The Newburgh Free Academy softball team will enter the season with a new coaching staff but will feature a lot of returning players when they take the field for the 2024 season.

Edwin Quezada will take over for retired coach Chris Leggett to coach a team that lost one of its top players from last year – Marissa Scarano – but return a wealth of talent from the team that posted a 7-11 record in 2023.

“Our new coaching staff here at NFA is excited for this upcoming season,” Quezada said. “We aim to empower these athletes and give them an opportunity to build a new culture here with Newburgh softball.”

Returning to the Goldbacks this year will be infielder Taryn Judson, pitcher/outfielder Alina Ferguson, who served as the Goldbacks top pitcher for the last several seasons, catcher Melissa Schulze, infielder/pitcher Samantha Williams, utility player Maddie Gravel, infielder Lianna Shaw, outfielder Parker Mullarkey, infielder/pitcher Ryan Keller and utility player Peyton Ingram.

Newcomers will include outfielder/catcher Mia Rummel and utility player Morgan White.

“This team is gritty, fierce and hungry to make some noise in Section 9 this year,” Quezada said.
It will be a thinner Section 9 landscape than in previous seasons as the New York State Public High School Athletic Association increased to six classifications from five, and the Goldbacks will join Class AAA with Middletown, Pine Bush, Monroe-Woodbury and Kingston.

Quezada said the Goldbacks will enter the season with three goals: The first is to ensure each player gets an opportunity to grow individually and as an athlete, while the second is to win. The third is tied to the second, which is to enjoy the experience.

“We understand high school sports is only for a limited time, and we aim to have our athletes enjoy this time period,” Quezada said.