CLASS 2-1A SOFTBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2026
 

BELLA ASCANIO, ST. MARY’S COLGAN

A three-year starter, Ascanio has proven to be a force both in the circle and at the plate. The junior pitcher/first baseman delivered a standout 2025 campaign, hitting .424 with 36 hits, including seven doubles and 13 home runs, while driving in 43 runs. Her power presence in the middle of the lineup makes her one of the premier run producers in the CNC. In the circle, Ascanio was equally impactful, finishing 16-12 with a 3.066 ERA and 192 strikeouts. Her ability to miss bats and control games earned her first team All-CNC honors as a pitcher. Ascanio played a key role in leading Colgan to a regional championship and a narrow loss in the state quarterfinals to eventual runner-up, Inman. 
 

SOPHIA BAIN, OXFORD
 
Bain provides Oxford with a veteran presence in the circle. The senior earned All-South Central Border League first-team honors at pitcher for the third time last season after helping the Wildcats post an 11-11 record. Bain’s ability to move the ball around with a variety of pitches is her strength. She is on track to reach 200 career strikeouts. Also an outfielder, Bain had 19 RBIs and 11 stolen bases last season. She has signed to play at Pratt Community College.
 

RYLEE BENIEN, BENNINGTON
 
A three-year starter at catcher, Benien helped Bennington post a 23-2 record last season and reach the Class 2-1A regional finals for the second straight year. The junior batted .475 with 38 hits, one home run, 34 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. Benien also had 13 doubles, two triples and scored 38 runs for the Bulldogs, who fell to eventual state runner-up Inman to end one win shy of a 2-1A state berth. Benien, who homered early this season, earned All-Heart of America League first-team honors at catcher.
 

GRACIE CASWELL, BENNINGTON
 
Caswell is in her second season handling second-base duties for the Bulldogs, who are coming off a 23-2 season. Caswell was an active part of Bennington’s offense, batting .550 with 45 hits, 22 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. The sophomore also had 12 doubles, two triples and scored 47 runs for the Bulldogs, who earned a top seed for regionals. Caswell was one of three first-team All-Heart of America League selections for the Bulldogs.
 

BROOKLYN CLARK, BENNINGTON
 
Clark is part of a strong junior class for Bennington. She helped the Bulldogs win 23 games and reach the Class 2-1A regional finals for the second straight year last spring, batting .408 with eight home runs and 44 RBIs. The Bulldog third baseman also had 12 doubles, two triples and a .961 slugging percentage. Off to a good start this season with four home runs in the opening month, Clark was an All-Heart of America first-team selection last season.
 

 
CHARLESEY COFFIN, MCLOUTH

Coffin held down spots in the corner outfield last year, playing either left or right field depending on who was in the circle for the Bulldogs. As a junior, she hit .427 with 29 RBI and 45 runs scored. She earned second-team All-Class 2-1A honors and also was a first-team All-Northeast Kansas League selection.
 

 
GRACIE COWSERT, JACKSON HEIGHTS
 
Cowsert has manned the catcher position for Heights for all four years of her high school career and last year earned first-team All-Northeast Kansas League honors. She hit .507 with 6 home runs and 25 RBI. She showed off more than just her power, also swiping 19 bases.
 

ARACELY CRUMP, CENTRAL HEIGHTS

A four-year starter, Crump has been the cornerstone of the Vikings’ success as both a dominant arm in the circle and a reliable presence in the middle of the lineup. Crump put together an outstanding 2025 campaign, hitting .470 with 39 hits, nine doubles and 36 RBIs, while also going 21-3 in the circle with a 2.095 ERA and 221 strikeouts. Her ability to control the game on both sides makes her one of the most complete players in the Three Rivers League. An honorable mention all-state selection and first team All-Three Rivers League honoree, Crump helped lead Central Heights to a regional championship and a state quarterfinal appearance last season. 
  

