LOUISVILLE, Kent. — The National Fastpitch Coaches Association has released its final Division II Top 25 Rankings, as the Muleriders finish the 2026 season at 13th in the final NFCA/GoRout Top 25 Poll.
Team 28 stayed consistently inside the top fifteen of the poll following the association's week two rankings, as Southern Arkansas started the season receiving votes and since then, was never lower than 13th in the rankings. The group raised to as high as seventh in the poll.
To cap off the season, the Muleriders once again finished the campaign in the NCAA Division II postseason, as the Blue and Gold wrapped up action in the Central Regional I Finals.
All the way through the end of the season, Team 28 remained one of the top groups in the nation, as the squad ranked inside the top 25 of the NCAA DII in batting average (.346 | 8th DII | 1st GAC), earned run average (2.01 | 6th DII | 2nd GAC), hits (538 | 17th DII | 1st GAC), hits allowed per seven innings (5.57 | 7th DII | 1st GAC), home runs (53 | 22nd DII | 2nd GAC), on base percentage (.440 | 4th DII | 1st GAC), RBIs per game (6.37 | 9th DII | 1st GAC), runs batted in (363 | 9th DII | 1st GAC), scoring offense (6.79 | 13th DII | 1st GAC), shutouts (14 | 9th DII | 1st GAC), slugging percentage (.526 | 12th DII. 1st GAC), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.37 | 25th DII | 1st GAC), total runs (387 | 12th DII | 1st GAC), total sacrifice flies (24 | 12th DII | 1st GAC), WHIP (1.14 | 10th DII | 1st GAC), walks drawn (250 | 3rd DII | 1st GAC).
Awards wise, the unit recorded eight All-GAC members, five GAC All-Tournament honors, three All-Central Region plaudits for both the NFCA and D2CCA, and an All-American for both associations.
For major individual honors, Maddie Leal earned the title of Mulerider Athletics Female Newcomer of the Year, Kassie Rhodes won the Murphy USA Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor, Sophia Luetticke was named the GAC Newcomer of the Year, and Emma Duncan claimed the titles of the Dr. Margaret Downing Female Athlete of the Year, GAC Pitcher of the Year, GAC Tournament MVP, D2CCA Central Region Pitcher of the Year, while also being a Third Team All-American for the NFCA and a First Team All-American for the D2CCA.
As a team, the Muleriders won their second-consecutive Great American Conference Tournament Championship after defeating Arkansas Tech, the GAC Regular Season Champions, 3-0 in the tournament final.
All-GAC Members
Emma Duncan - First Team
Paris Endris - First Team
Maddie Leal - First Team
Sophia Luetticke - First Team
Regan Dillon - First Team
Kassie Rhodes - Second Team
Payton Owens - Second Team
America Rubio - Second Team
GAC All-Tournament Members
Brooklyn Reed
Sophia Luetticke
Regan Dillon
Peyton Raley
Emma Duncan - MVP
NFCA All-Central Region Members
Emma Duncan - First Team
Maddie Leal - Second Team
Sophia Luetticke - Second Team
D2CCA All-Central Region Members
Emma Duncan - First Team
Regan Dillon - Second Team
Sophia Luetticke - Second Team
NFCA All-American
Emma Duncan - Third Team
D2CCA All-American
Emma Duncan - First Team
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