LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Thirty six student-athletes from 18 programs were honored as the NFCA announced its 2026 NAIA All-America teams on Thursday afternoon.
National runner-up Southeastern University, Oklahoma City University and Saint Xavier University topped the charts with four All-Americans. The Fire and Stars each sported two first teamers. First-time national champion Madonna University followed with three All-America honorees, all on the first team. University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma also had three All-America recipients, two on the first team.
Five other programs – Brenau University, Dordt University, Freed-Hardeman University, Missouri Baptist University and Oklahoma Wesleyan University – garnered two All-America plaudits. Both of Brenau’s recipients were on the first team, while Dordt and Oklahoma Wesleyan had one first teamer.
Oklahoma City University’s Analise Rayburn earned her third first-team All-America nod, earning consecutive honors at shortstop, along with a second base selection in 2024.
Joining Rayburn as repeat first-team All-Americans are Breneau second baseman Ava Moon, University of Saint Francis (Ind.) third baseman Abby Robakowski, Madonna University shortstop (at-large) Ashley Rosiewicz and the OCU outfielder Tara Hoehner.
Also taking home a second straight All-America award are Dordt second baseman Chole Kruez and University of the Cumberlands catcher Grace Ross on the first team and Saint Xavier teammates, second baseman Aubrey Wroble and outfielder Fiona Crane.
With her first-team accolade, Ross is the 2026 Diamond Sports/NFCA NAIA Catcher of the Year. She batted .409 with 19 home runs, 61 RBI and 59 runs scored. Her long balls shattered the program’s single-season record and ranked fifth in the NAIA. Ross also registered 19 doubles, a .493 on-base percentage and an .828 slugging percentage. Defensively, she recorded a .970 fielding percentage and threw out seven runners attempting to steal.
Crane collected her second consecutive New Balance/NFCA Golden Shoe award as the NAIA’s most prolific base stealer this season 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.
Arizona Christian’s Dayna Herrera is this year’s first-team Joan Joyce Utility/Pitcher recipient, an award that honors the late Joan Joyce, an NFCA Hall of Famer and pioneer of women’s sports. A two-way star for the Firestorm, Herrera, who led Arizona Christian in nearly every offensive category, was the NAIA’s batting champion (.526) and also topped the NAIA with a .608 on-base percentage. She also topped the Firestorm in bats (137), hits (72), doubles (20), home runs (8), RBI (54) and slugging percentage (.847). In the circle, she posted a 14-6 record with a 2.95 ERA, three save, 90 strikeouts to just 29 walks.
The NFCA All-America teams are voted on by the Association’s All-America Committees. In NAIA, the committee is comprised of one member head coach from each of the NAIA’s six regions. All student-athletes who were nominated by a member head coach and voted to the first or second team All-Region squads were eligible for All-America consideration.
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