ZOE DAVIDSON, CEDAR VALE-DEXTER
 
Davidson, a multi-sport standout for the Spartans, has certainly excelled on the diamond her first two seasons. The junior earned All-Class 2-1A first-team honors at pitcher for the second time, posting a 19-1 record with a 0.56 ERA and 182 strikeouts. She entered this season with a 40-3 record and 368 career strikeouts. Davidson, who also plays shortstop, batted .643 with 10 home runs, 64 RBIs and 29 stolen bases last season as Cedar Vale-Dexter finished third in 2-1A. Davidson also is a two-time first-team All-South Central Border League selection.
 

 
ADDISON DECHANT, ONAGA

On a team that finished with 23 home runs collectively, Dechant was the Buffaloes’ top power hitter, bombing a team-best 9 home runs that were more than double the next-highest total. She also led the team with 37 RBI and 41 runs scored while hitting .412. Dechant played both positions on the left side of the infield and also pitched a couple games. She might take on more pitching duties this season with the graduation of All-Stater Bridgett Campbell. Dechant was a first-team All-Twin Valley League selection and helped Onaga to its second straight Class 2-1A state tournament appearance as the Buffaloes went 21-8 overall.
 
 
ERIN DOUBLEDEE, NORTHEAST-ARMA

Doubledee has developed into one of the Vikings’ most dangerous all-around players heading into her junior season. A two-year starter who will take on an even larger role this spring, Doubledee provides a strong presence both in the circle and at the plate. Offensively, she was a major catalyst in 2025, hitting .427 with 32 hits, eight doubles, four home runs and 36 RBIs while adding 25 stolen bases. A first team All-Three Rivers League selection, Doubledee did plenty of damage with the bat a season ago and will once again be counted on to anchor the middle of the lineup. 
 

 
TAYLOR EDMONDS, MCLOUTH
 
Edmonds ranked third on the Bulldogs a year ago with her .500 average, homering once and driving in 16 runs. She scored 14 runs and played first base, helping McLouth to an undefeated regular season and Northeast Kansas League title. Edmonds earned first-team all-league honors.
 

KYNZI FEHRINGER, STANTON COUNTY

Fehringer, a junior, was one of the top hitters in 2-1A last season, batting .617 with 10 doubles, four triples, seven home runs and 38 RBIs. She helped the Trojans produce a 20-win season. Fehringer earned first-team honors on the All-2-1A and All-Hi-Plains League teams.
  

TAYLOR FROESE, INMAN
 
Froese and the Teutons continued their ascension in Class 2-1A last season, reaching the state championship game before falling to Oskaloosa. The junior infielder repeated as a an all-state second-team selection and All-Heart of America first-team pick  after helping Inman finish 24-2. The Teutons were 42-8 in Froese’s first two seasons after winning five games in 2023. Froese hit a school-record .585 as a freshman.
 

EMMY GERDES, MEDICINE LODGE
 
Gerdes, a three-sport standout for the Indians, earned All-Central Plains League first-team honors last season after batting .435 with 27 hits and 18 RBIs. Gerdes also reached base at a .602 clip. A three-year starting shortstop, Gerdes had a .912 fielding percentage a year ago as Medicine Lodge finished 12-10 and qualified for the Class 2-1A state tournament, where they fell to Cedar Vale-Dexter in the quarterfinals.
 

 
CORA GILLENWATER, OXFORD
 
Gillenwater led the Wildcats with 23 RBIs last season as a freshman while batting .304. The sophomore leads off for Oxford this season and can play center field, second base or pitch. She is Oxford’s backup catcher this season and will have a greater role on the pitching staff in the future. Gillenwater was one of three Oxford underclassmen on the All-South Central Border League first team last spring after the Wildcats finished 11-11.
 

KARYNN GLEASON, FLINTHILLS
 
Gleason is in her fourth season as a starter for the Mustangs, playing third base. She batted .369 last season with one home run, seven doubles and 32 RBIs. Gleason was one of two Mustangs on the All-South Central Border League first team, joining now-graduated Emily Scribner. She batted .429 with two home runs in Flinthills’ first eight games this season. 

