Mountain West Announces 2026 Softball Preseason Honors

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Mountain West announced the 2026 MW softball preseason predicted order of finish and honors on Thursday as voted on by the league’s 10 head coaches.

The preseason All-MW team consists of 12 position players, regardless of position, and three pitchers. Eight seniors, four juniors and three sophomores make up the 15-person team.

Mountain West newcomer Grand Canyon was voted to finish the regular season first in conference play with 77 points and six first-place votes. The winner of the regular season will earn a first round-bye in the 2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Softball Championship in May. The Lopes finished the 2025 season 47-8 overall and 21-2 in the WAC. Grand Canyon won the WAC championship where they earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Following the Lopes in the preseason poll is Nevada with the remaining four first-place votes and 73 points, San Diego State in third (68 points), Boise State in fourth (54 points) and Utah State in fifth (44 points). Rounding out the poll is Fresno State in sixth (37 points) and Colorado State (26 points) in seventh, while New Mexico and UNLV are tied at eighth (25 points) followed by San José State (21 points).

Grand Canyon’s Savannah Kirk was selected as the 2026 MW Preseason Player of the Year. Kirk earned WAC Player of the Year honors in 2025, amassing 53 runs on 97 hits, including seven doubles and 104 total bases, with a .452 batting average and 52 RBIs. Additionally, she logged 50 stolen bases on 50 attempts. At second base, the junior tallied 102 putouts and a .974 fielding percentage.

Nevada senior Hailey McLean was tabbed the 2026 MW Preseason Pitcher of the Year. The Sparks, Nevada, native, made 34 appearances in the circle for the Wolf Pack, 20 of which were starts during the 2025 season. She tallied an 17-7 record with four saves and a 2.32 ERA over 138.2 innings pitched. She registered 149 strikeouts, threw six complete games and two shutouts.

PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Savannah Kirk, Jr., 2B, Grand Canyon

PRESEASON PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Hailey McLean, Sr., RHP, Nevada

PRESEASON TEAM (12 Position Players, 3 Pitchers)
Kaylynn English, Jr., SS, Colorado State
Taryn Batterton, Sr., RHP, Grand Canyon
Jada Cooper, So., DH/UT, Grand Canyon
Emily Gonzalez, Sr., 1B, Grand Canyon
Savannah Kirk, Jr., 2B, Grand Canyon
Madison Clark, Jr., 2B, Nevada
Haylee Engelbrecht, Sr., SS, Nevada
Hailey McLean, Sr., RHP, Nevada
Lala Macario, Sr., 2B, San Diego State
Julie Holcomb, Jr., CF, San Diego State
Quinn Waiki, So., SS, San Diego State
Ahmiya Noriega, Sr., 2B, San José State
Yanina Sherwood, So., RHP, UNLV
Grace Matej, Sr., C, Utah State
Kya Pratt, Sr., RF, Utah State

PRESEASON COACHES POLL