NJ Pride 18U Is Runner-Up
In Powerful 96-Team IDT Field

Competing in a top-shelf field on the national fastpitch softball scene is nothing new for NJ Pride and in the latest rendition of their 2025 team motto, ’We can play too!’ the Essex County-based 18-U National Stern team finished a program-best second as the runner-up to the California Batbusters while going an impressive 17-1-1 in a formidable 96-team field during the 30th annual Independence Day Tournament (IDT) June 28-July 5 in Boulder, Colo.

Taking place each summer during the week leading up to the 4th of July holiday celebration, the prestigious IDT attracts the nation’s top fastpitch softball teams, many of which are well-stocked with Power 4 Conference players heading to big-time schools in the strongest conferences such as the Atlantic Coast, Southeastern and Big 10.

“I am so proud our what our kids accomplished in such a top-level national invitational tournament,” said NJ Pride President Rob Stern. “We showed once again that the Northeast can definitely perform the best teams in the country, regardless of what strong warm-weather-state teams are there.”  
NJ Pride’s 18U team wielded power-laden bats hammering a total of 35 home runs during the 2026 IDT including an amazing 11 round-trippers off the bat of graduated Mount St. Dominic slugger Jill Cianfrocca.

The Villanova-bound all-state Mount first baseman had hit seven home runs in last year’s IDT when NJ Pride 18U had finished a then program-best third place in the 96-team field. 

Also once again helping to boost NJ Pride 18U’s stellar efforts in the IDT was another Mount star, rising senior pitcher Ava Kelshaw who is a University of Michigan commit.

After going 6-0 in IDT ‘pool play,’ NJ Pride 18U continued its incredible run including winning seven consecutive elimination bracket games to reach the final vs. the Orange County-based Batbusters, who are the premier travel softball team in talent-laden California. 

The Batbusters had also defeated NJ Pride in the semifinals of the 2025 IDT.  

NJ Pride Holding Tryouts Throughout July At Caldwell U

The setting is Caldwell University’s superb softball field, but the eventual travels for NJ Pride players of all ages can be at a wide variety of top-notch venues throughout not only the state of New Jersey but also at many national tournaments.

It is time for NJ Pride tryouts which are being held on a weekly basis throughout July while providing an excellent opportunity to become part of New Jersey’s longest-running program whose success stretches back four decades and continues to provide a big boost in the ascension of young elementary-level and middle school-age players plus continued improvement for high school students, and certainly as well for those talented individuals who eventually advance into a college program.

The tryouts, for all position players who would like to be part of 10U through 18U teams, will be held 6 p.m., Tuesdays, July 7, 14, 21 and 28, and also Wednesdays, July 15, 22 and 29, at the Caldwell U diamond located at 3 Ryerson Ave.

“If you want to learn and be recruited, come out to a tryout and get with the skulls!,” said Rob Stern, the longtime NJ Pride present and coach. “We have an amazing group of coaches who teach the game and over the years we have sent 390 players to college.”

Teams such as Pride 18U Stern, Pride 16U National and Pride 14U have all had success on a Northeast and national level, including at showcase events such as the Independence Day Tournament in Boulder and Longmont Colorado, the Easton Rawlings in Chicago and Alliance National in Indianapolis, which are all prime venues for national-level recruiting by college coaches.

As an example of the continued development of current high school players in North Jersey, one can take a look back just two summers ago and know that among next spring’s talented returning scholastic players to watch in 2027 will be several key members of a successful 2024 NJ Pride 14U team such as Kaylan Bartolozzi and Bella Baez of Mount St. Dominic, Siri Krabbe of Montclair, Gabby Ladd at Montclair Kimberley Academy, Jamie Tarrow at Columbia and Sophia Messenger at Cranford.

And, the top colleges stay very much in play for NJ Pride players, including on the recent Division I landscape for Mount St. Dominic’s first team all-state tandem of the now graduated first baseman Jill Cianfrocca (Villanova University bound) and rising senior pitcher Ava Kelshaw (University of Michigan commit).  

“Our goal is to help our players achieve their greatest potential while enjoying the great sport of softball,” said Stern. “We look forward to see interested players of all ages come out to our tryouts and see first-hand the opportunities that are always there in being part of our program.”
For those interested in attending one of the July tryouts at Caldwell U make sure to sign up prior to your tryout at http://www.njpridesoftball.com