LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of North Georgia’s Sydnee Reaves and University of Tampa’s Gwen McGinnis were selected as the 2026 NFCA Division II Player and Portolite/NFCA Pitcher of the Year, respectively. This marks the third Player of the Year award from the NightHawks program (Courtney Poole, 2025 & Kylee Smith, 2018) and the first plaudit for Tampa and the Sunshine State Conference (SSC).
A unanimous NFCA first-team All-America outfielder, Reaves has been a catalyst all season for the NightHawks, who are making their second straight trip to NCAA Division II World Series and fifth in the last six seasons, including a 2023 national championship. The Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year heads to Chattanooga, Tenn. batting .437 with a league-best 28 doubles, 20 home runs, 81 RBI, 68 runs, 94 hits, .865 slugging percentage and 1.363 OPS. Reaves also sports a .498 on-base percentage (3rd) and 22 stolen bases (5th), while only striking out 10 times in 245 plate appearances. She is tied for tops in Division II in doubles and ranks in the top 10 in RBI (4th), doubles per game (5th-0.46), home runs (t-4th), runs scored (t-7th) and RBI per game (7th-1.35).
McGinnis, an unanimous first-team NFCA All-American, put up dazzling numbers as the Spartans’ go-to arm in 2026, leading them to a regional final appearance in the South Region. The senior hurler enjoyed her finest season in a Tampa uniform with Division II’s lone sub-one ERA at 0.97, is tied for first with 12 shutouts and has the division’s second-best WHIP at 0.82. In addition to those numbers, McGinnis led the SSC in victories (26-6), which are tied for 10th most nationally, and saves (tied with three), allowed the second-fewest home runs (two) and also ranked second in strikeouts with 155. The SSC Pitcher of the Year finished off her four-year career 64-15 with a 1.18 ERA, eight saves, 0.87 WHIP and 419 strikeouts to just 61 walks in 515.2 innings of work.
The Player of the Year award was created in 2015 to honor the outstanding athletic achievements among softball student-athletes throughout NCAA Division II. In 2019, the Association expanded the award to include a Player and Pitcher of the Year.
The awards are voted on by the elected members of the NFCA Division II All-American Committee with one head coach representing each of the eight NCAA regions. To be eligible, a student-athlete’s head coach must be a member.
Previous Player & Pitcher of the Year Winners
2025 – Emilee Boyer, West Texas A&M / Brinson Rogers (Southern Arkansas)
2024 – Lauren Harris, McKendree / Kenzee Smith, Indianapolis
2023 – Zoe Willis, Georgia Southwestern State / Tatum Goff, UT Tyler
2022 – Kayson Boatner, Anderson / Andrea Morales, Rogers State
2021 – Shanna McBroom, West Texas A&M / Morgan Perry, Saint Anselm
2019 – Julia Seader, LIU Post / Allison Lipovsky, Grand Valley State
2018 – Kylee Smith, North Georgia
2017 – Coley Ries, Minnesota State
2016 – Lindsay Butler, Wayne State University
2015 – Courtney Poole, North Georgia
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded NFCA Player & Pitcher of the Year Awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to a comprehensive drills database, to in-person events and National Convention.
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