 
DESTINY HAGAN, NORTHEAST-ARMA

Hagan returns as one of the top all-around players in the Three Rivers League. A four-year starter, Hagan has been a steady presence in the infield and as a utility player. She put together a dominant 2025 campaign, hitting .564 with 44 hits, including 13 doubles and 10 home runs, while driving in 34 runs. She was just as dangerous on the basepaths, swiping 37 bases without being caught. Defensively, Hagan posted a .969 fielding percentage and turned four double plays. A first team All-Three Rivers League selection, Hagen enters her senior season as a cornerstone piece for Northeast-Arma 
 

   
LYLA HAMBLIN, CENTRAL HEIGHTS
 
Hamblin has been a key figure in Central Heights reaching the Class 2-1A state tournament for four straight seasons with the Vikings finishing 23-5 last year and champions of the Three Rivers League. Heights’ catcher, she finished last year with a 1.000 fielding percentage with 227 putouts and also threw out four would-be base stealers. After hitting .412 her sophomore season with 2 homers and 25 RBI, Hamblin dipped to a .270 average last year with 14 RBI. But she’s already hit 2 home runs this year and has 11 RBI to go with a .583 average. She was an All-Three Rivers League selection.
 

BAILEY HEDGECOCK, CEDAR VALE-DEXTER
 
Hedgecock has helped the Spartans post top-3 finishes in Class 2-1A each of the last two seasons. The senior left fielder and third baseman is one of seven returning starters. She batted .441 with 29 RBIs last spring, earning All-South Central Border League first team. Hedgecock has signed to play at Hutchinson Community College. 
 

 
WILLOW HOCHSTEDLER, ONAGA
 
Hochstedler was the leading hitter for an Onaga team that qualified for the Class 2-1A state tournament for the second straight year. She finished her sophomore season hitting .494 with 2 home runs, 16 doubles and 33 RBI. Hochstedler played shortstop in the games she didn’t pitch and was the Buffaloes’ ace in the circle with an 11-2 record, 1.96 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 75.1 innings. She earned second-team All-Class 2-1A honors as well as being a first-team All-Twin Valley League selection.
 

KAILYNN JACOBSON, MISSION VALLEY
 
Jacobson has started at both catcher and in the outfield during her first two seasons and was one of the Vikings’ top hitters a year ago with her .462 average ranking only behind older sister Kyplee’s .532 average. She led the team in RBI with 36 and now has 59 through her first two seasons while sporting a career .440 average. She earned first-team All-Flint Hills League honors last year.
 

MACY KAMINKOW, MOUNDRIDGE
 
Kaminkow and the Wildcats finished 17-10 last season, falling to Remington in the Class 2-1A regional semifinals. A four-year starter and first baseman, Kaminkow batted .409 with 36 hits, 44 runs scored and 16 stolen bases. One of three first-team All-Heart of America League selections for Moundridge, Kaminkow will try to help fill the void left by another one of them, catcher Sam Strausz, who injured her ACL during wrestling and is sidelined this spring. Kaminkow went 7 for 8 in the Wildcats’ season-opening doubleheader.
 

KYNZEE KLAASSEN, REMINGTON
 
Klaassen, a junior, has primarily played center field since her freshman year and some shortstop. She led the Broncos with a .487 batting average last season with 37 hits, 22 RBIs and 36 runs scored. That helped Remington post an 18-5 record and reach the Class 2-1A regional finals, where it fell to Bluestem. Klaassen earned first-team All-Heart of America League for the second straight season while also garnering All-2-1A honorable mention.
 

 
MADISYN KRAUS, MISSION VALLEY
 
Kraus had her best year at the plate last year as a junior, hitting .448 with 4 home runs and 31 RBI while also scoring 45 runs. She goes into her senior season with a career .397 average and 10 home runs and 72 RBI. She’s also Mission Valley’s ace with a 25-10 career mark that included a 9-4 record last year after winning 11 games her sophomore year. Kraus picked up her 400th career strikeout this season and has had three straight seasons with 100 or more strikeouts. She was a first-team All-Flint Hills League pick the past two seasons.
 

