Maya Johnson of Belmont headlines the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Softball Scholar-Athlete Team as she has been named the league's Scholar-Athlete of the Year. A total of 52 student-athletes are on this year's team. Johnson holds a 3.85 while pursuing a graduate degree in nursing at Belmont. She maintained an undergraduate GPA of 3.893 in nursing at Belmont.
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: P Maya Johnson, Belmont
Tatum Aragon, Drake, Sr., 3.87 Psychology
Megan Asher, Indiana State, Sr., 3.7667 Biology
Isabella Atkinson, Illinois State, Sr., 3.60 Agriculture
Skylar Benesh, UNI, So., 3.91 PE Teaching
Maleah Blomenkamp, Southern Illinois, Sr., 4.00 Dental Hygiene
Brenna Blume, Belmont, Sr., 3.813 Economics
Niki Bode, Evansville, Jr., 3.552 Nursing
Bailah Bognar, Illinois State, Sr., 4.00 Business Admin and Marketing
Ashley Breeding, Bradley, Sr., 3.64 Criminology
Cadan Brinkman, Valparaiso, Sr., 3.714 Biology
Katelyn Callahan, UNI, So., 3.98 Management: Business Administration | Finance: Financial Management
Austin Comstock, Bradley, Sr., 4.00 Psychology
Ellie Giles, Belmont, Sr., 3.897 Marketing
Morgan Goodrich, Indiana State, Sr., 3.959 Interior Architecture Design
Sage Grann, Southern Illinois, So., 3.932 Exercise Science
Breanna Haislip, Murray State, Sr., 3.72 Exercise Science/Pre-Health Professional
Adison Hicks, Murray State, Sr., 3.94 Health & PE/P-12 Certification
Taylor Howe, Evansville, Sr., 3.806 Communication
Kathryn Huels, Murray State, Jr., 3.64 Business Administration
Nicole Hughes, Belmont, Sr., 3.702 Hospitality and Tourism Management
Maya Johnson, Belmont, Gr., 3.85 Nursing (undergrad: 3.893 Nursing)
Amanda Knutson, Southern Illinois, Jr., 3.794 Sport Administration
Kayden Krug, Valparaiso, Jr., 3.944 Elementary Education
Kate Lappe, UNI, Sr., 3.69 Accounting
Erin Lee, Southern Illinois, Sr., 3.821 Exercise Science
Kierston McCoy, Bradley, Sr., 3.73 Public Health Education
Sydney McDermott, Valparaiso, Sr., 3.684 Health Sciences
Paige Mcleod, Illinois State, Jr., 3.70 Prelicensure BSN
Hannah Meshnick, Illinois State, Sr., 3.96 Exercise Science
Kenley Minor, Murray State, So., 3.91 Business Administration
Larissa Ortiz, UIC, Gr., 4.00 Marketing (undergrad: 3.78 Management)
Madison Poulson, Indiana State, So., 3.915 Insurance & Risk Management
Caitlyn Quickle, Valparaiso, Jr., 3.575 Health Sciences
Kate Ridgway, Evansville, So., 4.000 Creative Technologies
Cameran Rios, UIC, Sr., 3.55 Biological Sciences
Francesca Rita, Drake, Jr., 3.80 Mathematics Education; Secondary Education
Isabelle Saylor, Indiana State, Sr., 3.7198 Sport Management
Jayme Scheck, Drake, Sr., 3.88 Elementary Education
Morgan Schlosser, Bradley, So., 3.82 Kinesiology
Ella Shafer, Bradley, Jr., 4.00 Sports Communication
Ashlynn Sheets, Drake, Jr., 3.80 Elementary Education
Ella Smithson, UNI, Jr., 3.85 Biology: Biomedical | Biochemistry
Rylee Spindler, Belmont, So., 3.783 Exercise Science
Sam Tourtillott, UIC, Sr., 3.64 Psychology
Brooke Voss, Evansville, Jr., 3.832 Exercise Science - Applied Track
Annie Waggoner, Indiana State, Jr., 3.975 Physical Education All-Grade
Kynadee Warner, Murray State, So., 3.63 Exercise Science/Exercise Physiology
Natalle Watts, Drake, Sr., 3.83 Health Science: Clinical & Medical
Emily Williams, Southern Illinois, Jr., 3.564 Nursing
Jess Willsey, Evansville, Sr., 3.605 Sports Communication
Anna Wischnowski, UNI, Gr., 4.00 Speech-Language Pathology (undergrad: 3.75 Communication Disorders)
Tatum Wolford, Illinois State, So., 3.92 Elementary Education
To meet the criteria, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically. Redshirt freshmen were not eligible. Nominees must have a 3.50 cumulative GPA, both as an undergraduate and graduate student, where applicable. Eligible nominees must compete in at least 75 percent of the institution’s games played OR must start in at least 50 percent of the institution’s games. For pitchers, a student-athlete must have made at least 17 appearances OR pitched 35 innings.