NEW HAVEN, Conn. (May 15, 2026) – The two Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference representatives in the 2026 NCAA Division II East Regional Softball Championships suffered defeats on Friday. No. 4 seed Caldwell University dropped a 7-1 decision to No. 5 seed Assumption University in the first round of the East 1 Regional in Rindge, N.H., while No. 7 seed University of Bridgeport was edged by No. 6 seed Southern New Hampshire University, 2-1, in Garden City, N.Y., in the elimination bracket of the East 2 Regional.
Bridgeport (33-20), the CACC champion, saw its season come to an end. The Purple Knights were playing in their third consecutive NCAA Tournament and fifth in the last six seasons. At-large selection Caldwell drops into the East 1 elimination bracket, where it will face tournament host and No. 1 seed Franklin Pierce University on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. If the Cougars win, they would play another elimination game immediately following.
Bridgeport took an early lead on Friday on a first-inning home run by Mya Jones. But the Purple Knights could only muster one additional hit for the balance of the contest. UB pitcher Vise Zarate went the distance on a five-hitter, yielding single runs in the second and fourth frames and stranding seven Penmen baserunners. SNHU was eliminated by host and No. 2 seed Adelphi University, 2-1, later on Friday.
The Caldwell-Assumption game featured a matchup of coaching sisters, the Cougars’ Lindsay Mayer against the Greyhounds’ Stacey Mayer. Assumption broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the sixth inning, then pulled away with three more in the seventh. Maddie Matkosky hit a first-inning home run for Caldwell (29-20).
Both East Regional Championships are four-team, double-elimination events. The winners will meet in a best-of-three series next weekend for the regional title and the right to advance to nationals.
Founded in 1961, the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference has been affiliated with NCAA Division II for 20 years. Conference institutions compete for championships in 17 sports – seven for men, nine for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 11 full members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes the University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican University New York, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.