Southeast Missouri has been selected to win the 2026 Ohio Valley Conference softball crown as voted on by the league’s head coaches and communications directors.
The Redhawks received eight first-place votes and 148 points while SIUE earned eight first-place votes and 139 points to be selected to finish second. Eastern Illinois received three first-place votes and 138 points to be selected third while Londenwood is picked to finish fourth with 108 points. Rounding out the top five is Southern Indiana with the final first-place vote and 107 points. Tennessee Tech was selcted sixth with 75 points and is followed by Tennessee State (68), UT Martin (55), Western Illinois (41) and Morehead State (21).
Southeast Missouri returns all-conference selections Brooklyn Saysoff and Madison Winkler. The Redhawks also bring back the 2024 OVC Co-Player of the Year, Aubrie Shore, who sat out last season with an injury. and will look to defend its OVC Championship title. SIUE and Eastern Illinois, along with the other members, will look to knock off SEMO. Reigning Coach of the Year Ben Sorden will look to the 2025 Freshman of the Year, Avery Arwood, to lead the Cougars to the title. The Panthers come in with returning all-conference selections Karlie McKenzie and Morgan Hance to defend their regular season and tournament championships.
The OVC Softball Championship is slated for May 6-9 in Peoria, Illinois.
2026 OVC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
(as voted on by the league’s head softball coaches and communication directors)
1. Southeast Missouri (8) - 148
2. SIUE (8) – 139
3. Eastern Illinois (3) – 138
4. Lindenwood – 108
5. Southern Indiana (1) – 107
6. Tennessee Tech – 75
7. Tennessee State – 68
8. UT Martin – 55
9. Western Illinois – 41
10. Morehead State - 21
(Schools were not allowed to rank their own team. 9 points awarded for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc.)
Returning All-OVC Selections
P -
Karlie McKenzie, Eastern Illinois
P -
Avery Wapp, Lindenwood
P -
Avery Arwood, SIUE
P -
Kylie Witthaus, Southern Indiana
C/IF -
Jordan Mackey, Southern Indiana
IF -
Tori Hatton, Lindenwood
IF -
Sela Pickford, Morehead State
IF -
Brooklyn Saysoff, Southeast Missouri
IF/UT -
Payton Brown, Western Illinois
OF -
Morgan Hance, Eastern Illinois
OF -
Nicole Henson, Lindenwood
OF -
Maddy Christopher, Morehead State
OF -
Madison Winkler, Southeast Missouri
OF -
Caroline Stapleton, Southern Indiana
OF -
Hailey Hunt, Tennessee State
2026 OVC Players to Watch
Abi Hatton, UT, Eastern Illinois
Bryana French, P, Eastern Illinois
Ryleigh Owens, P, Lindenwood
Sydney Farmer, C/3B, Morehead State
Rylie Burney, P, Morehead State
Maddie Carney, P, Southeast Missouri
Aubrie Shore, IF, Southeast Missouri
Kaylin Fahy, OF, SIUE
Raegan Duncan, IF, SIUE
Sydney Long, 2B, Southern Indiana
Kate Satkoski, OF, Southern Indiana
Jace Jackson, MI, Tennessee State
Kailyn Jean-Baptiste, IF, Tennessee State
Emily York, P, Tennessee Tech
Olivia Evans, OF, Tennessee Tech
Avary Makarewicz, C, UT Martin
Dylan Scott, UT, UT Martin
Lillie Wools, P/UT, Western Illinois
Sophia Sanchez, 2B, Western Illinois