CAMBREE LAWLER, REMINGTON
 
Lawler set single-season program records for ERA (1.917) and strikeouts (160) last season while helping Remington post an 18-5 record. The Broncos senior also matched her single-game mark for strikeouts (17) and finished 10-3 in the circle to earn first-team All-Heart of America League for the second straight year. Lawler, who played first base last year but has moved to third base when she’s not pitching, batted .403 with three home runs and 27 RBIs. A Tabor College signee, Lawler recorded her 500^th career strikeout this spring.
 

VICTORIA LEE, SUBLETTE

Lee returns to cap an accomplished career for Haskell County (Sublette/Satanta). She tossed 111 innings with 139 strikeouts last season while limiting opponents to a batting average under .250. At the plate, Lee raised her average from .300 as a sophomore to .429 as a junior. She entered this season with more than 150 career strikeouts in the circle.
 

LYLA LEVIN, INMAN
 
Levin’s work in the circle has aided Inman’s resurgence in softball the last two years. The junior helped the Teutons reach the Class 2-1A title game before falling to Oskaloosa. Prior to state, Levin had a 15-0 record with a 0.52 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 80 innings. She earned All-2-1A second team at pitcher for the second straight year, and was All-Heart of America League first team after a second-team all-league nod as a freshman.
  

MADISON MAYFIELD, OXFORD
 
Mayfield, a junior, has been a productive leadoff hitter for the Wildcats. She led the team with 23 stolen bases last season, adding 29 hits, 27 runs scored and 12 RBIs. A shortstop and first baseman, Mayfield earned All-South Central Border League first-team honors for the second straight season after helping Oxford to an 11-11 record. She hit three home runs in the first month of the 2026, two inside the park.
 

KAYDENCE MCCLEARY, STANTON COUNTY

McCleary was an impact freshman in the circle and at the plate for the Trojans last year. She went 8-2 in 52.2 innings, recording 85 strikeouts. At the plate, she hit .368 with 11 doubles, three home runs and 30 RBIs. McCleary earned first-team All-Hi-Plains League honors.
 

MADELYN MILLER, EUREKA
 
Miller is in her fourth season at catcher for the Tornadoes, and has done her part to control opponents’ running games. The senior earned All-Tri-Valley League first-team honors for the second straight year after throwing out 19 baserunners. Miller also batted .402 with 23 RBIs as Eureka finished 9-10. 
 

KAELIN NILGES, COLONY-CREST

Nilges has been a steady presence behind the plate for four seasons and will once again be a key piece for the Lancers in 2026. A four-year starting catcher, Nilges brings experience, leadership and consistency to the lineup. She put together an impressive junior campaign, hitting .492 with 30 hits while adding four doubles and a home run. Nilges also showcased her speed on the bases with 30 stolen bases, creating constant pressure on opposing defenses. Her all-around production earned her first-team All-Three Rivers League honors. 

  


VALERIA ORTEGA, STANTON COUNTY

The Trojans will rely on Ortega’s experience after a stellar junior season. She hit .443 with seven doubles, four home runs and 39 RBIs. She is one of three returning first-team All-Hi-Plains League selections for the Trojans, who won 20 games last season.
 

BRYNN REBEL, TMP-MARIAN

Rebel, a junior, has been a starter for the Monarchs since her freshman season as a pitcher and third baseman. She’ll move to shortstop this season when she is not pitching. She entered the season just three strikeouts shy of 200 for her career. Rebel is also one of TMP-Marian’s top hitters, hitting seven home runs, six triples and 11 doubles last season. She was a second-team All-2-1A selection.
 

 
ABBIE RINGEL, ONAGA
 
Ringel helped Onaga return to the Class 2-1A state tournament for the second straight year and manned both corner infield positions a year ago on her way to being a second-team All-Class 2-1A and first-team All-Twin Valley League selection. Ringel’s .435 average ranked second on the team and she also tied for second in runs scored with 37. She also ranked second with four home runs and drove in 31.
  

