Columbia University’s softball program has announced the addition of four new student-athletes to its 2026 roster. The incoming class, introduced by head coach Jennifer Teague, includes players from California, Texas, and New Jersey.
“This is such an exciting time for our program,” Teague said. “Being able to add this level of talent to an already stacked team is truly thrilling. We’ve added depth across the board — pitching, outfield, and infield — and I believe we’re setting ourselves up for another serious run at a championship.”
The group features Madeline Lawson from Rancho Murieta, California; Alexia Ruiz from Katy, Texas; Brianna Santangelo from Red Bank, New Jersey; and Onna Swanigan from Elk Grove, California.
Lawson played four years as a pitcher and infielder at Pleasant Grove High School under coach Becca Collom. She earned Cal State First Team honors three times and was named NorCal Pitcher of the Year as a sophomore. Over her high school career, she struck out 645 batters with a 35-9 record and held opponents to a .180 batting average in 484.1 innings pitched. At bat, she had a career average of .382 and hit .478 during her senior year. Lawson also played club softball with fellow recruit Onna Swanigan on the LTG Lions.
Ruiz was a seven-time letter winner at Mayde Creek High School in both softball and volleyball. She was recognized as District Offensive Player of the Year during her senior season after hitting .449 with ten extra-base hits. Over her high school career, Ruiz recorded a .525 batting average with 23 home runs and 85 RBI. She was listed among the top-75 recruits for the class of 2025 by Extra Innings Softball.
Santangelo lettered four times in softball at Red Bank Catholic under coach Tony Flego. She helped lead her team to three consecutive division championships and received all-division honors twice. During her last two seasons, she hit .366 with 40 runs scored and seven home runs.
Swanigan competed for Cosumnes Oaks High School where she was named Team MVP in 2025 and selected for the Sacramento Optimist All-Star team that same year. In four seasons she posted a .336 batting average with 63 runs scored while leading her team offensively as a senior.
The new recruits bring experience in multiple positions including pitching, catching, outfield, and middle infield roles. Columbia supporters can find more information about the full roster on the Columbia Lions’ official website or follow updates through their social media channels on X (@CULionsSoftball), Instagram (@culionssoftball), and Facebook (@ColumbiaSoftball).
