LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Eight schools were selected by their peers as the 2026 ATEC/NFCA Spring High School Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honorees, the Association announced on Friday afternoon.
Representing the regions that compete in softball in the spring, Owyhee (Region III), Kimball (Region IV), Antioch (Region V), Calvary Baptist Academy (Region VI), West Stanly (Region VII), Kenton Ridge (Region VIII), Abington Heights (Region IX) and Cheshire (Region X) were chosen in a vote of NFCA member coaches in their respective region.
Those eight are now eligible — along with Missouri’s Chillicothe (Region I) and Oklahoma’s Guthrie (Region II), who earned regional accolades during 2025 Summer/Fall campaign — for the ATEC/NFCA High School National Coaching Staff of the Year award, which will be announced on Aug. 7.
For Owyhee and Kenton Ridge, this is their second consecutive regional honor, and it is the third accolade in the past four seasons for Antioch (also 2023 and 2024). Guthrie was a regional winner in two of the last three fall seasons (2023), and West Stanly previously won in 2022.
To be eligible for Regional or National Coaching Staff of the Year recognition, a school’s head coach must be an NFCA member and nominated.
Regional Winners
Region III — Owyhee (Idaho)
Head Coach: John Carpenter
Assistant Coaches: Cal Fazzio, Jamie Malcolm, Katie Edwards and Dani McGrath
The Storm repeated as Idaho 6A state champions, tying a state wins record by going 30-3, while extending their home win streak to 59 games over the past two seasons … Owyhee finished fifth in the NFCA Spring High School Top 25 Coaches Poll … No. 1 pitching staff in the Pacific Northwest with a staff ERA of 1.49, including Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year Hailey Brennan at 0.42 and Hailey Bock at 1.92 … Brennan fanned 386 batters and recorded all 30 victories … Team batting average of .406 and scored 317 runs … Had to replace 11 of 17 players from the 2025 state title squad, and used seven freshman or sophomore starters … Four NFCA All-Region selections … Junior varsity team won its third district championship.
Region IV — Kimball (Calif.)
Head Coach: Justin Bigler
Lost two returning All-League players to season-ending ACL injuries prior to year … With only 11 healthy players available and two athletes joining the team after completing other spring sports, every practice and every game required entrusting freshmen and sophomores with responsibilities that are typically reserved for experienced upperclassmen … Players who entered the season with limited varsity experience became dependable contributors, while veterans embraced new leadership roles that strengthened the entire roster … Kimball played one of the most demanding schedules in Northern California, with 23 of its 27 games coming against CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoff teams … The Jaguars went 16-7 against playoff teams and finished 19-8 overall and 11-4 in the Tri-City Athletic League, earning second place behind a talented Tracy High program that featured four NCAA Division I commits … Both the 19 victories and 11 league wins were the program's highest totals since 2013 … Placed five players on NFCA All-Region squad this season.
Region V — Antioch (Ill.)
Head Coach: Anthony Rocco
Assistant Coaches: Katie McKay, Tammy Johnson and Alex Caccamo
State 3A champions (second biggest division in Illinois) … Beat top-ranked Glenwood — which had seven Division I commits (and two Division I pitchers) — in the state final, while starting four freshmen there and most of the season … Went 34-3, including a 7-3 record against ranked 4A teams (largest classification), with a win over 4A state runner-up Mundelein … Beat Division I commits in super sectional final and state semis … Won sectional and super sectional championships with No. 2 pitcher after injury due to their top pitcher … Stole a school-record 134 bases … Undefeated versus teams in own class … Four NFCA All-Region players and two NFCA All-Americans (DP or utility/non-pitcher Samantha Hillner and outfielder Tegan Schuler).
Region VI — Calvary Baptist Academy (La.)
Head Coach: Tiffany Wood
Assistant Coaches: Greg Frazier, Harold Johnson and Jessica Gann
Won sixth straight state championship and eighth overall … Went 37-1 for the second consecutive year in a row, finishing first nationally in MaxPreps rankings and third in NFCA Spring High School Top 25 Coaches Poll … Head coach Tiffany Wood won her 400th career game in the state final, with all 400 victories coming at Calvary … Defeated seven teams that went on to win state titles: One in Arkansas, one in Texas, and five in Louisiana. Pitcher Kynzee Anderson won Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year for second straight season and was also was one of two NFCA All-Americans (with shortstop Baylor Bockhaus) for the Cavaliers this season … Had four NFCA All-Region selections … Full coaching staff completed four seasons together, and Wood, Johnson and Frazier have been a unit for more than 10 years.
Region VII — West Stanly (N.C.)
Head Coach: Emily Smith
Assistant Coaches: Haily Jarman, Matt Little and Abbie Yarboro
Finished 26-8 overall and made a playoff run all the way to the NCHSAA 4A championship series … Battled through multiple long-term injuries to starters to still earn a regular-season conference title and finish with a perfect 12-0 record in Rocky River Conference play … Blanked top-seeded West Stokes in the fourth round to advance to the regional championship series, where they defeated Fred T. Foard in a best two-of-three series to reach state championship series … Three NFCA All-Region selections this year … Over the last five seasons, the Colts have won three regional championships and two state titles.
Region VIII — Kenton Ridge (Ohio)
Head Coach: Sarah Schalnat
Assistant Coaches: RJ Trainer, Natalee Fyffe, Ed Foulk and Kevin Schalnat
Went undefeated 32-0 for second straight season and defended Division IV state title … Finished No. 10 in NFCA Spring High School Top 25 Coaches Poll … Shattered the Ohio state single-season home run record with 73 (previous record was 64) and have second-longest state winning streak (64), needing just four more to match Portsmouth Clay’s 68 straight wins from 1980-82 … Four All-Ohio players, five All-District honors, the League Player of the Year, and all nine starting players earned All-Conference recognition … Placed five players on the NFCA All-Region squad and had batterymates Ivee Rastatter and Brenna Fyffe voted NFCA All-Americans … Fyffe was also the 2026 Diamond Sports/NFCA High School Catcher of the Year.
Region IX — Abington Heights (Pa.)
Head Coach: John Kelly
Assistant Coaches: Victor Thomas, Mike Thomas, Jennifer Duggan and Cleave Elmy
Went 24-2 … Pennsylvania 5A state runner-up … Broke school record for wins in a season and made state finals for first time in history … Coaching staff won their 400th game … Team boasted both the state 5A Player and Pitcher of the Year … Set school records for hits and pitching wins in a season.
Region X — Cheshire (Conn.)
Head Coach: Kristine Botto Drust
Assistant Coaches: Jaymie Sommers, Kat D’Errico and Kelly Hennessey
Went 27-0, won the Southern Connecticut Conference (SCC) and repeated as CIAC Class LL state champion … Finished as the unanimous No. 1-ranked team in Connecticut … Was top-ranked squad all season in two polls … Coaching staff won 2026 Team of the Year honors and Drust was SCC Coach of the Year … St. John’s University-bound NFCA All-Region and All-America recipient Jenica Matos was 2026 Connecticut Pitcher of the Year, and has garnered national news coverage for having Stargardt disease, a rare genetic eye disorder that has taken away her central vision, which makes her legally blind … Second baseman Jordan McCue also earned All-Region and All-America honors this season.
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