Marissa Scarano has dreamed of playing Division I softball since she was in seventh grade.

That dream is one step closer to reality as Scarano, a junior on the Newburgh Free Academy softball team, announced on Oct. 30 she has verbally committed to play softball for the University at Albany, beginning in the spring of 2024.

“The coaching staff at Albany made me feel comfortable and they were really welcoming,” Scarano said.

“After checking all the boxes that Albany offers, they really hit every one that I’m looking for academically and athletically.”

And she was looking for quite a bit.

Academically, she was seeking a biology program because she plans to pursue a career as a dentist, and one of the girls on the team is the head of the dentist program.

On the diamond, she’ll play for UAlbany coach Chris Cannata, a 1985 graduate from UAlbany, who has led the softball team since 1994.

She is the winningest coach in the history of the UAlbany program, amassing a 782-420-1 overall record, and has averaged over 30 wins per season.

She’s had the most contact with Joe Reardon, who completed his 18th season as UAlbany hitting coach. He also assists with recruiting.

Reardon is a Newburgh Free Academy graduate who has coached with Newburgh softball coach Chris

Leggett when they were both assistants under coach Lou Bucci.

“Him and I have known each other for a long time, and I told him about Marissa many, many years ago,” Leggett said. “So, he’s had Marissa on his radar, and he texted me in the spring that the first call he will make as soon as NCAA rules allow him on Sept. 1 was going to be to Marissa.”

As a junior, Scarano could have taken more time with her decision, but she already knew she wanted to attend the school, and she didn’t want to keep Reardon waiting.

Now, she can play the next two seasons knowing that her college plans are secured.
“I think it will make me a little bit less stressed now that I don’t have to worry about the recruiting process,”

Scarano said. “I’m still going to do everything I have been doing and nothing’s going to change.”

When Scarano was in seventh grade, Leggett had his daughter, Gaby, pick her up and bring her to one of the team’s open gyms to see if she could play with them.

“As soon as she got in the cage, I knew she wasn’t the typical seventh grader,” he said. “The way she was hitting the ball off the machine was like she was a veteran of varsity for two or three years, so I mean right then, we knew we had somebody special.”

However, the turning point came during her eighth-grade year when she started to believe she had a future as a Division I softball player.

“I was way more confident in myself,” Scarano said. “I was hitting better, and I was just doing better at all aspects compared to my seventh-grade year.”

She had about three home runs for the Goldbacks as an eighth grade, lefthanded leadoff hitter. She was also comfortable out in center field, which she said is her favorite of the three outfield positions.

“I feel like I’m a little less hesitant in center field,” Scarano said. “When I’m in right and left, I feel like I’m more hesitant to call someone off or go for a ball.”

Leggett wouldn’t say “less hesitant” as Scarano was involved in a few collisions as she tracked a fly ball.

“She’s so aggressive as a center fielder going after the ball that we said it’s a good thing that coach (Bill) Bianco is not watching because he would want her to play safety for the football team.”

Scarano was stressed this past summer hoping coaches would call her and now that she has made her verbal commitment, as it’s too soon to officially sign, she can just focus on playing.

“I’m looking forward to playing with the team again,” Scarano said. “And I’m looking forward to just having fun now that there’s nothing really to worry about.”