LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. revealed the nine recipients of the 2026 NAIA Rawlings Gold Glove Award®, presented by the NFCA, on Friday.
Two schools — Southern Oregon University and University of Tennessee Southern — had a pair of honorees apiece. Five others had one player each voted to the prestigious team.
Pitcher Lexi Ramirez and center fielder Ari Williams represented Southern Oregon, while Tennessee Southern’s Carley Cook (first base) and Hannah Lindsey (third base) manned the corner infield spots.
University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma catcher Leighanne Eaton completed the battery while earning her second straight honor, while University of the Cumberlands’ Aniyah White is the second baseman, and University of Mobile’s Daryelin Rivas is the shortstop.
Tabor College’s Reese Hefley and College of Coastal Georgia’s Rily Andrews bookend Williams in the Gold Glove outfield in left and right, respectively.
Region I had three winners, while Regions III and IV earned two selections. Regions II and VI had one honoree each.
Cumberlands and Southern Oregon have had a winner all four years of the award, while Sciences & Arts have had three program recipients, and Coastal Georgia and Mobile have been honored twice.
Recipients of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, presented by the NFCA, were selected by the NFCA’s NAIA All-America Committee, following regional voting to identify the finalists at each position. The group utilized fielding statistics and school-submitted video to closely examine finalists and select the winners at every defensive position. Any student-athlete that competed in the current championship year and was nominated by their head coach who is a member in good standing with the NFCA was eligible for consideration for this prestigious accolade.
About Rawlings
Established in 1887, Rawlings is an innovative leading global brand and manufacturer of premium baseball and softball equipment, including gloves, balls, and protective headwear. Rawlings' unparalleled quality, innovative engineering and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings.
Rawlings is the Official Baseball, Helmet, Face Guard and Glove of Major League Baseball, the Official Baseball of Minor League Baseball and the Official Baseball and Softball of the NCAA and the NAIA. The company is headquartered in St. Louis. For more information, please visit www.Rawlings.com
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About National Fastpitch Coaches Association
The NFCA is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaches polls and All-America 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.
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Rawlings Gold Glove for NAIA
