LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Over the course of the NFCA’s 2026 collegiate awards season, the Association recognized nine student-athletes as New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe Award recipients. Announced during each division’s All-America or Special Awards release, the distinction is bestowed on the student-athlete who was voted as the top base stealer.
The NFCA All-America teams are voted on by the Association’s All-America Committees, or in the case of NJCAA Division III, Cal JC and NWAC, teams are voted on by the respective membership’s head coaches. The High School recipient will be announced on July 10.
This year’s recipients are as follows:
NCAA Division I
Chelsea Mack, University of Louisville
It was the second Golden Shoe plaudit for Mack, who won it her senior year as a member of the Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School (Ohio) team. The senior outfielder ranked second in Division I with 45 stolen bases and fourth in stolen bases per game (0.78). Mack finished the season with a .439 batting average, 87 hits and a .500 on-base percentage. She reached base in 55 games and recorded a hit in 49 of 58 contests.
NCAA Division II
Makenzie Sais, Washburn University
Mackenzie Sais, a sophomore outfielder and third-team All-American cruised to NCAA DII’s stolen base title. She swiped 69 bases in 79 attempts, 17 more than her nearest competitor. Sais, who hails from Frederick, Colo., also topped the charts with 1.25 steals per game and stole a season-high four bases against Montana State Billings and Southeastern Oklahoma. At the plate, Sais led the Ichabods with a .421 average, 75 hits, 48 runs scored and a .507 on-base percentage.
NCAA Division III
Caelee Clark, Texas Lutheran University
Clark won her third New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe award in four seasons after becoming the NCAA’s all-divisions stolen base leader this year. She finished with 306 steals in four years, including a career-best 89 in 92 attempts (.967 success rate) this season. Clark also won the award in 2023 and 2024. Clark led Division III in runs scored (76) and ranked third in runs per game (1.58).
NAIA
Fiona Crane – Saint Xavier University
Crane collected her second consecutive New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe award as she broke the NAIA’s single-season record with 95 stolen bases in 101 attempts. That total eclipsed last year’s mark of 71. She averaged 1.67 steals per game and recorded multiple steals in 26 contests. Crane swiped a career-best seven against Clarke, stole six more at Calumet, five versus Missouri Valley and recorded four thefts three different times. She ranked second in the NAIA with 79 runs scored and fourth in base hits with 88.
NJCAA Division I
Bre Hughes – Northwest Florida State College
Hughes, who finished second overall in NJCAA DI, was a perfect 60 for 60 in stolen bases and was the only player inside the top 13 that was not caught this year, with the next closest perfect season at 40 steals. She swiped a season-best four bases against Louisburg College and Gulf Coast State College, three versus Olney Central College, Snow College and Lake Land College and two 12 different times. The sophomore middle infielder also ranked second in NJCAA DI with 89 runs and seventh with 42 walks, to go along with a .363 batting average, 14 doubles, six triples, 10 home runs, 47 RBI and a .520 on-base percentage.
NJCAA Division II
Grace Strecker – Labette Community College
Strecker was the top base stealer across all three NJCAA divisions, swiping 78 in 81 attempts (1.56 steals/game) for Labette’s third-ranked runners (207 steals). The sophomore opened the year with five stolen bases against Pratt on Feb. 9 and never looked back, collecting four steals in four games, and posting two or three thefts in 18 other contests.
NJCAA Division III
Izzy Parsons – North Dakota State College of Science
Parsons ran away with NJCAA DIII’s stolen base title, swiping 64 bases in 68 attempts, 11 more than her nearest competitor. She recorded multiple steals 18 times, with a season-best four stolen bases against Southwestern Community College, Dakota College at Bottineau and Miles Community College. Parsons, who also ranked fourth in runs scored (64), had three stolen bases in five games and two nine times.
Cal JC
Alivia Martinez – Citrus College
Martinez, an NFCA All-America outfielder, earned the distinction as Cal JC’s top base stealer. The speedy sophomore swiped 38 bases in 40 attempts to go along with a .457 batting average, 71 runs scored 21 doubles, seven triples and 43 RBI. She ranked top 10 in the 3C2A in runs (2nd), doubles (4th), stolen bases (4th) and triples (9th). Martinez stole a season-high four bases at Glendale and three against Cuesta.
NWAC
Brooklyn Van Renselaar – Clackamas Community College
Speedy freshman outfielder Van Renselaar led the NWAC with 47 steals in 50 attempts on the league’s top stolen base team (146 steals). She had 11 games with multiple steals this year for the (32-22) Cougars, including seven games with two and three contests with three. Van Renselaar swiped a season-best four bases in the first game of a doubleheader against Clark on March 15.
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About National Fastpitch Coaches Association
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