Full Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (August 17, 2026) – The Western New England softball team set a program record when 15 student-athletes were named Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholars, as announced by the organization last week. The Golden Bears shattered the previous program high set in 2023 when 12 student-athletes were honored.
The NFCA recognizes the academic prowess of softball teams across the Association's membership categories. NCAA Division III saw 2,491 softball student-athletes honored this season. To earn the honor, student-athletes achieved a 3.50 GPA or higher for the 2025-26 academic year. Western New England's
Katelyn Bailey,
Emma Ballschmieder,
Ava Barnhart,
Brianna Cardona,
Paige Chiaramonte,
Alyssa Ferriouolo,
Kylee Gamache,
Aubrey Gaudiosi,
Kaylin Heffern,
Riley Kane,
Sophia Keays,
Mia Marigliano,
Payton McDaniel,
Shea McDaniel, and
Evelyn Picone all picked up honors for this past season. Bailey, Barnhart, Kane, and
Shea McDaniel earned the honor for the second time in their careers, while Picone was honored for the third consecutive season.
Western New England softball also posted one of the top team GPAs among Division III programs, finishing the 2025-26 academic year with a 3.62 GPA, which ranked among the top 40 teams in the division.
WNE finished the 2026 season at an even .500 for the year, going 20-20, playing to a 12-8 mark in Conference of New England action.
