SAN MARCOS — As a recent Cal State San Marcos softball practice wrapped, second-year Cougars head coach A.J. Robinson posed a rhetorical question to his team:
“Who’s the greatest hitter of all time? Who’s on that Mount Rushmore?”
He didn’t wait for an answer.
“You need to make room for Jill.”
“Jill” is senior shortstop Jillian Albayati, who ranks third nationally in NCAA Division II with a .558 batting average. She made history last season after becoming the first athlete to play in a softball and baseball game on the same day.
Albayati, named one of CSUSM’s Student-Athletes of the Month for February, continued her standout season in the Cougars’ latest win — a 9-4 come-from-behind victory over San Francisco State in the second game of a Saturday doubleheader, completing a four-game sweep in two days — going 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run (her ninth of the season) and four RBIs.
The No. 2 Cougars improved to 28-3 overall and 10-2 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play.
“I try to keep it simple and focus on team at-bats,” Albayati said. “If there are runners on, I just do my job. Right now, I’m not getting thrown to much, but I’m still trying to find my pitches every at-bat.”
Robinson praised her approach.
“Great swing, balanced with power, understands how pitchers are attacking her,” he said. “She’s just an unbelievable hitter. I tell our players constantly to watch the best players on our team — how they carry themselves, how they go about their business. At practice, watch Jill.”
Senior pitcher Jordan Hill, who earned her 10th win against San Francisco State, said Albayati’s consistency sets the tone.
“Every time Jill goes up to bat, you know something positive is going to happen,” Hill said. “Some players swing for home runs every at-bat, and it’s either a homer or a strikeout. But Jill has always been team-first. It’s not always the long balls that win games — sometimes it’s the base hits and doing what the team needs at that moment.”
Hill, two-time FloCollege/CCAA Softball Pitcher of the Week and the lone senior in a rotation otherwise made up of freshmen, has been just as dominant inside the circle. She owns a 0.90 ERA, fourth in the nation, and has served as a cornerstone of leadership for a young pitching staff.
“When I found out the rest of my pitching staff was all freshmen, that was a little nerve-wracking,” Hill said. “But from practice and those first games, you could tell the freshmen were stepping up. Even without as much experience, they’re still able to get the job done.”
That group — Daleah Cardenas, Madison Cabrera and Hailey Shiflett — has been equally impressive. Cardenas leads at 11-0 with a 1.13 ERA, Cabrera is 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA, and Shiflett is 2-1 with a 2.27 ERA.
CSUSM graduated 10 players in 2025 and added 13 freshmen, making the team’s success even more notable.
“We lost our whole pitching staff from last year,” Robinson said. “Four brand-new pitchers this year, three of them freshmen — and they’ve been outstanding. Jordan’s leadership is something that probably doesn’t get enough credit.”
After opening the season 2-1, the Cougars ripped off 20 straight wins and earned the program’s first-ever No. 1 national ranking. They are currently ranked No. 2 in the NFCA Division II coaches poll.
“We didn’t really talk about the streak,” Robinson said. “Obviously, the ranking — that’s big news. First team at Cal State San Marcos to be No. 1 in the country. But we just played game by game.”
The offense has been just as dynamic. Zoe Karam is hitting .304 with seven home runs, Czar Fleischman is batting .312 with five home runs, and Angelina Rodriguez leads the team with a .385 average.
“I think everybody on the team steps up,” Albayati said. “Even someone off the bench, pinch-hitting is still a hard out. Everyone contributes in different ways, and it really works for us.”
“They’re really hungry this year,” Robinson added. “We have freshmen playing and supporting in their roles, and the future is really bright because of the buy-in from these players and how they work together.”
Upcoming games:
- March 27, 1 p.m. — at No. 25 Cal State Monterey Bay (DH Game 1)
- March 27, 3 p.m. — at No. 25 Cal State Monterey Bay (DH Game 2)
- March 28, 11 a.m. — at No. 25 Cal State Monterey Bay (DH Game 1)
- March 28, 1 p.m. — at No. 25 Cal State Monterey Bay (DH Game 2)
- April 2, 1 p.m. — vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (DH Game 1)
- April 2, 3 p.m. — vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (DH Game 2)
- April 3, 12 p.m. — vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (DH Game 1)
- April 3, 2 p.m. — vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (DH Game 2)
- April 10, 1 p.m. — at No. 3 Cal State East Bay (DH Game 1)
- April 10, 3 p.m. — at No. 3 Cal State East Bay (DH Game 2)
- April 11, 11 a.m. — at No. 3 Cal State East Bay (DH Game 1)
- April 11, 1 p.m. — at No. 3 Cal State East Bay (DH Game 2)
