Top 20 New Jersey high school softball rankings (5/9/2025)

Donovan Catholic and St. John Vianney remain ranked No. 1 and No.2, respectively, in this week’s poll but there was plenty of jockeying behind them as we come down the stretch of the 2025 New Jersey softball season.

Donovan’s Isabella Cino gets a high five from her coach after hitting a two run homer to put her team down 5-3. St. John Vianney Girls Softball defeats Red Bank Catholic 10-9 in the ninth inning of Shore Conference Tournament final in Red Bank, NJ on May 21, 2024 / Peter Ackerman / USA TODAY NETWORK

There are just five remaining undefeated teams in the Garden State and two of them reside inside this week’s top three in No. 1 Donovan Catholic (19-0) and No. 3 Kingsway (17-0).

The top two teams in this week’s poll are two of just five teams who are ranked in the same position as thy were one week ago. A noteworthy addition to the top five are the Blue Eagles of Immaculate Heart , who move up one spot after extending their winning streak to seven games in advancing to the Bergen County Tournament quarterfinals.

Take a look and chime in on our at our latest Top 20 New Jersey high school softball rankings, as we see it.

Top 20 New Jersey high school softball rankings (5/9/2025)

1. Donovan Catholic (19-0)

Donovan Catholic secured a notable victory on Friday, defeating Red Bank Catholic 4-2. The Griffins continued their momentum at the Hammonton Invitational, dominating with 44 runs across three games to claim the championship with a 14-2 win over Haddon Township. Izzy Cino smashed six home runs in the past week, while Caroline Kopp earned tournament MVP honors with 12 RBIs.

2. St. John Vianney (11-1)

St. John Vianney edged Middletown North 1-0 in a gripping contest, with Madison McDougall delivering a two-hit shutout and 13 strikeouts. The Lancers also cruised to a 10-0 victory over Middletown South, advancing to the Monmouth County Tournament finals.

3. Kingsway (17-0)

The Dragons claimed their second consecutive weekend tournament title, winning the South Jersey Classic at St. Joseph (Hamm.) after triumphing at the Rancocas Valley Elite Tournament. Kingsway beat Hightstown and Egg Harbor on the first day, then rallied to edge the host Wildcats 7-6 in the championship. Ava Snyder earned tournament MVP honors, while Laney Thorp and Hannah Weismer were named to the All-Conference team.

4. Steinert (10-1)

Steinert narrowly defeated rival Notre Dame 3-2 last week and then crushed Robbinsville 7-0. The team faces tough upcoming games against No. 3 Kingsway and No. 2 St. John Vianney. Addison Hassan, Aleiya O’Neal, and Mia Pope are all batting above .400.

5. Immaculate Heart (15-1)

The Blue Eagles extended their winning streak to seven games, advancing to the Bergen County Tournament quarterfinals. The week wasn’t without challenges, as Coach Diana Fasano’s team trailed Hanover Park at times, ultimately needing nine innings to secure an 11-10 victory over the Hornets. With tough matchups against DePaul and Rutherford ahead, the Blue Eagles face further tests in their pursuit of a fourth consecutive Bergen County title.

6. Morris Knolls (12-3)

Coach Keith Heinemann’s Golden Eagles have put early season struggles behind them, riding an 11-game winning streak that includes four victories over ranked opponents. This week, they traveled to Essex County, defeating the defending Group 1 champions and then Cedar Grove, 9-5. On Wednesday, they stopped Morris Catholic from repeating as Morris County champions, winning 3-1 in the semifinals to reach the final for the first time since 2019, when they claimed the title 11-9 against Mount Olive.

7. Mount St. Dominic (15-3)

Despite not pitching All-State ace Ava Kelshaw for over a week, Mount has continued to rack up wins, including a 13-6 thrashing of ranked Columbia, a 3-2 victory over a strong Gov. Livingston team, and a 6-2 win against a formidable Immaculata squad. The Lions now prepare to face Roxbury and then West Essex in the Essex County Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday, aiming to defend their championship title.

8. Vineland (14-1)

The Fighting Clan enjoyed a stress-free game, erupting for eight runs in the fourth inning to secure a 10-0 victory over Ocean City. They recently won five consecutive games where they were either trailing or tied in the seventh inning and hold an impressive 8-0 record in games decided by two runs or fewer.

9. Red Bank Catholic (14-3)

Red Bank Catholic suffered consecutive losses to the state's top-ranked teams, No. 1 Donovan Catholic and No. 2 St. John Vianney, but rebounded with decisive mercy-rule wins over Raritan and Red Bank Regional. Despite the defeat to St. John Vianney, the Caseys will co-claim the Shore Conference A North Division title with the Lancers.

