WICHITA, Kan. – Five Evangel Valor softball standouts have earned spots on KCAC All-Conference teams, highlighted by the Valor earning three major awards, with Jay Halbrook being named KCAC Coach of the Year, Maddy Meierer being named Pitcher of the Year, and Natalie Morgan begin named Freshman of the Year, for their efforts in the 2026 regular season.
Maddy Meierer and Madi Bentley were both named first team pitchers, while Kenna Mayfield, Natalie Morgan, and Naomi Perkins earned honors at second base, catcher, and outfield respectively. Morgan and Perkins' efforts at catcher and center field also earned both players the KCAC Gold Glove at their positions.
The Valor were also honored by being awarded the KCAC Team of Character title, given to the top voted team of character in the conference based on community service, sportsmanship, and integrity. Kenna Mayfield earned the honor of being named Evangel's Champion of Character, nominated by her coaching staff for her leadership on and off the field.
Meierer, the junior Nixa native, led the Valor in the circle, going 21-3 overall with 10 shutouts and 22 complete games pitched. Maddy leads the conference in ERA (1.11) and wins (21), ranking sixth in the nation in ERA and tied for seventh in the nation for wins. Meierer struck out 157 batters this year and is currently third for wins in a single season, as well as eighth for strikeouts in a single season.
Bentley, the senior Diamond, Mo., native, served as Evangel's #2 in the circle this season, with a 15-6 record overall, finishing with five shutouts and 15 complete games pitched. Madi's 2.81 ERA is the eighth best in the KCAC, while her 15 wins rank second in the conference. Bentley's 108 strikeouts are the second most in the conference.
A senior infielder from Ozark, Mayfield had yet another productive regular season at the plate, finishing tops on the team and in the KCAC with a .475 batting average (18th in nation) and the most stolen bases on the team with 54 (3rd in nation). Kenna has scored the most runs on the team this year, currently with 53, which is fourth all-time in a single season for Evangel.
Natalie Morgan, a freshman catcher from Ozark, had an exceptional opening campaign, batting .310 with four home runs and 34 RBIs, while finishing the year with just one error behind the plate.
Rounding out honorees on the field for Evangel was Naomi Perkins, a senior outfielder from Steelville, Mo., who had her best single season this year, batting a blazing .404 at the plate with a team high 38 RBIs and 36 runs scored. Perkins also displayed her exceptional fielding skills by finishing the year with zero errors from center field.
Jay Halbrook was named the KCAC Coach of the Year after helping guide Evangel to a 39-9 record and their second KCAC Regular Season Title in just three seasons in the conference. Halbrook recorded his 300th career win earlier in the season and currently sits at a 313-185 overall record as head coach at EU.
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