STONY BROOK, N.Y. – The Stony Brook softball team and head coach Megan Bryant welcomed four transfers this summer who will join the squad for the 2027 season: Lauren Ben-Ezra, Sienna Stingley, Mariana Palazuelos, and Brooke Mancuso.

Lauren Ben-Ezra | Gr. | OF | Poughkeepsie, N.Y. | Dartmouth
Following four years in the Ivy League with Dartmouth, Lauren Ben-Ezra comes to Long Island to help reinforce the outfield. Coming off her best offensive season yet, Ben-Ezra batted .329/.400/.506 (.906) with 20 runs scored, all while primarily serving as the team's lead-off hitter. She also posted 12 RBIs, four triples, four doubles, and one home run. Defensively, Ben-Ezra recorded 20 assists and 50 putouts in the outfield in 2026.

"We are thrilled to welcome Lauren and her family to our Seawolves family!" said Bryant. "Her offensive tools, defensive ability, experience, and competitiveness are terrific. Lauren's softball IQ and four years of Division I experience will bolster our young team."

A career .298 hitter, Ben-Ezra has racked up 87 hits in 103 games (95 starts), recording 27 multi-hit games in the process. In this time she has also totaled 51 runs, 22 RBIs, and 13 XBHs, mainly out of the one or two spot in the lineup.


Sienna Stingley | Jr. | P | Sterling, Ill. | Rock Valley
One of the top JUCO pitchers in the country over the past two seasons, Sienna Stingley helped lead Rock Valley to back-to-back NJCAA DII National Softball Tournaments in 2025 and 2026. Boasting a career 2.30 ERA with 187 strikeouts in 155.1 innings pitched, Stingley has been elite as both a starter and reliever. Across her 39 career appearances, Rock Valley went an incredible 35-4, including a perfect 18-0 last year.

"Sienna is a great addition to our pitching staff and team for a number of reasons," noted Bryant. "She brings two years of collegiate experience at a first-class junior college that only knows winning, and she understands the work and dedication it takes to achieve that success. Sienna can come into any situation and deliver. Her upside is tremendous, and we believe Sienna has the chance to grow tremendously in a Division I environment."

Stingley was also an effective hitter for Rock Valley, slashing .405/.511/.568 (1.079) with seven runs, six RBIs, and three XBHs (including one home run). She would pitch and hit in the same game six times in 2026, posting a 1.56 ERA with 25 strikeouts on the mound and batting .307 with four runs and four RBIs at the plate.


Mariana Palazuelos | Jr. | C | Camarillo, Calif. | UC Riverside
Mariana Palazuelos is trading in the west coast for the east coast following three seasons behind the dish at UC Riverside. In her most recent year with the Highlanders, Palazuelos slashed a career-best .353/.436/.471 (.907) in 19 games. During the 2025 campaign she appeared in 46 games (44 starts) and totaled 30 hits and six doubles. Overall, she owns 17 RBIs, 13 runs, and 10 doubles in her career.

"Mariana brings a strong softball IQ to Stony Brook and she will help us both offensively and defensively," stated Bryant. "She can swing the bat, has a strong arm, and works well with pitchers. With power potential and a good eye at the plate, Mariana will be a great addition to the middle of our lineup. We look to her experience as a real plus for our young pitching staff as well." 

Boasting elite plate discipline, Palazuelos only struck out six times last year and just 23 times in 184 career plate appearances. She also owns nine career multi-hit games, including a 3-for-3 effort last season vs. Northern Colorado.


Brooke Mancuso | Jr. | C/OF | Holbrook, N.Y. | Suffolk County CC
Two-time Region 15 Player of the Year and NJCAA First Team All-American Brooke Mancuso makes the short drive up to Stony Brook from Suffolk County CC following a pair of standout seasons at the JUCO level. Playing in all 32 games last year, she slashed .565/.605/1.056 (1.661) with 35 extra-base hits, 42 RBIs, and 52 runs. Mancuso's production ultimately led the Sharks to a Region 15 Championship title, an NJCAA Northeast District title, and a trip to the NJCAA DIII Softball World Series.

"Brooke is a well-rounded player who can help us in the outfield, behind the plate, and at the plate with her strong lefty bat," said Bryant. "A gritty and smart baserunner as well, Brooke brings a lot of confidence to our team. Her experience will be key as she looks to contribute at the Division I level. As a local product of both Sachem North and Suffolk CC, we are excited to see Brooke in Seawolves Red."

Last year, Mancuso posted 21 multi-hit games, including a 5-for-5 effort on March 29, and ended the season on a 13-game hitting streak, notching at least one XBH in each one. Mancuso also had 12 multi-RBI efforts and 13 multi-run performances.

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