10. Delsea (15-0)

The Crusaders remain one of New Jersey's five undefeated teams, with only two close contests—a 5-4 win over Triton and a 5-2 victory against Gloucester. Their last three games were won by double-digit margins. Boasting a .431 team batting average, the Crusaders are powered by pitchers Iris Chapman and Cailyn Centeno, both maintaining ERAs below 2.00.

11. Cedar Grove (13-3)

The Panthers fell 9-5 at home to Morris Knolls, following a hard-fought 10-9 victory over Mount St. Dominic. As the top seed in the Essex County Tournament, Coach Nikki Velardi’s squad kicked off the tournament with a commanding 15-0 win against Belleville. With upcoming matchups against St. Mary (Rutherford), Columbia, Red Bank Catholic, and Steinert, and a potential rematch with Mount St. Dominic in the Essex County final, the Panthers face significant challenges in their quest for a third consecutive Group 1 title.

12. Watchung Hills (13-4)

The defending Group 4 champions have halted their slide from a Top 5 ranking to No. 17 in the state, fueled by a crucial 1-0 victory over then-No. 9 Hunterdon Central, avenging a 1-0 loss to the Red Devils two games earlier. They closed the week with Mia Simon throwing a perfect game in a 5-0 win over Roxbury, striking out 11. Simon has surpassed last year’s ace, Riley Bobrowski, in innings pitched this season, and it will be intriguing to see how Coach Brian Figueiredo utilizes the duo as the competition intensifies.

13. Passaic Valley (16-0)

The remarkable season in Little Falls rolls on, though not without tense moments. Just five days after crushing Passaic Tech 12-1, Coach Mo Altchek’s first-year team narrowly defeated the Bulldogs 2-1 in the Passaic County Tournament semifinals. Lily Allmendinger proved pivotal, driving in one of the two runs and allowing four hits while striking out 10, ending a run of seven consecutive games with double-digit scores. The Hornets now face defending Passaic County champion DePaul in a rematch of their April 2 clash, which Passaic Valley won 5-4, as they aim for their second county title since 2021.

14. Johnson (17-2)

As the top seed in this year’s Union County Tournament, the Crusaders are chasing their first county championship since 2016 and their fifth overall. Following a 5-2 defeat to Scotch Plains on April 25, Coach Chris Di Nucci’s team has reeled off seven consecutive victories, including three straight shutouts and four total, conceding only six runs across those wins. With six players boasting 20 or more hits, the team maintains a robust .388 batting average.

15. Columbia (12-3)

The Cougars posted a 2-1 record last week but fell 13-6 to Mount St. Dominic in a game where they rested their ace, Claire Shupe. She bounced back the next day, striking out 15 in a 1-0 victory over Cranford, and then delivered another shutout with 15 strikeouts in an 8-0 win against MKA to kick off the Essex County Tournament, where they hold the No. 2 seed.

16. Hunterdon Central (15-1)

The Red Devils endured a 1-0 defeat to Watchung Hills, just two days after edging them 1-0. Despite the setback, pitcher Emily Van Cleef has remained stellar. Hunterdon Central quickly rebounded, dominating ranked St. Thomas Aquinas 9-2, followed by victories over Randolph (4-1) and Phillipsburg (8-0). With upcoming matchups against Jefferson, Morris Catholic, Steinert, and others, the Red Devils have ample opportunities to rise in the rankings.

17. Haddon Heights (13-2)

The Garnets have rattled off 13 consecutive wins after starting 0-2, triumphing over a tough slate that includes Burlington Township, Audubon, Gloucester, Holy Cross, Haddon Township, and Triton. Coach Michelle Hastings celebrated her 200th career victory with a 15-1 rout of Maple Shade. Haddon Heights boasts a 6-1 record in games decided by two runs or fewer.

18. Morris Catholic (9-6)

The defending Morris County champions were eliminated in the county semifinals, falling 3-1 to then-No. 14 Morris Knolls, after outscoring opponents 14-0 in the tournament’s first two games. On Thursday, the Crusaders have an opportunity to redeem an earlier loss to Hanover Park. With upcoming games against St. Thomas Aquinas, Hunterdon Central, Pingry, and others, they aim to regain momentum for the state tournament, where they’ve been reclassified to Non-Public A this year.

19. St. Thomas Aquinas (13-3)

The Trojans fell 9-2 to a higher-ranked Hunterdon Central but bounced back with a 3-0 victory over perennial Central Jersey powerhouse Robbinsville. Liz Negron has been a standout for Coach Missy Collazo, excelling both as a pitcher and hitter. The Trojans are in strong form, playing high-quality softball as they approach the GMC Tournament.

20. St. Joseph (Hamm.) (13-4)

The Wildcats nearly upset No. 4 Kingsway in their tournament final, letting a 6-2 lead slip in a 7-6 loss. Nevertheless, St. Joseph (Hamm.) reached the final by defeating Cinnaminson and Hightstown and secured a win over Ocean City the following day. Three of their four losses this season have come against Top 20 teams.

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