LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Appalachian State’s Makayla McClain and Texas’ Katie Stewart shared Division I Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player of the Week honors with UCF’s Isabella Vega being voted Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week for the final weekly honors of 2025.
McClain batted .818 (9-for-11) with three doubles, a triple, home run, 3 RBI and six runs scored in a three game series against Coastal Carolina. She recorded three multi-hit games, slugged 1.545 and reached-base at a .846 clip. The highlight of the series was McClain hitting for the cycle in the series finale, the first in program history, and scoring three runs. She also generated the game-tying single in a walk-off win and followed up with a game-tying home run in game two.
Stewart keyed the Longhorns to a three-game sweep of Kentucky, batting .778 with a double, home run, four RBI and six runs scored. She slugged 1.222 and posted a .800 on-base percentage. She recorded her second career four-hit game, which included a home run and two RBI in game two. Stewart matched a career high with three runs scored to go along with a double and two more RBI in the series finale. She was 6-for-6 over the final two games.
Vega picked up two wins in UCF’s Big 12 series sweep at Kansas. The freshman hurler no-hit the Jayhawks in game one, striking out four and walking one. Vega earned a win in relief in game two, tossing two innings of shutout relief in a come-from-behind eight-inning win in game two. She fanned two, walked one and surrendered one hit.
The awards are voted on by the NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll Committee, which features one member head coach from each of the NCAA’s 31 conferences.
Selected Top Performances
Jordy Bahl, Nebraska - .455, 5 H, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R, 1.091 SLG, SB, 2-0, 0.00 ERA, SHO, 11 IP, H, 0 R, 16 K, .029 opp BA, broke program’s single-season record for extra-base hits; Lauren Boyd, Northwestern – 2-0, 1.62 ERA, 7 K, 3 BB, 13.0 IP, .156 opp BA, SHO vs. UCLA; Maya Johnson, Belmont – Two-hit complete-game shutout vs. Indiana State (18 K, 0 BB, 7 IP); Emiley Kennedy, Texas A&M – 2-0, 1.17 ERA, 16 K, 4 H, 2 CG, SHO; Kendre Luschar, Oregon - .571, 8 H, 2B, 3B, 10 RBI, 10-game hitting streak; Jaden Martinez, FAU – Perfect game at Tulsa (7 IP, 2 K); Ella Parker, Oklahoma - .667, 2B, 2 HR, BB, 3 R, 4 RBI, four-game home run streak; Meghan Sinkus, Saint Joseph’s - .556, 2B, 2 3B, 6 RBI, 5 R, .667 OBP, 1.111 SLG; Tristian Thompson, Oregon State - .600, 6 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, two multi-hit games, .636 OBP, 1.200 SLG; Odhi Vasquez, Saint Mary’s – 2-0, 0.64 ERA, ER, 3 H, 10 K, 5 BB, 11 IP; Reagan Walsh, Florida - .700, HR, 5 RBI, 1.000 SLG.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded Louisville Slugger/Player & Wilson/Pitcher of the Week awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from webinars to legal counsel, to in-person events and the National Convention.
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