{"id":252172,"date":"2026-04-30T07:03:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T07:03:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/252172\/"},"modified":"2026-04-30T07:03:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T07:03:33","slug":"shumaker-erickson-rothrock-named-the-2026-usa-softball-player-of-the-year-top-25-finalists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/252172\/","title":{"rendered":"Shumaker, Erickson & Rothrock Named the 2026 USA Softball Player of the Year Top-25 Finalists"},"content":{"rendered":"

OKLAHOMA CITY \u2013 Florida softball’s Jocelyn Erickson<\/a>, Keagan Rothrock<\/a> and Taylor Shumaker<\/a> were each named Top 25 Finalists for the 2026 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, the organization announced on Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n

The Gators’ three selections were the second-most of any team in the NCAA. Florida is also one of just six programs with multiple finalists.<\/p>\n

Taylor Shumaker<\/a> is living up to the lofty expectations she set as a freshman in her sophomore season. Shumaker leads the Gators in batting average (.458), hits (81), doubles (17), walks (36), runs (77), on-base percentage (.545), sacrifice flies (4), total bases (146) and multi-hit games (27), to go along with 16 home runs.<\/p>\n

She’s already set new single-season career-highs in hits and runs and ranks fourth in the country in total hits.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Shumaker has won two Southeastern Conference Player of the Week Honors and was named the NFCA Player of the Week on March 2.<\/p>\n

The Fullerton, Calif., native, is one of just two sophomore finalists. She was also a top 25 finalist as a freshman.<\/p>\n

Erickson is capping off her record-breaking collegiate career with a standout senior season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Phoenix, Az., native, who has split time between first base and catcher, is batting .413 with 19 home runs, a single-season career-best, with 13 doubles, a triple, a team-high 67 RBIs and 58 runs.<\/p>\n

She’s recorded 22 multi-hit, 20 multi-RBI and four multi-home run games and is slugging a team-high .844 with a .524 on-base percentage. Erickson was a top 26 finalist as a sophomore in 2024.<\/p>\n

In the circle, junior Keagan Rothrock<\/a> ranks second in the nation in wins, holding a 25-5 record with seven wins over top 25 opponents.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The right-handed pitcher holder from Whiteland, Ind., holds a 2.28 ERA in 166 innings pitched with 156 strikeouts. She has made 28 starts, tossing 15 complete games with five shutouts and four saves.<\/p>\n

Rothrock tossed her third career no-hitter at South Carolina on April 10, earning her NFCA, SEC and Softball America Pitcher of the Week honors.<\/p>\n

Lauren Haeger and Kelly Barnhill are the only Gators to have won the prestigious award. Haeger earned the title in 2015 after leading Florida to the program’s second national championship and Barnhill secured the honor after having a historic season in 2017.<\/p>\n

The Top 25 will be narrowed to 10 finalists on May 13, followed by the announcement of the Top 3 on May 18. The 2026 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed prior to the Women’s College World Series, scheduled for May 28\u2013June 5 in Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n

FOLLOW THE GATORS

\nFloridaGators.com<\/a>

\nFlorida Softball on Twitter<\/a>

\nHead Coach\u00a0<\/a>Tim Walton<\/a>\u00a0on Twitter

\nFlorida Softball on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n