- NFCA Release

CANYON, TEXAS – West Texas A&M's Brooke Janning has been named one of eight finalists for the 2026 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Freshman of the Year award announced on Wednesday afternoon by the association's offices in Louisville, Kentucky.
 
The Blair, Nebraska product has claimed First Team All-Region accolades by both the NFCA and D2CCA. Janning is 23-3 in the circle with a 2.56 ERA as the left-hander has tossed 12 complete games, allowing 65 runs (57 earned) on 150 hits with 30 walks and 129 strikeouts in her 156.0 innings of work. 
 
Janning has started all 57 games of the season for the Lady Buffs, hitting .425 with 13 doubles, two triples and nine homeruns to drive in 50 RBI for a slugging percentage of .726 to claim First Team All-Lone Star Conference honors while also being named to the LSC All-Freshman Team.
 
The road to Chattanooga, Tennessee continues this weekend as the #6 Lady Buffs host the #22 Oklahoma Christian Eagles in a best-of-three series at Schaeffer Park in Canyon during the 2026 NCAA Division II Softball South Central Super Regionals.
 
Past winners include: 2025: Carliegh Knowles, North Georgia; 2024 – Sarah Davenport, East Stroudsburg; 2023 - Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman; 2022 - Caleigh Rister, PennWest California; 2021 - Kenzee Smith, Indianapolis; 2019 - Bailey McKittrick, Central Oklahoma; 2018 - Callie Nunes, Concordia; 2017 - Autumn Humes, Harding; 2016 Charlotte Romero, Colorado Christian; 2015 - Janessa Bassett, Dixie State.
 
Created in 2015, the award honors the outstanding athletic achievement among freshman softball student-athletes throughout NCAA Division II. To be eligible, student-athletes must come from a NFCA member institution. 
 
2026 NFCA DII National Freshman of the Year Finalists
Atlantic – Maddie Cavenaugh, Slippery Rock University
Central – Kierra Lubovich, Augustana University
East – Camryn Van Valkenburgh, Franklin Pierce University
Midwest – Caitlin Bunte, University of Indianapolis
South – Abigail Hynes, Saint Leo University
South Central – Brooke Janning, West Texas A&M University
Southeast – Malyiah Smith, Carson-Newman University
West – Deleah Cardenas, California State University San Marcos