LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Georgia Tech’s Gracyn Tucker and Belmont’s Maya Johnson were named Division I Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player and Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week for contests played March 30-April 5. It marked Johnson’s fifth accolade of the season.
Tucker was 9-for-11 (.818) at the plate with a double, three home runs, nine RBI and nine runs scored. She slugged 1.727, reached base at a .867 clip (two walks) and was 2-for-2 swiping bases. Tucker opened the week with a 3-for-3 outing with two long balls, four runs and six RBI against Mercer. She also homered in the final two contests of a three-game ACC sweep of Boston College, which included a 3-for-3 showing in game two.
Johnson continued her dominance in 2026 as she twirled her third no-hitter of the season against Drake and finished the week leading NCAA Division I in ERA, strikeouts, strikeouts per seven innings and numerous other categories. She carried a perfect game into the seventh, but a leadoff walk ended the bid against the Bulldogs. Johnson faced just one batter over the minimum with 15 strikeouts and a walk on just 90 pitches.
The awards are voted on by the NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll Committee, which features one member coach from each of the NCAA’s 31 conferences.
Selected Top Performances
Odhi Vasquez, Saint Mary’s – 3-0, 0.93 ERA, 17 K, 2 BB, 15 IP versus No. 21 Washington and No. 24 Stanford; Kylie Aldridge, Virginia Tech - .625, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 0 K, 5 H; Bella Atkinson, Illinois State - .500, 5 H, 2B, 2 HR, 2 R, 8 RBI, 1.200 SLG, 12 A, 1000 FLD; Ella Boyer, Kansas - .750, 6 H, 6 R, 3 HR, 6 RBI, .833 OBP, 1.875 SLG, set KU freshman HR record (17); Payton Burnham, Arkansas – 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 K, 4 BB, 2 H, 7 IP, SHO; Elon Butler, Oregon - .583, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1.333 SLG, first player in program history to hit for the cycle (1B, 3B, HR, 2B); Madison Conley, North Texas - .857, 3 HR, 5 R, 7 RBI, 2.143 SLG, 3 BB, .818 OBP, homered for 100th career hit; Megan Coyle, Boston University - .778, 2 3B, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 7 R, 2 BB, HBP, .818 OBP, 1.889 SLG; Kylee Edwards, LSU - .38, 5 H, 2 HR, 2B, 3B, 6 RBI, 2 R, 1.077 SLG, first Tiger to hit for the cycle (HR, 1B, 2B, 3B); Ronnie Esparza, Houston - .667, 4 H, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 1.667 SLG; Jayden Heavener, LSU – 1-0, 0.88 ERA, 13 K, 5 H, 8 IP, CG; Chelsea Mack, Louisville - .643, 9 H, 3B, 2 RBI, 3 BB, .706 OBP, 3 SB, 4 R; Makenna Mitchell, Houston - .313, 5 H, HR, 5 RBI, 2 R, 3 2B, 2 BB, GW HR in 15th inning vs. Baylor; Moriah Polar, Purdue - .800, 8 H, 2 2B, 3B, 4 R, 4 RBI, 1.200 SLG; Cassie Reasner, Ole Miss - .571, 4 H, 3 HR, 8 RBI, BB, homered in three consecutive at bats and set single-game RBI record (7) vs. Memphis; Kasey Ricard, Boston University – 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 17 K, BB, 13 IP, CG, no-hitter vs. Bucknell (7 K); Sydney Shaffer, Delaware - .500, 2 HR, 2B, 6 BB, 0 K, .769 OBP, 1.667 SLG; Gigi Solis, Houston – W, SV, set program record with 12.2 innings pitched vs. Baylor; Katie Stewart, Texas - .667, .727 OBP, 6 H, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB; Kendall Wells, Oklahoma - .556, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 1.889 SLG, 6 BB, tied NCAA single-season home record in just 40 games; Aniyah Whipper, Howard - .875, 7 H, 4 2B, 3B, 12 RBI, 6 R, 2 SB; Lilly Whitten, Ole Miss - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 H, 6 K, CG, SHO; Kailey Wyckoff, Arkansas - .600, 2 HR,4 RBI, 3 H, 4 R, BB.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded Louisville Slugger/Player & Wilson/Pitcher of the Week awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from webinars to legal counsel, to in-person events and the National Convention.
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