The 2026 NCAA softball season is nearly here.
Last season, the sport reached new heights in viewership, gave us an exciting NCAA Tournament and introduced fans to stars like NiJaree Canady, Jordy Frahm and Bri Ellis.
The 2026 season begins this Thursday with several Power 4 programs in action.
Ahead of those games, let’s get familiar with the players expected to be among the best in the nation. A panel of USA Today Sports reporters have selected a preseason All-American team for Division I softball, featuring the 10 top players in the sport by position.
Let’s dive in:
First baseman: Jordan Woolery, UCLA
A consistent presence in the lineup for the Bruins for multiple seasons, Woolery gained some fame during last season’s NCAA Tournament when she hit a walk-off home run in Game 2 of the Super Regionals at South Carolina to keep UCLA’s season alive. The Bruins eventually advanced to the College World Series for the ninth time in the past 11 seasons, and Woolery’s bat and glove were big reasons why. She’s featured at both first and third base for UCLA.
Second base: Aminah Vega, Duke
A three-time first-team All-ACC selection and the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, few players in the nation have a glove as good as Vega. Her bat isn’t too shabby either, as she’s blasted 36 home runs and hits for a .386 average for the Blue Devils over the past three seasons.
Third base: Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State
Two years ago, Beachum was named Freshman of the Year by the NFCA and Softball America. Some of her hitting statistics took a dip last season, but she still drew 30 walks, hit 11 home runs and hit for a .304 average. She’ll continue to be a crucial player for Lonni Alameda’s Seminoles.
Shortstop: Isa Torres, Florida State
A consensus first-team All-American last season, Torres finished fourth in the nation for hits with 95 in 60 games. She was also one of the toughest hitters to strike out, getting fanned just five times last season, or once in every 43.6 at-bats — eighth-best nationally.
Outfield: Kasidi Pickering, Oklahoma
Pickering led powerhouse Oklahoma in on-base and slugging percentage last season, and her OPS of 1.304 ranked 39th nationally. Pickering has featured in both corner outfield positions, hit leadoff for a chunk of last season and enjoyed a 16-game hitting streak as a sophomore.
Outfield: Audrey Vandagriff, Alabama
One of the best freshmen in the nation last season, Vandagriff led the Crimson Tide with a .392 batting average. She also established a reputation as one of the best baserunners in the country, stealing 50 bags, which ranked third nationally. Vandagriff set a single-game program record with five stolen bases against Western Michigan.
Outfield: Sophia Knight, Tennessee
Last year at Boise State, Knight became the first player in Division I NCAA softball to reach 100 hits in a single season in 23 years. She ended up with 103 hits, which was a single-season record for the Mountain West Conference. In addition to her hit total, Knight also ranked third nationally in batting average (.486). She also piled up a program-record five triples, 27 stolen bases and an OPS of 1.080. Her bat should be a big boost to the Vols’ lineup.
Catcher: Reese Atwood, Texas
The Softball America National Player of the Year in 2024 and the NFCA Catcher of the Year in 2025, Atwood was the anchor for a Texas team that won its first national championship last season. In addition to providing superb defense behind the plate, she piled up 13 RBIs in the NCAA Regionals in Austin last season, then drove in three key runs in WCWS championship series against Texas Tech.
Pitcher: NiJaree Canady, Texas Tech
It’s easy to make the case Canady was the best pitcher in college softball last season. While powering the Red Raiders to their first Big 12 title and trip to the World Series, Canady ranked second nationally in ERA (1.11), third in hits allowed per seven innings (3.88), seventh in shutouts (7), third in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.93), 10th in strikeouts per seven innings (9.3), second in total strikeouts (319), and first in wins with a 34-7 record.
Utility: Jordy Frahm, Nebraska
Formerly Jordy Bahl — she’s since gotten married — Frahm was one of the best two-way players in softball last season, drawing comparisons to MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani. Frahm ranked sixth nationally in batting average (.465) and tied for seventh in home runs (23). From the circle, she was eighth in ERA with a 1.56 mark and tied for sixth in victories with a 26-8 record. She was the only player in the nation who ranked in the top 10 in each of those statistics.
Honorable mention: Taylor Pannell (Texas Tech), Dakota Kennedy (Arkansas), Maya Johnson (Belmont), Karlyn Pickens (Tennessee), Megan Grant (UCLA), Jazzy Burns (Texas Tech), Amari Harper (Oregon), Mia Williams (Texas Tech), Taylor Shumaker (Florida), Mya Perez (Texas A&M), Addisen Fisher (Georgia)