LOUISVILLE, Ky. – One student-athlete from each of the NFCA's NAIA six regions has been selected by the Association's NAIA All-America Committee as finalists for the 2026 NFCA NAIA Freshman of the Year award.  

Williams Baptist University's Addison Foster (Region I), Bryan College's Ava Saul (Region II), Oklahoma City University's Hadley Gibson (Region III), Dornt University's Rylee Yager (Region IV), Central Methodist University's Emma King (Region V) and Campbellsville University's Lydia Jones (Region VI) are in the running for the national award, which will be announced on June 9. 

All six finalists earned all-conference and NFCA All-Region accolades this season. Only Jones did not receive the Freshman of the Year award in her respective conference.

Three of the six schools — Campbellsville, Central Methodist and Oklahoma City — have previously had a finalist. Oklahoma City is the only program to have three finalists over the six-year history of the award, which includes 2024 winner Tara Hoehner.

The award honors outstanding athletic achievement among freshman softball student-athletes throughout NAIA. To be eligible, student-athletes must come from an NFCA member institution.

NFCA NAIA Freshman of the Year Winners
2025 – Ayla Davies, Southern Oregon

2024 – Tara Hoehner, Oklahoma City

2023 – Kira Baker, Baker University

2022 – Riley Sanders, Southeastern University

2021 – Emily Loveless, Reinhardt University

The NFCA is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaches polls and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards, to in-person events and National Convention.