EMERY SHINLIVER, MEDICINE LODGE

Shinliver, a junior, helped Medicine Lodge earn its second state berth in three years last spring with her play in center. She batted .430 with 33 hits and 17 RBIs to earn All-Central Plains League first-team honors. After missing a large portion of her freshman year with a torn labrum, Shinliver provided solid outfield play with a .937 fielding percentage. Shinliver was also a standout for Medicine Lodge’s volleyball and basketball teams.
 

ASPYN STOS, MOUNDRIDGE
 
Stos, a junior and two-year starter, has provided some pop with her bat for the Wildcats. The Moundridge outfielder batted .466 with four home runs. Her on-base (.563) and slugging (.707) percentages were also positives for the Wildcats, who finished 17-10 a year ago. A second-team All-Class 2-1A and first-team All-Heart of America selection last season, Stos hit two home runs in Moundridge’s season-opening doubleheader. 
 

 
AKYRA TRAVER, MARAIS DES CYGNES VALLEY
 
Traver has been an on-base machine since her freshman year for the Trojans, hitting a sizzling .648 that first season. After dipping to a .557 mark as a sophomore, Traver rocketed up to a robust .783 average last spring with 47 hits in 60 at bats. She finished with 7 home runs and 37 RBI and was an absolute terror on the basepaths, setting a state record with 73 stolen bases last year and already owns the state’s career record with 163 in her career going into her senior season. An Emporia State commit for softball who also helped the Trojans to state tournament appearances in volleyball and basketball, Traver was a first-team All-Class 2-1A selection last year as well as All-Lyon County League.
 

 
MADISON TURNER, MCLOUTH

Turner was one of the top freshmen in Class 2-1A, if not the state last year, filling a big void in the McLouth lineup. Turner hit .645 and had an .860 slugging percentage, scoring 55 runs and driving in 29. She struck out just four times all season in 115 plate appearances. She led McLouth with 39 stolen bases. Serving as the Bulldogs’ No. 2 pitcher behind All-State ace Dani Lee, Turner went 8-0 and had 2 saves, posting a 1.99 ERA and striking out 64. She was a second-team All-Class 2-1A selection and first-team All-Northeast Kansas League pick.
 

 
AUBREY VOGELER, MARAIS DES CYGNES VALLEY
 
Vogeler set a state record last year when she hit 5 doubles in a game. She finished the season with a .426 average that ranked second on the team to All-State pick Akyra Traver. Vogeler had 17 RBI. She holds a .422 career average with 37 RBI in her career. Also a pitcher for the Trojans, Vogeler has struck out 74 in her career and she earned first-team All-Lyon County League honors a year ago.
 

 
KATE WAGNER, LEBO/WAVERLY
 
Wagner is a four-year starter for the Wolfdogs, filling a variety of positions throughout her career. She’s played first, third and in the outfield and last year hit .576 with 4 home runs and 27 RBI. She only struck out for times all season and earned first-team All-Lyon County League honors.
 

ADDISON WATSON, TMP-MARIAN

Watson is a four-year starter in right field for the Monarchs. A first-team All-2-1A selection last season, she will step into the leadoff role as the Monarchs look to utilize her ability as a strong contact hitter. She struck out just once all of last season, tying the school record with Brooke Koenigsman and Maddie Holub. Watson finished with a .421 batting average last year.
 

GRACIE WEBB, CEDAR VALE-DEXTER
 
Webb has been a force in the circle and at the plate the past three seasons for the Spartans, earning All-Class 2-1A first-team honors each of the last two years. While Cedar Vale-Dexter went 28-2 last spring, Webb went 9-1 with a 2.75 ERA and 54 strikeouts. Also a shortstop, she batted .451 with 28 RBIs, 29 stolen bases and 49 runs scored. Webb has signed to play at Friends University.