LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Millsaps College softball team received recognition with Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete honors for the 2025-26 academic year. A total of eight student-athletes were recognized, announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association on Wednesday, Aug. 12
After a stellar 23-15 overall record and an 11-4 home ledger during the 2025-26 season, the team posted a 3.243 GPA to be recognized as an NFCA Top Academic Team.
Recognized as 2025-26 Easton/NFCA Scholar-Athlete All-Americans for NCAA Division III following the regular season was senior Julia Strain and seniors Kadence Cannon, Ella Morgan Sears, Julie Amacher, and Allana Vasquez, and juniors Ava Palumbo and Hailey Peterson alongside sophomore Liza Gregg.
Under the direction of former head coach Shelby Shelton, Paris JC posted a 3.942 GPA in the classroom, the lone program to achieve a 3.9 amongst all colleges on this year's lists. This came on the heels of a semifinal appearance at the 2026 NJCAA DI World Series. Following close by is another NJCAA program in Bryant & Stratton College – Wisconsin (Dean Herman) with a 3.88 GPA. NCAA Division I's Butler University and Eastern Illinois University grabbed the next two spots with 3.876 and 3.87 GPAs, followed by Bates College in NCAA Division III at 3.86.
Rounding out the top 10 are Lincoln Memorial University (NCAA DII – 3.853), Eastern Oklahoma State College (3.847 – NJCAA DI), University of Alabama Tuscaloosa (NCAA DI – 3.844), McLennan Community College (NJCAA DI – 3.82) and University of Hartford (NCAA DIII – 3.818).
A total of 14 teams charted a 3.8 or better, which included each top group member – Butler University (NCAA DI), Lincoln Memorial University (NCAA DII), Bates College (NCAA DIII) and Faulkner University (NAIA) - with an additional 66 programs that achieved a 3.7 or better.
For a third consecutive year, Hal Wynn's Faulkner bested the NAIA with a 3.808 GPA. In NCAA Division I, Butler (Scott Hall) edged out Eastern Illinois (Kristi Paulson) by a mere .006 points. Lincoln Memorial (Ritchie Richardson) topped NCAA Division II programs, while Bates (Katharine McKay) led NCAA DIII.
The rankings and honors recognize the academic prowess of softball teams across the Association's membership categories. NCAA Division I led the way with 2,637 student-athletes earning a 3.5 grade-point average or higher for 2025-26. NCAA Division III followed with 2,493 and NCAA Division II with 1,869. Junior colleges and NAIA came in with 1,190 and 655 student-athletes respectively. Seven student-athletes from Bay Path University earned recognition in the Other Four-Year category.
Team GPAs and scholar-athletes are submitted by member head coaches. High School team GPA winners and scholar-athletes will be announced on Sept. 9.
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Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.
