LOUISVILLE, Ky. – La Salle Institute’s (N.Y.) Natalya Horton, Greenville’s (Ill.) Ava Potthast, Ponte Vedra’s (Fla.) Aoife Weaver, Sachse’s (Texas) Maya McClarity and Highland’s (Idaho) Reece Bybee captured the latest MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Spring Player of the Week awards of the 2026 season, the Association announced on Monday. They are being recognized for their outstanding play for the week of April 6-12.
Horton stuck out 44 over 17 no-hit innings for the Cadets to earn East Region honors. The junior tossed a seven-inning no-hitter (17 strikeouts) in a 2-1 victory versus Schalmont on Wednesday, then fanned 24 and walked none in a 10-inning triumph over Lansingburgh two days later.
In the North, Potthast fanned a combined 21 in two lopsided wins for the Tigers. She pitched four innings in both games, fanning 10 and allowing no hits last Monday against Vandalia, then struck out 11 and limited North Mac to one hit and one walk on Saturday. The junior also helped herself at the plate, going 5-for-6 (.833) with four runs, a double, triple and five RBI for the week.
Weaver was the leader in the South Region, going 7-for-7 with five runs, a double, triple, homer and nine RBI for the Sharks. The senior homered and collected four RBI last Monday against Palatka, then drove in five with a double and a triple versus Flagler Palm Coast on Tuesday.
South Central honors went to McClarity, who was perfect at the plate (7-for-7) with seven runs, two doubles, three homers and 13 RBI. The junior homered twice and doubled to drive in half of the Mustangs’ 20 runs Wednesday against North Garland. She followed that up with another double, homer and three RBI versus South Garland on Saturday.
Bybee garnered West Region recognition for the Rams, reaching base nine times on seven hits and two walks in a doubleheader sweep of Madison. She was 7-for-7 with eight runs, two triples, three homers and 15 RBI. The senior scored four runs in both games, homered twice and drove in eight in game one, and had two triples, another homer and seven RBI in the nightcap.
MaxPreps.com
, the official high school statistical provider of the NFCA, provides all statistics for the NFCA High School Player of the Week award. To nominate a player a coach must enter the athlete's game stats into MaxPreps.com by Sunday evening to be eligible for that week’s award.
The MaxPreps/NFCA High School Player of the Week is announced on NFCA.org on Mondays during the season.
MaxPreps is a free stat tool that is available to high school coaches across the country and is one of the most recognized and respected high school athletics websites on the internet. Coaches who enter their team’s stats on MaxPreps will not only be nominating their players for this award, but they will be getting their team’s information out to thousands of high school sports fans, as well as college coaches across the country.
To obtain a coach’s login, please contact: coachsupport@maxpreps.com or call (800) 329-7324 x1. To enter a team’s stats on the MaxPreps website, please click here.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded student-athlete 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.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining our lineup of over 7,000 coaches today!
