224), third in runs (13) and walks (8), fourth in hits (22) and at-bats (98), and fifth in total bases (27) and slugging percentage (.276).
• Went 1-for-3 reaching on a fielder's choice to bring home the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning lifting Detroit Mercy to a 3-2 series-opening win over Green Bay (5/3).
• Also ranked third on the team in multi-hit games (4) and reached base in seven consecutive games during the season.
• Hit lead-off triples on consecutive days against MSTU (3/3 & 3/4).
• Hit 2-for-3 against St. Louis (2/24), YSU (3/16) and RMU (4/22).
 
2024 Davis Highlights:
• Appeared and started in all 44 games
• Had quite the season leading the team in RBI (15), home runs (5), and games started (44).
• Ranked second in hits (23), runs (14), total bases (47), doubles (7), slugging percentage (.402), triples (1), sac bunts (3), and at-bats (117) while ranking third in walks (8).
• Hit a pair of home runs against PFW (4/20) for her fourth and fifth of the season.
• Connected on her first career home run at MTSU (3/4) which was UDM's first long ball of the season. Followed with a second in the Titans' 6-2 win over CSU (4/14). Her third long ball was a three-run shot against Toledo (4/18).
• Went 2-for-3 with a double and run scored in UDM's 6-2 win over CSU (4/14).
• Recorded her first career hit against WKU (2/24).
• Posted her first career double with a run scored vs Saint Louis (2/24).
 
2024 Schick Highlights:
• Appeared and started in 42 games
• Ranked third on the team in hits (23), RBI (9), doubles (5), at-bats (109), and total bases (31).
• Ranked fourth in batting (.211), slugging percentage (.284), and home runs (1).
• Went 1-for-2 hitting her first career home run in a Titan uniform at YSU (3/17).
• Had a .926 fielding percentage
 
2024 Hoff Highlights:
• Appeared in 42 games, making 40 starts
• Ranked third on the team in batting (.221) and slugging percentage (.295)
• Also ranked fourth in RBI (7), doubles (4), and total bases (28) and fifth in hits (21).
• Hit first career home run in Titans 3-2 victory over Green Bay (5/4)
• First career hit was a double at MTSU (3/1).
• Recorded a .562 OPS
 
2024 Adams Highlights:
• Named to the 2024 College Sports Communicators Academic (CSC) Academic All-District® NCAA Division I Softball Team.
• Started in all 44 games leading the team in fielding percentage (.977) while ranking second in putouts (116) defensively.
• Posted nine hits, four RBI, and four runs scored.
• Went 1-for-1 with two walks in UDM's 3-2 win over Green Bay (5/3) and added an RBI sacrifice fly in the series-clinching win over the Phoenix (5/4) helping the Titans secure their first #HLSB series win since the 2019 season.
• Went 1-for-3 with a two-run double for the first of her career vs UMES (3/8).
• Recorded first career RBI off a sacrifice fly vs Saint Louis (2/24).
 
Other Returners (5):
Redshirt sophomore Rusti Glenn, redshirt junior Chloe Spitzer, junior Avery Paul, sophomore Alicia Avina, and redshirt sophomore Lauren Creon.
 
Fresh Faces (14):
The Titans have 14 newcomers in Natalie Babcock, Jade Blanchard, Leah Daniels, Josalyn Dietlin, Allison Fluker, Erin Flynn, Paige Keown, Wendy Ketola, Abby Klaft, Madeline Hallman, Mia Hubbell, Mikayla La Bounty, Liv Peterson, and Aleah Tanguay.
 
The Skipper Returns:
• Head Coach Dan Vitale returns for his second season at the helm of the Detroit Mercy softball program. Vitale returned to the program in 2024 after helping guide the Titans to the 2019 Horizon League Championship as a Volunteer Assistant Coach.
• Helped the Titans to a series victory over Green Bay, giving them their first #HLSB series win since 2019.
• Led the UDM to a 2-1 Metro Series win over arch-rival Oakland for the first time since the 2019 season (4/11).
 
Coaching Staff Additions:
Christina Skalsky (Assistant Coach/Pitching):
Skalsky was named Assistant Coach of the Detroit Mercy softball team in the Fall of 2024 and brings over 20 years of pitching coach experience to the Titans.
 
Skalsky served as Assistant Varsity Coach at L'Anse Creuse North High School for three years (2020-23) and spent 12 years as an Assistant Coach for the Michigan Batbusters travel team (2010-22), helping many student-athletes sign and continue their love to play collegiate softball.
 
Skalsky also spent time as the Pitching Coach at Northwood University in 2005, where she helped guide one of the greatest turnarounds in program history. The 2005 team earned 34 overall wins while going 14-6 in league play, earning the first conference championship in school history. Her pitching staff won the most games while recording the most strikeouts, shutouts, and lowest ERA in school history. The Timberwolves also made their first appearance in the NCAA tournament in program history advancing to the quarterfinals. For their accomplishments, the 2005 team was inducted into the Northwood Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2024
 
Tony Misuraca (Assistant Coach/Outfield):
Misuraca was named Assistant Coach of the Detroit Mercy softball team in 2024 and brings 25 years of coaching experience to Titans, including 16 years as the head coach at Sterling Heights Stevenson High School. He earned 444 career victories while leading Stevenson to two Macomb Area Conference (MAC) Red titles, nine district titles, and two regional titles.
 
Under his direction, 39 former Stevenson players went on to play collegiate softball. Misuraca also was inducted into the Macomb County Athletic Directors Association Hall of Fame in 2025.
 
2025 Preseason Poll:
For the second consecutive season, Detroit Mercy was picked to finish ninth in the 2025 #HLSB Preseason Poll announced by the league office and voted on by the league's seven nine coaches. The Titans received 16 overall points.