LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Williams’ Katie Blanch and Trine’s Emma Lee captured the latest Division III Wilson/NFCA Pitcher and Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player of the Week honors on Tuesday.
Blanch, a junior pitcher from Rye, N.Y., went 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA, three complete games, two shutouts, nine hits, two walks and 19 strikeouts over 20 innings in the circle. She fanned 10 in a three-hitter against Trinity, tossed a six-inning two-hitter versus Hamilton, and yielded just four hits (six strikeouts) in a victory over La Verne.
Lee, meanwhile, was a perfect 7-for-7 for the No. 2-ranked Thunder in a doubleheader sweep of Adrian. The senior center fielder from Cottage Grove, Wis., scored six runs, had two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI. She also made a leaping catch against the wall to nix a sure double.
Other Top Performances
Maddison Atkins, Lancaster Bible – 2-0, 2 SHO, 0.00 ERA, 12 IP, 2 BB, 10 K, plus .333 AVG, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 HBP; Bralyn Belk, Mary Hardin-Baylor – 1.000 AVG (5-for-5), 3 R, 2B, 3B, HR, 3 RBI; Julia Boya, Eastern Connecticut State – .667/1.667/.800, 6 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 4 BB, 4 SB; Maggie Closinski, MCLA – .474/.565/.500, 8 R, 4 2B, 5 RBI; Amelia DeRosa, Springfield – 2-1, 21 IP, 1.00 ERA, 3 ER, 27 K; Ella Ebert, Greensboro – 7 IP, 1 ER, BB, 4 K; Alexandra Espel, MCLA – .500/.529/.500, 6 R, 3 SB, 6 RBI; Anna Frazier, Greensboro – .571 AVG, 2B, SB; Hannah Gilbert, MCLA – .438, 8 R, 4 2B, 10 RBI, 6 BB; Kendall Jackman, Lancaster Bible – .615 AVG, 2 2B, 2 3B, inside-the-park HR, 6 RBI, 2 SB; McKenzie Jones, East Texas Baptist – 7 IP, 3 K, top-25 win over Concordia; Riley Kane, Western New England – 3 APP, 18.2 IP, 11 H, 12 K, no-hitter vs. RV Springfield, plus .500 AVG, 4 R, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB; Maya Knasiak, TCNJ – 2-0, 2 CG, SV, 0.00 ERA, 20 K, .054 OPP AVG, extended scoreless innings streak to 52, plus .500 AVG, 2 2B, HR, 7 RBI; Molly Kuhn, St. John Fisher – 4-0, 0.39 ERA, 19 IP, 23 K; Carly Mayhood, Hartford – 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 12 K, 15 IP, .118 OPP AVG; Hailey Mellec, Hope – 2-0, school-record and NCAA D3-best this season 19 K vs. Gustavus Adolphus, then 11 K next day against then-No. 23 Wisconsin-Eau Claire; Allie Mienaltowski, MCLA – 3-0, 2.58 ERA, SV, 19 IP, 9 K; Sidney Miller, Williams – .391 AVG, 3 2B, 3B, HR, 9 RBI; Elizabeth Mitchell, Eastern Connecticut State – 3-0, 1.91 ERA, 14.2 IP, 2 CG, 19 K, 2 BB, one-hitter (8 K) vs. Nichols, plus .333 AVG, 6 R, 4 RBI; Hannah Mitchem, MCLA – .400/.526/.400, 5 R, 3 RBI, 4 BB; Abby Moravek, Amherst – complete-game two-hitter (13 K) vs. Wesleyan (Conn.), plus .570 AVG, 2B, 3 RBI; Heaven Oliva, Tufts – .615 AVG, 3 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB; Lauren Ro, Amherst – .857 AVG, RBI; Bethany Rodman, Muskingum – two-hitter (4 K) vs. Ohio Northern; Karley Rouse, Belhaven – 2-0, 1.00 ERA, 3 H, 3 K, beat then-No. 8 Huntingdon twice; Harleigh Russell, Texas Lutheran – .714 AVG, 6 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 4 SB, 3 BB; Taylor Shackleton, St. John Fisher – .619 AVG, 11 R, 4 HR, 18 RBI; Noelle Simmons, Rhode Island College – .409 AVG, 8 R, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI; Aleyna St. Jean, East Texas Baptist – .667 AVG, 3 R, two multi-hit contests; Ashlyn Steen, Simpson – .538 AVG, 4 R, 2 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 3 SB; Cara Taylor, Muskingum – .800 AVG, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB; Sarah Watts, Lynchburg – 1.000 AVG, 7 R, 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, SB; Paige Wilson, Pacific Lutheran – 3-0, 2 CG, SV, 16.2 IP, 1.26 ERA, 5 H, 19 K.
Winners are selected by the NFCA Division III Top 25 Committee, which has a representative for each of the 10 NCAA regions.
2026 Wilson/NFCA Division III National Pitcher of the Week
April 7 — Katie Blanch, Williams, Jr., RHP, Rye, N.Y.
March 31 — Katlyn Gandara, Redlands, Sr., RHP, Whittier, Calif.
March 24 — Hannah Hearl, Virginia Wesleyan, So., RHP, Orange County, Va.
March 17 — Rose Malen, Chapman, Sr., RHP, San Rafael, Calif.
March 10 — Hannah Hearl, Virginia Wesleyan, So., RHP, Orange County, Va.
March 3 — Katelyn Howard, Texas Lutheran, Sr., RHP, Waller, Texas
2026 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Player of the Week
April 7 — Emma Lee, Trine, Sr., CF, Cottage Grove, Wis.
March 31 — Paola Garcia, Pacific Lutheran, Sr., LF, Downey, Calif.
March 24 — Taylor McQueen, Virginia Wesleyan, Jr., C, Clayton, N.C.
March 17 — Anika Ewert, Bowdoin, Sr., CF, Newport Coast, Calif.
March 10 — Anslee Sauchegraw, Piedmont, Fr., SS, Covington, Ga.
March 3 — Reagan Hill, Randolph-Macon, Sr., 1B, Hanover, Va.
2026 NFCA Division III Top 25 Committee
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