McPherson, Kan. – The Sooner Athletic Conference has released their All-Conference honors for the 2026 Softball Campaign and the Tigers have four players that were recognized as receiving All-Conference honors.
Ciara Valadez received 2nd team recognition after her consistency at the top of the lineup always provided a spark for the Tigers. Valadez tallied a .371 batting average across 49 games for the Tigers and amassed 53 hits in 143 at bats with 21 runs batted in and 22 walks. She finished 6th in the SAC in Walks (22).
Hallie Thomas earned Honorable Mention as she tallied 42 hits in 130 at bats for an average of .323 with 8 doubles, 13 runs batted in and 11 walks. Thomas also went 11 for 14 in stolen base attempts.
Jaci Jeffers also earned Honorable Mention with a .306 average, 45 hits featuring 2 triples, 3 homeruns and 11 doubles. She drove in 24 runs and tallied 12 walks.
Ashley Vaccaro earned a gold glove for her performance in the field this year. She normally plays outfield but moved to short stop through the year. Vaccaro tallied a fielding percentage of .953 with 114 putouts, 89 assists and just 10 errors. She also helped to turn 12 double plays and was a veteran presence in the Tiger infield all year long.
The Tigers finished 2026 with a record of 17-30 and went 9-27 in SAC play, narrowly missing out on the SAC Tournament. Their season included a series win over Division III Howard Payne University in Brownwood and a series win over OPSU.
