CLASS 6A SOFTBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2026
 

ANA AMADOR, WICHITA NORTH
 
Amador, a senior, was North’s leader in several offensive and pitching categories last season. A shortstop and pitcher who has the versatility to play any position, she has been a starter all four years, earning All-Greater Wichita Athletic League first-team honors in the circle each of the last two years. Last spring, she batted .698 with 13 home runs, six triples and seven doubles, and went 9-6 with a 3.40 ERA. Amador had five shutouts and 74 strikeouts in 68 innings.
 

 YASMIN ANGELES, GARDEN CITY

A three-year starter, Angeles was a key component for a Garden City squad that won 19 games last season and ended a three-year state tournament drought. The outfielder earned first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors and second-team All-Class 6A recognition last year as a sophomore. Over the past two seasons, she has compiled 46 hits, a .475 batting average and 25 stolen bases. Garden City coach Trina Mai said Angeles will have a chance to break some single-season and career records for the Buffaloes over the next two seasons.
 

ADDISON AVENA, OLATHE NORTH

Olathe North will lean on one of its most dangerous returning bats in Avena this spring. Avena, who splits time between third base and catcher, put together an impressive sophomore campaign in 2025, hitting .422 with 35 hits, seven doubles, six home runs and 31 RBIs while earning second-team All-Sunflower League honors. Avena’s combination of power and consistency makes her a key piece in the middle of the Eagles’ lineup, and her versatility defensively only adds to her value. She played a major role in Olathe North’s 24-5 season a year ago, helping the Eagles capture a regional title before falling to Mill Valley in the Class 6A state quarterfinals.
 

 
LONDON BACKMAN, TOPEKA HIGH
 
Backman had an immediate impact for the Trojans a year ago, stepping into the starting shortstop role as a freshman and helping lead Topeka High back to the Class 6A state tournament for the first time since winning back-to-back state titles in 2021 and 2022. Backman led the Trojans with a .527 average and had 9 doubles, 6 triples and 2 home runs. She drove in 32 runs and scored 36 while also leading the team with 22 stolen bases. Backman earned first-team All-Centennial League honors and was an honorable mention All-Class 6A selection.
 

 
KAT BALL, MANHATTAN
 
Ball is a four-year starter at shortstop and last year earned first-team All-Centennial League honors. She hit just .210 with 15 runs scored and 6 RBI but was a defensive whiz and made just five errors in 113 total chances, helping the Indians turn six double plays. A standout golfer and basketball player for the Indians, Ball will look to lead Manhattan back to the Class 6A state tournament after the Indians went just 7-16 last year.
 

 
REAGAN CHAPMAN, WASHBURN RURAL
 
Chapman has been a starter for Rural since her freshman year, spending time at shortstop as well as in the pitching circle. She burst onto the scene her freshman season when she earned first-team All-Centennial League and All-Class 6A honors after belting eight home runs. As a sophomore she set a school record with 16 doubles. Last year, Chapman ranked among Rural’s leading hitters and helped the Junior Blues return to the Class 6A state tournament and finish as state runner-up after an 8-7 loss to Olathe West in the title game. The Johnson County Community College commit has a .362 career batting average with 12 homers, 32 doubles and 76 RBI while also owning a 7-1 pitching record with a 3.14 ERA and 67 strikeouts.
 

 
LILA COLLINS, MAIZE
 
Collins helped Maize win the first 11 games of her senior season. A two-time, first-team All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail I selection, Collins’ play at catcher and in center field boosted the Eagles to a 17-11 record a year ago and their third consecutive regional final. She opened the 2025 season with a 7-RBI performance, and finished the campaign with 13 home runs and 15 doubles. Collins, an All-Class 6A second-team selection at designated player last season, plans to play collegiately at Missouri-St. Louis.
 

 
CAMPBELL DAWSON, TOPEKA HIGH
 
Dawson split time between outfield and serving as the Trojans’ No. 2 starting pitcher to complement Jo Benning. With Benning having graduated, Dawson will take over as the team’s ace this season after posting a 9-4 mark last year. She was a force at the plate with a .481 average that included 9 doubles and 3 triples. Dawson drove in 26 runs and scored 24 and was a first-team All-Centennial League pick as well as an honorable mention All-6A selection after helping Topeka High to a 19-10 record and appearance in the Class 6A state tournament.
 

