MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) has announced its all-conference team and major awards for the 2026 softball season.
Benedictine University graduate student
Haley Barnes was named NACC Position Player of the Year, while Dominican University sophomore
Hannah Richards was named NACC Pitcher of the Year and Concordia University Wisconsin's
Faith Keiper was named NACC Freshman of the Year. Additionally, Dominican University was recognized by the league's coaches as the NACC Coaching Staff of the Year.
NACC Position Player of the Year - Haley Barnes, Gr., INF, Benedictine University
Barnes, a graduate infielder, has been the leader for a potent Benedictine offense this season. She has started all 41 games, posting a .489 batting average, a .565 on-base percentage, and an .850 slugging percentage, with 65 hits, 16 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 46 runs scored, 63 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases. Barnes has only struck out six times in 133 at-bats and has been hit by a pitch eight times.
Barnes ranks fourth in NCAA Division III in RBIs and ninth in total bases (113) - both with league-leading totals. She also leads all NACC hitters in batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage, and ranks second in hits and home runs, third in doubles per game (0.39) and hit by pitch, fourth in runs, and fifth in stolen bases.
Barnes has recorded at least one hit in 35 of 41 games through May 7, including a NACC season-best five in a 17-14 win over Concordia Chicago on March 22 - a game where she also stole a season-high three bases. She closed out the regular season with a 3-for-3 day with two doubles, a home run, and four RBIs in a 7-5 win over Lakeland, recording a season-high eight total bases in the contest. Barnes also has 17 games with multiple RBIs, including a season-high six in a win at Edgewood on April 28.
Barnes is the third Benedictine Eagle to be named NACC Position Player of the Year, joining
Brittany Adcox (2012) and
Taylor Skraba (2021).
Pitcher of the Year - Hannah Richards, So., P, Dominican University
Richards, a sophomore, made appearances in 22 of Dominican's 40 regular-season games, starting 18. She went 13-5 with a 1.44 earned-run average, 50 strikeouts, and a save in 92.2 innings. Richards also threw six complete games and three shutouts.
In 15 NACC appearances, Richards went 10-1 with a 1.22 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, 34 strikeouts, four complete games, two shutouts, and one save while holding opponents to a .194 batting average.
Richards leads all NACC pitchers in wins, ERA, WHIP (1.08), opposing batting average (.202), and hits allowed per seven innings (5.29), and ranks second in assists per game (2.41) and third in shutouts.
Not typically known as a strikeout pitcher, Richards posted a season-best six on two occasions - March 28 against MSOE and April 23 against Lakeland.
Richards is the third consecutive Dominican Star - and the fourth overall - to be named NACC Pitcher of the Year, joining
Emily Mahoney (2013),
Kayla Faber-Cournane (2024), and
Emma Woodhouse (2025).
Freshman of the Year - Faith Keiper, P/INF, Concordia University Wisconsin
Keiper made an immediate impact for the Falcons this season, appearing in 23 games overall with 15 starts. She posted a 10-4 record with a 2.27 earned-run average, 1.19 WHIP, 75 strikeouts, four complete games, two shutouts, and one save over 92.1 innings while holding opponents to a .236 batting average.
Keiper appeared in 14 NACC games, starting 10 while posting a 7-1 record, 49 strikeouts, a 1.32 WHIP, three complete games, two shutouts, and a save.
Keiper ranks second among NACC pitchers in hits allowed per seven innings (6.14), third in WHIP, fourth in strikeouts, fifth in victories, earned run average, and strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.59), and sixth in shutouts.
She struck out a season-high eight batters against Alverno on April 25 and allowed one earned run or fewer in 18 of her 23 appearances.
At the plate, Keiper hit .390 (16-of-41) with a .500 on-base percentage, a .756 slugging percentage, four doubles, three home runs, a double, 17 RBIs, 10 runs scored, and nine walks drawn in 27 games.
Keiper is the third Concordia Wisconsin student-athlete to be named NACC Freshman of the Year, joining
Jess Pozezinski (2022) and
Gina Followell (2019).
Coaching Staff of the Year - Dominican University (Cris Lukas, head coach)
Under the direction of head coach
Cristina Lukas, Dominican captured its third consecutive NACC softball title. The Stars went 19-5 in league play to finish one game clear of both Benedictine University and Concordia University Wisconsin.
Behind pitchers Rhiannon Rubio and Hannah Richards, Dominican have posted a league-best 12 shutouts - a mark that currently ranks 15th in NCAA Division III. The Stars also lead all NACC programs in fewest hits allowed per seven innings (6.86) and rank second in WHIP (1.40) and earned run average (3.04).
Dominican also ranks third amongst NACC programs in batting average (.331), double plays turned (17), and stolen bases (63).
In conference play, the Stars posted a league-high 12 triples and ranked second in batting average (.369), slugging percentage (.513), on-base percentage (.431), walks drawn (71), hits (250), third in runs scored (178), RBIs (155), total bases (348), and stolen bases (36).
Lukas, in her 20th season at Dominican, is assisted by
Shawn Jarmuz,
Robert Bastek,
Geneva Pollman, and
Chris Randel.
