New York Rise softball returns to Long Island next week with an eye on a bigger 2027
New York Rise pitcher Courtney Wyche at Bill Edwards Stadium on July 3, 2024. Credit: James Escher
Professional softball will be back on Long Island this summer, but in a limited capacity.
The New York Rise will play eight games as part of the Professional Softball League (PSL), a new coalition of softball teams aiming to advance the sport at the professional level.
The Rise begin their season on the road at 7:35 p.m. on Thursday for the first of a three-game series with the Kansas City Diamonds, then play at the Atlanta Smoke on July 6-7. The Rise will host the Diamonds in a three-game series July 9-11 at Bill Edwards Stadium at Hofstra.
Owner Jeff Ahn of Syosset founded the Rise in 2024 in hopes of bringing pro softball to Long Island and giving athletes the opportunity to continue playing after college. The Rise played a 19-game inaugural season as part of the Association of Fastpitch Professionals then played a 30-game season in the Fastpitch United Pro Series last year.
Ahn said the decision not to play a full season was strategic for a number of reasons. He recently took a new job as a global controller at an alternative investment firm in Stamford, Connecticut, which has required extra commitment and commute time. Ahn has financed the Rise since the beginning, but he knows that reaching new levels will take more than just himself.
“I didn’t think 2026 was the endgame for this thing,” Ahn told Newsday. “I want this to be great, but it’s not going to be just me continuing to finance and support this team to make it great. If this thing is going to keep moving forward, it needs a person’s full attention and a bit more strategic backing.”
And with a new league comes uncertainty, though Ahn is optimistic for the PSL’s future.
The Diamonds, Smoke, Florida Vibe and Florida Breeze will play a full schedule, upwards of 30 games each, while four other teams, including the Rise, will play a reduced schedule as they prepare for expansion and the 2027 season. All PSL games will be broadcast on the All Women’s Sports Network on Prime Video.
“I do think the league is heading in the right direction,” Ahn said. “They are adding teams with some deeper pockets. There’s some real interest. I view it as a growth stage year for the league, and I’m trying to see how we fit into this growth of the league as the momentum is starting to take hold.”
So, why play at all this summer?
“I wanted to keep the brand relevant and I wanted to give New York enough games so that we’re meeting demand,” Ahn said. “I’m buying time. I’m going to do the best I can for Long Island this summer and then really just look to 2027 and beyond and try to make this thing better.”
Ahn said tickets for next Thursday’s home opener at Hofstra are already sold out, but there are still seats open for Friday and Saturday’s games. Ahn’s goal has always been to create a lively and interactive fan experience at home games. Mascot Double Play and broadcaster Ally Melendez will be back in the stands interacting with fans next weekend. Ahn said he is working on securing celebrity guest appearances, including some former Mets players.
Courtney Wyche and Courtney Day are the only returning players from last year’s team. Wyche is the only player on the roster who has been with the Rise since the team’s inception.
Several former Rise players, including East Meadow’s Jenna Laird, are playing in Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), a six-team pro softball league that is backed by MLB with their games airing across ESPN's platforms.
“I think the biggest part of watching the AUSL and the PSL grow is that hopefully, one day the two leagues can merge and continue to build professional softball so that little girls growing up can say, ‘That’s something I can realistically do one day,’” Wyche said.
The pitcher said the abbreviated season benefits her efforts to build her coaching business, Spins, Speed and Snap Pitching in Maryland, her home state. She said some of the athletes she trains are from New York and make the trip to Maryland for training sessions. Sometimes, Wyche will head to New York to coach them.
“I think it’s going to be a really good brand-building year for everybody,” Wyche said. “I think we’re going to put the Rise back to where we need to be going into next year. I have a lot of young ladies that have reached out to me through social media that are excited to come to the games. I’m extremely excited to be back on Long Island.”
Ahn’s daughter, Josie, is a rising junior on Syosset’s varsity softball team. He hopes the deliberate step back this year will pay dividends in the long run for the younger generation.
“I’m trying to leave this sport in a better place than when I started,” Ahn said. “A lot of the players that have played with the Rise in the last two years have gone on to do great things, so that’s exciting. I just wish I could be more of an impact.”
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