 
KARLIE DEMEL, DERBY
 
Demel, a senior, is in her second season as the Panthers’ shortstop after playing in the outfield her freshman and sophomore campaigns. A second-team All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail I and All-Class 6A choice at infielder last spring, the left-handed Demel batted .500 in the leadoff spot last season with four home runs and 30 RBIs with 21 stolen bases. That helped the Panthers finish 23-8 and third in 6A. Demel has signed to play at McLennan Community College in Texas. 
 

GABBY FRANTZ, OLATHE SOUTH

A three-year starter behind the dish, Frantz has already established herself as one of the Sunflower League’s most dangerous bats. She’s coming off a dominant sophomore campaign in which she hit .473 with 43 hits, six doubles and seven home runs while driving in 23 runs. Even more impressive, Frantz struck out just three times all season. That consistency has been the standard throughout her career. Over her freshman and sophomore seasons, Frantz has totaled 59 RBIs with a .454 batting average and just nine strikeouts, earning first-team all-state and all-Sunflower League honors along the way. 
 

EMMA HEINEMANN, OLATHE WEST

After helping lead Olathe West to a near-perfect season and a Class 6A state championship, Heinemann returns for her senior year as one of the most reliable and accomplished bats in the Sunflower League. A four-year starter, Heinemann has been a steady presence in the Owls’ lineup, hitting .467 last season with 43 hits, eight doubles, two home runs and 30 RBIs last season, while also adding eight stolen bases. Heinemann’s production has been a cornerstone of Olathe West’s success, including its 28-1 championship run a year ago. A first team all-state and All-Sunflower League selection, she enters her final season as a proven middle-of-the-order threat and one of the key leaders for a team looking to defend its title. 
 

 
CELISE KELLEPOURIS, OLATHE WEST

With a championship pedigree already in place, Kellepouris returns as one of the top arms in Class 6A. A three-year starter, Kellepouris was instrumental in leading the Owls to a state title last spring, highlighted by an 8-7 victory over Washburn Rural in the championship game. She put together a dominant sophomore campaign in the circle, finishing 15-1 with a 1.654 ERA and 151 strikeouts while earning first-team all-state and All-Sunflower League honors. She pitched all 21 innings at the state tournament and allowed just one run in each of the first two games against Olathe North and Derby.  
 

   
OLIVIA KOCH, WASHBURN RURAL
 
Entering her junior season, Koch has been a force for the Junior Blues since her freshman season. She’s a career .458 hitter and is a five-tool player as both an outfielder and pitcher for the Junior Blues. She’s set single-season and career records for triples with 16 in her career, including 9 last year when she hit nearly .500. She also belted 9 home runs last year and has 71 career RBI and 35 stolen bases. She’s 16-5 with 70 strikeouts as a pitcher and last year was a first-team All-Class 6A selection as well as the Centennial League player of the year.
 

HANNAH KRUEGER, BLUE VALLEY NORTH

Krueger returns as one of the most experienced and steady presences behind the plate in the Eastern Kansas League, entering her fourth year as a varsity starter. Krueger hit .415 last season with 39 hits, including 11 doubles and two triples, while driving in 32 runs. Her consistency at the plate mirrors her reliability defensively. A second-team all-state selection and honorable mention All-Eastern Kansas League pick, Krueger’s leadership and team-first mentality have made her a trusted figure in big moments. She helped guide Blue Valley North to a regional championship last season before a narrow 6-4 loss to Derby in the state quarterfinals. 
 

KYLIE KYLE, GARDNER EDGERTON

After already establishing herself as one of the top outfielders in Class 6A, Kyle returns as a key piece for the Blazers heading into the 2026 season. A two-year starter in the outfield, Kyle is coming off an impressive 2025 campaign in which she hit .376 with 35 hits, nine doubles and 28 RBIs while earning first-team All-Sunflower League and first-team 6A All-State honors. A steady presence at the plate and in the field, she consistently delivered in big moments for Gardner-Edgerton. Kyle played a pivotal role in helping the Blazers reach the regional championship game last season, where they pushed eventual state champion Olathe West to extra innings in a narrow loss. 
 

AVERY LAHA, OLATHE NORTHWEST

Laha returns as one of the premier infielders in the Sunflower League after a standout junior campaign. A three-year starter at shortstop, Laha is coming off a big 2025 season in which she hit .447 with 38 hits, eight doubles, two triples and eight home runs while driving in 43 runs. A first-team All-Sunflower League selection and second-team all-state honoree, Laha provides a steady presence in the middle of the Ravens’ lineup and anchors the defense up the middle. Her combination of power and consistency makes her a difficult out, while her experience brings valuable leadership to a team coming off a 23-3 season. 
 

