2026 NFCA All-America Team
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Slippery Rock University softball freshman centerfielder Maddie Cavenaugh was named to the 2026 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II All-America Team, the organization announced Wednesday.
 
Cavenaugh, who earned second team All-America honors as an at-large selection, is the first member of the SRU softball program to collect All-America accolades from the NFCA. In addition to her NFCA All-America citation, Cavenaugh was also named to the 2026 Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-America Team Wednesday as a second team performer.
 
Wednesday's announcement caps off a bountiful awards season for The Rock's rookie sensation. Slippery Rock's first consensus All-American had previously been tabbed the D2CCA Atlantic Region Athlete of the Year, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division Athlete of the Year and the PSAC West Freshman of the Year in addition to being a first team all-region choice by both the D2CCA and the NFCA as well as garnering first team All-PSAC West honors. 
 
Additionally, Cavenaugh was also one of eight finalists for the NFCA's Division II Freshman of the Year award.
 
Cavenaugh put together one of the best single-season performances in Slippery Rock program history. A starter in all 47 games of her rookie season, Cavenaugh slashed .440/.532/.800 with 53 runs scored, 12 home runs and 21 stolen bases in addition to collecting 48 RBIs despite serving as The Rock's leadoff hitter for the near entirety of the season.
 
A product of South Fayette High School, Cavenaugh closed the year on a 26-game reached base streak to go with 16 multi-hit games and 14 multi-RBI contests.
 
Cavenaugh was the only athlete from the PSAC West to earn All-America honors Wednesday. Across the entire PSAC, Cavenaugh was joined on the All-America Team by Sarah Davenport (East Stroudsburg), Delaney Ridgell (East Stroudsburg) and Madelayne Ruffner (Shepherd). All four honorees were second team selections.
 
Across SRU softball program history, Cavenaugh is the third athlete to receive All-America recognition from an organization: Katie Saluga (2011) and Courtney Vincent (2009) were both honorable mention All-America choices by Daktronics Inc. (the predecessor to what is today known as the D2CCA All-America Team).
 
Slippery Rock completed its 2026 season with a 27-20 overall record. SRU qualified for the PSAC Tournament after finishing second in the PSAC West standings.
 
The NFCA is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaches polls and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards, to in-person events and National Convention.
 
 

 
 
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