ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri S&T's softball team was well represented on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's Scholar-Athlete team for the 2026 season, as 16 members of the Miner roster landed a spot on the team.

A majority of the Miners' everyday starting lineup from a team that finished 37-19 and reached the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional for the second time in three seasons were members of the academic squad.  Three members of the infield that started every game last spring – shortstop Taylor Nelson (Hailey, ID/Phillips Exeter Academy), second baseman Claire Lopez (Olathe, KS/Olathe Northwest) and third baseman Molly Fitzgerald (Crystal Lake, IL/Marian Central Catholic) – were selected to the squad as was first baseman Tori Thompson (Chandler, AZ/Basha).

Nelson, who was named to the College Sports Communicators' Academic All-America team, led S&T in several offensive categories including average at .416, home runs with 20 and runs batted in with 60; the latter two marks set S&T single-season records.  Nelson is majoring in biomedical engineering at S&T, while Lopez is studying applied mathematics, Fitzgerald was working on a Master's in business and Thompson is majoring in business as well.

Centerfielder Kaylee LaChappell (Oswego, IL/Oswego), an architectural engineering major at S&T, was also named along with fellow outfielders Morgan Williams (Midland, MI/Midland), a chemical engineering major; Ty Neal (Enid, OK/Kremlin-Hilldale), who is studying biological sciences; and Joselyn Ulloa (Chicago, IL/William Howard Taft), who is also majoring in biological sciences.

The battery for over 50 percent of S&T's contests last spring, pitcher AJ Agers (DeSoto, MO/St. Pius X) and catcher Trista Grobe (DeSoto, MO/DeSoto) were also selected.  Agers studied mechanical engineering and Grobe majored in biomedical engineering at S&T.

The others named to the squad included pitcher Tinley Beecham (Mapleton, IL/Illini Bluffs) (psychology), pitcher Fallyn Blankenship (Union, MO/Union) (business), catcher Jordyn Davis (Broken Arrow, OK/Broken Arrow) (biological sciences), outfielder Allie Kelly (Park Hills, MO/Central) (biomedical engineering), outfielder Camryn Sharp (Jefferson City, MO/Capital City) (business) and pitcher Riley Wilkinson (Marshall, MO/Marshall) (mechanical engineering).

Student-athletes that earned a 3.5 or better grade point average over the past academic year were eligible for the team, which had 8,850 student-athletes nationwide and 1,869 from NCAA Division II.  Among the Division II members were 173 from institutions representing the Great Lakes Valley Conference that includes the 16 from S&T.

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