CHARLEE LATTEMAN, GARDNER EDGERTON

Few hitters in the Sunflower League were as dangerous — or as consistent — as Latteman a season ago. A four-year starter, the Gardner-Edgerton senior returns as the centerpiece of the Blazers’ lineup after a dominant junior campaign in which she hit .494 with 38 hits, 12 doubles, 13 home runs and 45 RBIs. Latteman’s production earned her Sunflower League Player of the Year honors, along with first-team all-league and first-team Class 6A all-state recognition. She was instrumental in leading Gardner-Edgerton to a regional championship game appearance, where the Blazers pushed eventual state champion Olathe West to the brink in a 7-6 extra-inning loss. Now entering her senior season, Latteman will once again be one of the top players in Class 6A and a key piece in Gardner-Edgerton’s pursuit of a deeper postseason run. 
 

LANE LAWSON, BLUE VALLEY NORTH

A four-year starter, Lawson returns as the centerpiece of the Mustangs’ lineup and a steady presence up the middle at shortstop, while also contributing in the circle. She put together an outstanding junior campaign, hitting .459 with 45 hits, including 15 doubles, while driving in 25 runs. Lawson also showcased her versatility as a pitcher, going 7-1 with a 2.669 ERA and 69 strikeouts. A second-team all-state selection in the infield and first-team All-Eastern Kansas League honoree, Lawson helped guide the Mustangs to a regional championship last season before a narrow exit in the state quarterfinals.  

 

KIERA NORRIS, LAWRENCE

Lawrence will lean heavily on the experience and consistency of Norris in the circle this season as the standout pitcher returns following an impressive junior campaign. A second-team all-state and All-Sunflower League selection, Norris proved to be one of the area’s most dependable arms in 2025. She logged 115 innings and compiled a 14-4 record, striking out 144 batters while limiting opponents to a .233 batting average. Norris also showed strong command with just 29 walks and finished the season with a 3.02 ERA. Her ability to control games and keep hitters off balance makes her a key piece for the Lions.
 

OLIVIA PARRA, DERBY
 
Parra was the Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail I coaches’ choice at first-team designated player last season after she batted .418 with six home runs and 32 RBIs while scoring 37 runs. She helped Derby post a third-place finish in Class 6A for the third time in four seasons, and is off to a hot start this spring, batting over .500 as Derby won its first eight games. Parra, an outfielder and two-year starter, has signed to play at Dodge City Community College. 
 

AVA ROSNER, OLATHE NORTH

Rosner returns as one of the top all-around threats in the Sunflower League after a standout junior campaign. A Missouri Western commit, Rosner hit .405 last season with 34 hits, nine doubles, four home runs and 27 RBIs while earning first-team All-Sunflower League honors. Versatile enough to impact the game both behind the plate and in the outfield, Rosner gives the Eagles a reliable bat in the middle of the lineup and a steady defensive presence wherever she’s needed. She was a key piece of an Olathe North squad that went 24-5, captured a regional championship and advanced to the Class 6A state quarterfinals before falling to Mill Valley.
 

ADA SCHWELLER, OLATHE EAST

Schweller has already established herself as one of the most dominant arms in Kansas — and she’s not slowing down. The right-handed pitcher enters her senior season coming off a standout 2025 campaign in which she went 11-7 with a 2.179 ERA while racking up an eye-popping 208 strikeouts. Schweller was nearly untouchable at times, holding opponents to a .131 batting average and allowing just 54 hits across 19 starts while throwing more than 2,000 pitches. Her dominance earned her Sunflower League Pitcher of the Year honors, along with first-team all-league and first-team all-state recognition. Now, she’s already adding to her resume. The Bradley University commit surpassed 400 career strikeouts just three games into this season, further cementing her status as a workhorse ace who can control games from the circle. 
 

JOSLYNN STIGLITZ, MAIZE
 
Stiglitz has been a key part of Maize’s success throughout her career, and has helped the Eagles post an 11-1 record through their first 12 games this spring. A first-team all-league selection at first base as a sophomore and utility as a junior, she complemented that with second-team honors at pitcher both seasons. The Friends University commit helped Maize finish 17-11 a year ago and reach the regional finals for the third straight year.