LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Cheshire’s (Conn.) Jenica Matos, Buckley’s (Mich.) Maddie Chilson, Deep Run’s (Va.) Emily Plank, South Warren’s (Ky.) McLaine Hudson and Bartlett’s (Alaska) Khloe Faaaliga 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 May 18-24.
Matos struck out 32 and allowed just three hits over 14 innings in the circle for the Rams to pace all East Region players this past week. She pitched a two-hit shutout (15 strikeouts) against Southington last Monday and a one-hit shutout (17 strikeouts) versus Sheehan on Friday for Cheshire, the No. 24 team in the NFCA Spring High School Top 25 Coaches Poll.
In the North, Chilson was 7-for-7 with three triples, two home runs, six runs scored and six RBI for the Bears. She had three hits, including a triple and homer, in the first of two games Thursday against Onekama, then collected two more triples and another homer among four hits in the nightcap. Chilson scored three runs in each contest.
Plank was the leader in the South Region, striking out 14 of the 23 batters she faced and allowing just two hits and no walks over seven innings last Tuesday in a 2-0 victory over Mechanicsville. She lowered her ERA to 1.30 for 16 appearances so far this season.
South Central honors went to Hudson, who was 5-for-5 with five runs, five RBI, two doubles, two homers and two walks to help the No. 3-ranked (38-0) Spartans stay unbeaten with a pair of wins. The senior shortstop and reigning Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year had three hits, including a double and homer, two runs and two RBI versus Warren Central last Monday, then another double and homer, three more runs, three RBI and two walks the following day against Greenwood.
Faaaliga garnered West Region recognition, going 6-for-6 with five runs, a triple, three homers and four RBI for the Golden Bears. The sophomore had three hits against both Dimond and Service last Monday, with a triple and two homers in the former, and a solo homer in the latter.
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!
