The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 5 Softball’s Kavan, Stewart named top 25 finalists for USA Softball’s Collegiate Player of the Year
04.29.2026 | Softball
Kavan has been selected as a top 25 finalist in back-to-back years, while Stewart is a finalist for the first time in her career.
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 5 Texas Softball junior RHP Teagan Kavan and junior first baseman Katie Stewart were named top 25 finalists for USA Softball's Collegiate Player of the Year, the organization announced Wednesday.
Kavan has been tabbed a finalist for the award in back-to-back years. Last season, Kavan, along with catcher Reese Atwood and former Longhorn third baseman Mia Scott, were selected as top 25 finalists. It's Stewart's first time being named a finalist for the award.
Former Longhorn LHP Cat Osterman is the only three-time winner of USA Softball's Collegiate Player of the Year, bringing home the award in 2003, 2005 and 2006.
Kavan has displayed why she's one of the country's top pitchers again this year. Kavan, the reigning WCWS Most Outstanding Player, sports a 2.92 ERA in a team-high 134.1 innings of work, making a team-high 22 starts (28 overall appearances). The right-hander has recorded the second-most strikeouts by an SEC pitcher with 165. She sits third in victories with 19 and third in complete games with 12. The West Des Moines, Iowa, native has curbed opponents to a .245 batting average and has tossed three shutouts, including a no-hitter vs. Incarnate Word on March 1. Kavan has posted six double-digit strikeout outings this season, including a season-high 13 vs. No. 2 Oklahoma on April 10. Kavan was named the SEC's Pitcher of the Week for the second time in her career on March 10. Kavan was tabbed D1Softball's National Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 24 following her successful weekend at the DeMarini Invitational on Feb. 20-22. It was her third career D1Softball National Pitcher of the Week honor after twice earning in during the 2025 season.
Stewart is having a record-breaking year at the plate, slashing .468/1.087/.590 with 24 home runs, 61 RBI, 59 hits, 43 runs scored, 137 total bases, 34 walks and five HBP. Stewart broke the program's single-season home run record after hitting her 24th on April 26 at Kentucky. Stewart tops the SEC with her .468 batting average. She ranks second in the conference and fifth nationally with her 24 home runs. Stewart ranks fifth nationally in slugging percentage (1.087) and ranks sixth nationally in home runs per game (0.52) and on base percentage (.590). Stewart leads UT with 19 multi-hit games and 20 multi-RBI games. Stewart holds a .983 fielding percentage at first with 287 putouts and eight assists.
Each NCAA Softball season, USA Softball recognizes a Collegiate Player of the Year based on outstanding play over the course of the entire season. At the beginning of each season, USA Softball issues a Top 50 "Watch List" for Player of the Year, followed by a list of finalists that narrows from Top 25 to Top 10 and Top 3. The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year is awarded during a team reception the week of the WCWS.
Up Next
Texas to the friendly confines of McCombs Field to close out the regular season with a three-game set vs. No. 6 Arkansas on April 30-May 2. The series opener between Texas and Arkansas is set for 6 p.m. CT Thursday, April 30, on SEC Network.