This is the third time overall - and second time in three years - that Lukas or a Lukas-led staff has been recognized by the league's coaches.
All-Conference Team Announced
Benedictine University had a league-best four players receive all-conference honors, with two each landing on the 15-member first team and 10-member second team. Aurora University and Dominican University had three all-league picks apiece with all six players being first-team selections. Concordia University Wisconsin also had three players recognized, including two first-teamers.
Concordia University Chicago, Lakeland University, Marian University, and St. Norbert College all had two all-conference selections with Lakeland scoring two first-team picks and Marian and St. Norbert receiving one first-team selection. Milwaukee School of Engineering received one first-team all-league pick, while Edgewood University, Rockford University, and Wisconsin Lutheran College landed an individual on the second team.
| 2026 All-NACC Softball Team |
| Position Player of the Year - Haley Barnes, Gr., INF, Benedictine University |
| Pitcher of the Year - Hannah Richards, So., P, Dominican University |
| Freshman of the Year - Faith Keiper, P/INF, Concordia University Wisconsin |
| Coaching Staff of the Year - Dominican University (Cris Lukas, head coach) |
|
| First Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Stephani DeBise |
Aurora |
Jr. |
INF |
Peyton, Colo. |
| Angie Delgado |
Aurora |
So. |
INF |
Palatine, Ill. |
| Mia Rivera |
Aurora |
Jr. |
OF/P |
Highland, Ind. |
| Haley Barnes |
Benedictine |
Gr. |
INF |
Buffalo Grove, Ill. |
| Morgan Bruno |
Benedictine |
Sr. |
INF |
Romeoville, Ill. |
| Jenna Shadoski |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Jr. |
OF/P |
Janesville, Wis. |
| Faith Keiper |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Fr. |
P/INF |
Tomball, Texas |
| Isabella Olmos |
Dominican |
So. |
SS/2B |
Mokena, Ill. |
| Hannah Richards |
Dominican |
So. |
P |
Poulsbo, Wash. |
| Ryley Davis |
Dominican |
Sr. |
INF |
Gilbert, Ariz. |
| Natalie Ziebell |
Lakeland |
So. |
P |
New Holstein, Wis. |
| Callie Linders |
Lakeland |
Jr. |
OF/P |
Griffith, Ind. |
| Ariana Schliepp |
Marian |
Sr. |
C/INF |
Elkhorn, Wis. |
| Katie Pollock |
MSOE |
Jr. |
P |
Griffith, Ind. |
| Elly Kirst |
St. Norbert |
Fr. |
UT |
Green Bay, Wis. |
| Second Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Lauren Bogard |
Benedictine |
So. |
OF |
Tinley Park, Ill. |
| Mckenzie Johnson |
Benedictine |
Sr. |
P |
Cary, Ill. |
| Alyssa Campos |
Concordia Chicago |
So. |
3B |
Eastvale, Calif. |
| Melisa Hadzic |
Concordia Chicago |
Sr. |
C/1B |
Westchester, Ill. |
| Maggie Plahmer |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
INF |
Slinger, Wis. |
| Lily Mabs |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
INF |
Dyer, Ind. |
| Mackenzie Christofferson |
Marian |
Jr. |
INF |
Lodi, Wis. |
| Liz Mois |
Rockford |
Jr. |
C |
Oregon, Ill. |
| Grendel Sprong |
St. Norbert |
Jr. |
INF |
Bellevue, Idaho |
| Teagan Piven |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
So. |
P |
Plainfield, Ill. |
| Honorable Mention |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Nadya Hudson |
Alverno |
So. |
OF |
Milwaukee, Wis. |
| Giselle Moreno |
Alverno |
Sr. |
INF |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Lily Komperda |
Aurora |
Jr. |
OF |
Westchester, Ill. |
| Alyssa Perkins |
Benedictine |
Jr. |
INF/DP |
Aurora, Ill. |
| Arissa Santos |
Concordia Chicago |
Sr. |
INF |
Moreno Valley, Calif. |
| McKyler Morris |
Concordia Chicago |
Jr. |
UT |
Belvidere, Ill. |
| Nora Statz |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
INF/OF |
Helenville, Wis. |
| Raegyn Davis |
Dominican |
So. |
C/INF |
Gilbert, Ariz. |
| Lauren Prigge |
Edgewood |
So. |
P |
Green Bay, Wis. |
| Abby Heitman |
Lakeland |
Sr. |
C/OF |
St. Francis, Wis. |
| Lily Pettit |
Lakeland |
So. |
P/INF |
Rewey, Wis. |
| Erin Cowe |
Marian |
Jr. |
OF/RHP |
Palos Hills, Ill. |
| Lylah DeArmond |
MSOE |
Fr. |
INF |
Avon, Ind. |
| Tayiah Scanlan |
Rockford |
Fr. |
UT |
Beecher, Ill. |
| Ava Engwall |
St. Norbert |
Sr. |
INF/OF |
Elk Grove Village, Ill. |
| Katelyn Ruth |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Fr. |
INF/P |
Canton, Mich. |
| Sommer Krull |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Jr. |
INF |
New London, Wis. |